Pop: Riffs

The first and last records bought by Ian Hunter,

ex-frontman of Mott The Hoople

First record: Bob Dylan's `Like a Rolling Stone'

I STILL think this is one of the best songs ever written (within rock'n'roll anyway). I couldn't afford a proper stereo but had one of those green plastic turntable jobs from Woolworth's, so it was only worth getting singles.

The lyrics are amazing and even more so for its time. If you look at a book of Dylan lyrics it scares ya. I know I couldn't write anything like it - that belongs to writers and poets and is so far ahead of what many rock'n'rollers do.

He's not a singer in a conventional sense. In those days you had to be a good singer and Dylan sounded like Yogi Bear. But it was magical and great. He's got about 10 different voices and is probably the best blues singer around. I wasn't a singer, either, so I thought it was the way to go: if he could do it, I could.

Last record: The Goo Goo Dolls' `Iris', from the sound track of City of Angels

Their album isn't out yet but most people know them from this, which was a huge hit in the States. They are about to release their sixth album. It's a great song, a real traditional ballad in some respects. The lyrics are great.

For about three-quarters of the song it's a kind of waltz-like thing; it starts off quiet and gets more and more powerful. A particular line strikes me: "In a world that is made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am." It's special. In the video they look fantastic in dapper suits. The guys have got attitude. John Rzeznik has that thing you can't explain. It's like when I first saw Jimi Hendrix, I just knew, before he played, that this was it.

`Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes - The Anthology' is out now on Columbia