You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic (2CD)

When he left Mott the Hoople in 1974, Ian Hunter took Bowie sideman and late-era Hoople guitarist Mick Ronson with him, and further indulged the glam-rock-tinged, proto-new wave songwriting that made Hunter the fulcrum of his former band. His first solo outing featured the hit song "Once Bitten Twice Shy," which would be covered by Great White a decade later.

Hunter released well-crafted albums on a semi-regular basis throughout the '80s, '90s, and into the 21st Century, enjoying some FM hits and the continued respect of peers and younger artists, who appreciate the artist's deft blend of classic, rootsy melodicism with a slightly cock-eyed, punky point of view.

'You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic' was originally released worldwide in April 1979 on Chrysalis Records and was Ian Hunter's first release with the label. The former Mott the Hoople front man had launched his solo career in 1975.

The deluxe, re-mastered, 30th anniversary edition of this amazing album contains the original LP with bonus tracks, plus an extra disc featuring unreleased live performances from the period. The celebration is fully justified on three counts: Because this remains Ian's biggest selling international solo album; because the live tapes have remained rare treasures in Hunter folklore until now and finally; because the songs are just so very good.

The album title came about when Ian's musical partner (former Mott the Hoople and David Bowie guitarist) Mick Ronson found the slogan "you're never alone with a schizophrenic" scrawled on a New York toilet wall. Mick proposed that they use the phrase for Ian's record and then decided to retain it. Hunter then "traded" the title for a joint writing credit on the song "Just Another Night".