Drive On (album)

"Drive On" is the debut album by British band Mott, which was previously known as Mott the Hoople. It was released on the CBS label in the UK and the Columbia label in the United States. A remastered version of the album was released on CD in 2006 by Wounded Bird Records in the US. This is the first album released without former lead singer Ian Hunter and introduces two new members: Ray Major and Nigel Benjamin.

The album features the singles "Monte Carlo" paired with "Shout It All Out" and "By Tonight" paired with "I Can Show You How It Is."

In the wake of *The Hoople* (1974), the live album *Live* was released shortly afterward. Following this, guitarist Ariel Bender was replaced by Mick Ronson. Mott the Hoople disbanded when vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist Ian Hunter left to embark on a solo career with Ronson's support.

In January 1975, Ray Major and lead singer Nigel Benjamin joined to continue the band, which then shortened its name to Mott. The new lineup featured Pete Watts, Dale Griffin, and Morgan Fisher, along with guitarists Major—formerly with Opal Butterfly, Hackensack, and briefly with Andy Fraser and Frankie Miller—and the relatively unknown Benjamin.

Pete Watts contributed significantly to the songwriting, with additional input from Griffin and Major. The album *Drive On* was arranged, produced, and directed by the band, and was co-engineered by Geoff Emerick.

This lineup released one more album, *Shouting and Pointing* (1976), which also failed to perform well commercially. *Drive On* remains the band's last studio album to chart in the British charts.