Mott the Hoople

Mott the Hoople paired Mick Ralphs' beefy Gibson Les Paul riffs with Morgan Fisher's Steinway piano, creating a sound that was simultaneously muscular and melodic in a way few glam acts managed. The interplay between overdriven guitar and acoustic piano gave their arrangements a dynamic range — from the stomping riff of "All the Young Dudes" to the saloon-bar swagger of their earlier work. Luther Grosvenor's Fender Telecaster work on the debut added a twangy edge that anchored the band's hard-rock roots before Bowie's glam makeover.