Mott the Hoople. It was Mott the Hoople turned me on to MC Escher's graphics in the first place. It was at a time when whim dictated my album purchases. I planned to buy the album, throw away the record, and hang the cover on my wall. Instead, I discovered that Escher had produced a collected works, and in paperback. I bought it, instead of Mott the Hoople. I filed them away, at the time with people like the Kings, Alan Price, Georgie Fame, the whole one-nighters-through-the-Midlands group. The music? Who knew? Mott more or less stormed back onto the music scene at the tender mercies of David Bowie, who'd decided to Do Something with these boys. The single was "All the Young Dudes," maybe a homosexual anthem, and an album of same. It was an interesting example of expediency in action. Bowie's no longer producing Mott, and who knows just whose banner these guys are waving?

The Pointer Sisters. Another strict Church upbringing, maybe even Baptist. Four girls whose minister father rarely let them out of the house Saturday nights. So they sang. in Church, and conspired, which led them to the traditional backup jobs, with Taj Mahal among others. (Their harmony on his "Texas Woman Blues" is like to drive you wild.) They look like standard Harlem hookers, run through a time warp to about 1943, garish lipstick, thrift shop dresses, hats. They also sing. Ernie Santosuosso said in the Globe last week that he was playing their album incessantly, all this is on one album plus TV. This all may be true, if "Texas Woman Blues" is any indication, it is. Mott the Hoople. Saturday, August 4th. Orpheum Theater. Tickets are $3 and $4.