Ian Hunter Returns With Definace Part 2: Fiction In April 2024. Featuring A Stellar Guest List..

Hailed by Classic Rock Magazine as “a collection of brilliant, swinging rockers,” DEFIANCE PART 1 proved among the most critically lauded collections of Hunter’s brilliant career, named by Classic Rock Magazine among “The 50 Best Rock Albums of the Year,” by Ultimate Classic Rock as one of “Top 30 Rock Albums of 2023,” and by MOJO as one of “The 50 Best Albums of 2023,” the latter declaring it “one of those rare all-star affairs that transcended the sum of its parts. A crunchy reiteration of rock’n’roll’s foundational allure, from one who’d been there, done that and, of course, wrote the book.”

Now Hunter returns with DEFIANCE PART 2: FICTION, again boasting a historic roster of guest artists while evincing a harder lyrical edge and denser musical approach. Having long used his voice to explore and examine contemporary issues, Hunter is once more pointing his passionate pen at a society seemingly more out of control with each passing day.

“I was trying to avoid all that on PART 1,” Hunter says, “but on PART 2, it caught up with me. Most of those were written two or three years back, so I wanted to get it all out before whatever takes hold in November. It would be dated after the fact.”

Songs like the legalization anthem “Weed” – featuring Stone Temple Pilots’ Dean DeLeo (guitar), Robert De Leo (bass), and Eric Kretz (drums) and the epic “Fiction” – with keyboards from Mott the Hoople’s Morgan Fisher and a stirring string arrangement from David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, T Bone Burnett) – are full of righteous fury and vibrant spirit, Hunter’s perspective and gift for protest music as clear-eyed and independent as ever. “I’m neither left nor particularly right,” Hunter adds. “I’m just straight down the middle. And so I tried to write from that point of view. An eagle has two wings and if one falls off it perishes. That’s what I’m trying to get at. A bit of common sense, you know, Thomas Paine stuff.”

Countless highlights abound through DEFIANCE PART 2: FICTION, from a pair of irresistibly crunchy rockers (“People” and “Kettle of Fish”) featuring three members of Cheap Trick to the raw, emotional “What Would I Do Without You,” the latter of which sees Hunter sharing lead vocals with Lucinda Williams – the first duet in his extensive canon.
“Lucinda and her husband came to one of my shows in Nashville,” Hunter says. “I love her voice, there’s something very childlike, and you just know it’s her straight away. You don’t forget that voice.”

Much to his surprise, Hunter is currently hard at work writing songs for a third installment in the DEFIANCE project. Though born from expediency and quarantine, the communal nature of DEFIANCE has proven a remarkably fruitful creative path for Ian Hunter, still another collaborative milestone in his indefatigable journey through rock ‘n’ roll.
“I never initiated this,” Ian Hunter says. “It just kind of happened and it turned out great. So I’m going to write some more songs and we’ll see what happens again.”

TRACKLIST
1. People
Dane Clark: Drums
Tom Petersson: Bass
Robin Zander: Keyboard, Background Vocals
Robin-Sailor, RTZ: Background Vocals
Rick Nielsen: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Mark Bosch: Electric Guitar
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano

2. Fiction
Dane Clark: Drums, China Cymbal
Steve Holley: Tambourine, Toms, Cymbal Swell
David Mansfield: Strings and String Arrangement
Morgan Fisher: Piano Solo and Organ
Andy York: Bass, 12-String, Baritone and Electric Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano

3. The 3rd Rail
Dane Clark: Drums
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Jeff Beck – Lead Guitar
Johnny Depp: Acoustic and Electric Rhythm Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano
(Dedicated to Jeff)

4. This Ain’t Rock And Roll
Dane Clark: Drums
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Phil Collen: Background Vocals
Andy York: Slide and Electric Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano

5. Precious
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Brian May: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Bass
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
James Mastro: Sax Abuse
Ian Hunter: Piano

6. Weed
Eric Kretz: Drums
Robert De Leo: Bass
Dean DeLeo: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars, Slide Guitar
Andy Burton: Organ
Dennis DiBrizzi: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano

7. Kettle Of Fish
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Dane Clark: Drums and Snare Section
Tom Petersson: Bass
Robin Zander: Background Vocal
Rick Nielsen: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Steve Holley: Tambourine
Tommy Mandel: Organ
Andy York: Baritone Guitar, Background Vocal
Ian Hunter: Electric Guitar

8. What Would I Do Without You
Dane Clark: Drums
Lucinda Williams: Lead and Background Vocals
Benmont Tench: Organ
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Andy Burton: Electric Piano
Andy York: Baritone Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano

9. Everybody’s Crazy But Me
Taylor Hawkins: Drums
Waddy Wachtel: Electric Rhythm and Lead Guitars
Benmont Tench: Organ
Steve Holley: Maracas, Tambourine
Paul Page: Bass
James Mastro: Electric Guitar
Dennis DiBrizzi, Andy York: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Piano

10. Hope
Taylor Hawkins: Drums, Bass
Lucinda Williams: Harmony Vocal
Billy Bob Thornton: Background Vocals
Benmont Tench: Synth
Steve Holley: Maracas, Tambourine
J.D. Andrew: Electric Guitar
Andy York: Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Ian Hunter: Piano

** PLEASE NOTE: THE TRACKS LISTED BELOW WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ON THE RECORD STORE DAY VINYL **
11. Normal Service Will Be Resumed As Soon As Possible
Kevin Hupp: Drums, Percussion
Frank Gagliardi: Bass
Rick Tedesco: Electric Guitars, 12-String Acoustic, Background Vocals
John Liguori, Michael Tedesco: Background Vocals
Ian Hunter: Acoustic Guitars

12. Needle Park
Dane Clark: Drums
Rich Robinson: Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Chris Robinson: Background Vocals, Harmonica
Tony Shanahan: Bass
Mark Bosch: Electric Guitar, Solo
Steve Holley: Shaker
Ian Hunter: Piano

13. How’d Ya Like To Meet Henry
Matt Cameron: Drums, Percussion
Mike McCready: Electric Guitar
Joe Elliott: Background Vocals
Mark Bosch: Electric Guitar
James Mastro: Resonator Guitar
Andy York: Bass
Ian Hunter: Piano