Motörhead

MOTÖRHEAD

   Motörhead are an English rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister, known mainly by his stage name Lemmy, who has remained the sole constant member. The band is often considered a precursor to or one of the earliest members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s.Usually a power trio, Motörhead had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Top 40 chart. The albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades, and particularly No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, cemented Motörhead's reputation as one of Britain's foremost rock bands.

   Motörhead are typically classified as heavy metal, and their fusion of punk rock into the genre helped to pioneer speed metal and thrash metal.Motörhead's approach has remained the same over the band's career, preferring to play what they enjoy and do best; their appreciation of early rock and roll is reflected in some of their occasional cover songs. Motörhead's lyrics typically cover such topics as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse, and, most famously, gambling. The name "Motörhead" is a reference to users of the drug amphetamine.The band's distinctive fanged-face logo, with its oversized boar's horns, chains, and spikes, was created by artist Joe Petagno in 1977 for the cover of the Motörhead album and has appeared in many variations on covers of ensuing albums. The fanged face has been referred to variously as "War-Pig" and "Snaggletooth".The band is ranked number 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

   Lemmy has stated that he generally feels more kinship with punk rockers than with metal bands: Motörhead had gigs with fellow Brits The Damned, with whom he played bass on a handful of late 1970s gigs, as well as having penned the song "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." as a tribute to the Ramones. Motörhead, Lemmy states, have more in common aesthetically with The Damned than Black Sabbath, and nothing whatsoever in common with Judas Priest. Lemmy says he feels little kinship with the speed metal bands Motörhead have inspired:

"They've just got the wrong bit. They think that being fast and loud is the whole thing and it isn't. The guitar solos are not really difficult for a guitar player, it's just playing scales. To feel a solo and bend into it & I mean Hendrix is the best guitarist you've ever seen in your life. And he learned from people like Buddy Guy, Lightnin' Hopkins and people like that inspired Hendrix. To be influenced by something, you're gonna have to play it the same."

Current band members:

• Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister – lead vocals, bass guitar (1975–present)
• Phil Campbell – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals (1984–present)
• Mikkey Dee – drums (1992–present)

Discography:

MOTÖRHEAD

(1977)

   Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead, released in 1977.On April 1, 1977, after nearly two years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to perform their last show at the Marquee Club in London. They asked Ted Carroll, head of Chiswick Records, to record the show for posterity. Instead of recording it, he offered a chance for the band to record a single. This being their last chance, they recorded 13 backing tracks in just two days, impressing Carroll enough for him to offer them further studio time to complete the tracks. Eight of these tracks were released on this eponymous debut album. The album did well enough to ensure the band would remain together, but it would be their next album, 1979's Overkill, that proved to be their true breakthrough.

   The band had earlier recorded their debut album On Parole for United Artists Records, but the record company was stalling on its release, unsure of its commercial viability. For this album, the band chose to re-record that album in almost its entirety, only "Fools" and "Leaving Here" weren't re-recorded at these sessions. In addition two new self-penned compositions were added in "White Line Fever" and "Keep Us on the Road." as well as a cover of "Train Kept A-Rollin'."

OVERKILL

(1979)

   Overkill is the second album released by Motörhead, in 1979, and their first for Bronze Records. It peaked at number 24 on the UK charts.It had a big impact in the British punk culture of that time, paving the way for UK82. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 46 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".Bronze Records signed the band in 1978 and gave them time in Wessex Studios in London to record Richard Berry's "Louie Louie" and a new song by the band, "Tear Ya Down". The band toured to promote their single "Louie Louie" while Chiswick released the Motörhead album in white vinyl, to keep the momentum going. Sales of the single brought the band their first appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops, which gave Bronze the confidence to get the band back into the studio to record a second album.

   The first release from those sessions was the single release of "Overkill" backed with "Too Late, Too Late" in 7" and 12" pressings. The Chiswick album "Motörhead" had been a hasty affair as was its production, although it had a sub-bootleg quality which may be appealing, Overkill had more spring and bounce, and a thundering title track that would become a show-stopper for years to come. Three weeks after the initial release of the album in black vinyl, the album was released in a limited edition of 15,000 in green vinyl.

