In Style (American Beat)

Ian Hunter

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 pub-rock-tinged, proto-new wave songwriting that made Hunter the MVP of his former band. His first solo outing featured the hit song "Once Bitten Twice Shy," which would be covered memorably by Great White a decade later. Hunter released well-crafted albums on a semi-regular basis throughout the '80s, '90s, and aughts, 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.