BOMBER

(1979)

   Bomber is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was recorded in 1979, the same year as Overkill. The album reached number 12 on the UK charts and brought some of Motörhead's most popular songs, like "Bomber", "Dead Men Tell No Tales" and "Stone Dead Forever".During the recording of this album, the producer Jimmy Miller was increasingly under the influence of heroin, at one point disappearing entirely from the studio, later being found asleep at the wheel of his car. Ironically the album features the band's first anti-heroin song - "Dead Men Tell No Tales".

   This album caught Lemmy at his most ferocious, hitting hard at the police in "Lawman", marriage and how his father left him and his mother in "Poison", television in "Talking Head" and show business in "All the Aces". The title track was inspired by Len Deighton's novel Bomber. On one track, "Step Down", "Fast" Eddie Clarke is featured on vocals.The album cover features art by the English commercial artist, Adrian Chesterman who was also responsible for creating cover art for, amongst others, Chris Rea for his 1989 'Road To Hell' album.A special double CD reissue of Bomber was released in June 2005 to coincide with Motörhead's 30th anniversary tour. The bonus tracks on the second CD, however, have all previously been available.

ON PAROLE

(1979)

   On Parole is the debut recording made by English heavy metal band Motörhead. While it was originally recorded in September 1975, United Artists was not convinced of the album's commercial potential and did not want to release it. Originally intended for a 1976 release date, the album would not be released until three years later.This is the only album to feature the band's original line-up of Lemmy on vocals and bass, Larry Wallis on guitar and vocals, and Lucas Fox on drums. During the sessions, original producer Dave Edmunds relinquished his duties being replaced by Fritz Fryer.Drummer Fox was then replaced by Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, a casual acquaintance of Lemmy's who had been persuaded to drive him to Rockfield Studios.

   Taylor overdubbed all of Fox's tracks except for "Lost Johnny" as he was being held in custody following an arrest for alleged drunk-and-disorderly conduct when that session was due to take place.Due to the record company's initial refusal to release this album, when a reconfigured Motörhead (featuring Eddie Clarke on guitar) were given studio time by Chiswick Records in 1977, they chose to re-record the album in almost its entirety (only "Fools" and "Leaving Here" were not re-recorded) leading to their debut release Motörhead.

ACE OF SPADES

(1980)

   Ace of Spades is the fourth album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. Released on 8 November 1980, it peaked at #4 on the UK album charts and reached Gold status by March 1981.It was preceded by the release of the title track as a single on 27 October, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #15 in early November.The album was recorded in August and September 1980, produced by Vic Maile at his Jackson's Studio in Rickmansworth.

   This is the first of what would be a series of projects with Maile, and members of the band commented at the time about finding the right producer. Whereas the band had previously had an input at the mixing stage, Maile took sole responsibility here, Clarke explaining that the result was that "you can finally hear everything that's going on".Of the performances, Lemmy claimed that "Vic got me singing instead of just shouting all the time", while Taylor added "and he got me playing more solid".

IRON FIST

(1982)

   Iron Fist is the fifth album by the British band Motörhead. Released on 17 April 1982, it peaked at #6 on the UK album charts.It was preceded by the release of the title track "Iron Fist" as a single on 3 April, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #29.It was the final album to be recorded by the Lemmy, Eddie Clarke and Phil Taylor line-up.

   As with previous albums, recording commenced with producer Vic Maile at his Jackson's Studio in Rickmansworth in 1981. A break in recording for the band to play some November and December dates with Tank was followed by Clarke producing Tank's debut album with help from Will Reid Dick. Clarke was unhappy with the Maile produced sessions and decided that the album should be recorded themselves, although Lemmy lamented at the time that "it's a shame to have lost Vic in a way because I thought it was successful".

   The writing of lyrics and recording of vocals are tasks that Lemmy performs once the recording of the music has been completed. Struggling to think of a name for the title track for the album, he remembered the time the band had performed live under the name Iron Fist and the Hordes from Hell for contractual reasons (a subsequent album What's Words Worth? was released of that event), and decided this was an apt name for this project. The name was eventually shortened to simply Iron Fist.

ANOTHER PERFECT DAY

(1983)

   Another Perfect Day is the sixth album by the British band Motörhead. The album was released in 1983 and reached number 20 in the UK charts.After guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke left Motörhead on their second US tour, Brian "Robbo" Robertson (ex-Thin Lizzy, Wild Horses) was drafted to complete the tour. On their return to the UK the band recorded their unique and controversial album - Another Perfect Day.

   After this album Robertson and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor left to form the band Operator and Lemmy went on with Motörhead, forming the new line-up of Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Würzel, Pete Gill. None of the songs from the album were performed live after Robertson's departure in 1983 until 2004. Since then, "Shine", "Dancing on Your Grave", "I Got Mine" and "Another Perfect Day" have been featured in the band's live set.The original vinyl release has a lyric-sheet insert, with a cartoon storyboard of the adventures of the new band, as it were.In 1988 Castle Communications re-issued this album along with Overkill – in a gatefold sleeve.The thrash metal band Sepultura named themselves after the third track from this album, "Dancing on Your Grave".The songs "Back at the Funny Farm" and "Marching Off to War" were featured on the video game Brütal Legend.

ORGASMATRON

(1986)

Orgasmatron is the seventh album by the British band Motörhead, released in 1986. It is the only full Motörhead album to feature Pete Gill on the drums, although he also played on the four new tracks recorded for the 1984 No Remorse compilation album.The album's working title was Ridin' with the Driver and later changed to Orgasmatron; it was too late for Joe Petagno to change the cover art and the train design was used.

   It features some of Motörhead's heaviest songs ("Orgasmatron" and "Deaf Forever") and it is the album (along with No Remorse) that got Motörhead back on track after the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful 1983 album Another Perfect Day. The album reached number 21 in the UK charts.The song "Orgasmatron" was re-recorded in 2000 and was available as an Internet download under the name "Orgasmatron 2000". It was later included on the band's 2003 five-disc box-set Stone Deaf Forever!

ROCK 'N' ROLL

(1987)

   Rock 'N' Roll is the eighth album by the British band Motörhead and the first appearance of their four-piece line up of Lemmy, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, Würzel and Philip Campbell, which lasted from 1987 until 1992. Reaching only 34 in the UK charts, it was, in that respect, the worst performing of all of Motörhead's Top 40 chart hits.Lemmy states that Rock 'n' Roll has some great songs, like "Dogs", "Boogeyman" and "Traitor", which they played 'for years', but overall it just didn't seem to work.

   Joe Petagno had other ideas for the cover of this album:

I had this great idea and nobody wanted to listen to me. The original Rock 'n' Roll sleeve was supposed to be going up. I said, "Look, the tongue goes up. This thing is lifting off... it was supposed to be rocketing. So it was like a bomb. A projectile of some sort. When I finished it, they said, "We can't have it going up, it doesn't make any sense". So it's coming down. Couldn't convince them. This fucking band...(laughs)

   Rock 'n' Roll renewed commercial hope for Motörhead in the States with Lemmy and company moving to Los Angeles. The fans in the States appeared willing to see this band live and buy their albums whereas Britain is criticised as having lost interest in the band.

1916

(1991)

   1916 is the ninth studio album by the British band Motörhead. It was released on February 26, 1991 on WTG Records.This was their first album recorded for WTG after the legal battle with GWR Records was resolved. In the album's liner notes, the band says "...to the people we left behind - we didn't want to leave ya, but we really had to go! This album is the better for it. Stale and on a treadmill in our career, a change was needed."

   The title track is a reflection on World War I killings, it is an uncharacteristically slow ballad in which Lemmy's singing is only lightly accompanied. "Love Me Forever", a ballad which was later covered by Doro Pesch. "R.A.M.O.N.E.S.", a tribute to punk band the Ramones, was later recorded by the Ramones, which can be found as one of the two studio tracks on Greatest Hits Live. The Ramones also performed it at their final show with Lemmy, with that show being released on video and CD as We're Outta Here.

   The album reached number 24 in UK charts and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 1992 Grammys, but lost to Metallica's Metallica.Due to an unintentional oversight, the French, Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian and Portuguese flags were not featured on the album artwork.The postergramme would be the last programme for the band until the 30th Anniversary Tour in 2005.

MARCH ÖR DIE

(1992)

   March ör Die is the tenth album by the British band Motörhead. It was recorded and released in 1992.Recorded at Music Grinder Studios, Los Angeles, three drummers participated in the making of this album: Phil Taylor, who was fired after "I Ain't No Nice Guy" was recorded (because he did not learn his drum tracks), Tommy Aldridge who recorded most of the material on this album on a sessional basis only, and Mikkey Dee, who recorded the "Hellraiser" single (the song was originally co-written by Lemmy for Ozzy Osbourne's No More Tears album. Osbourne is also signed to Epic Records.) Another drummer, Garry Bowler (a.k.a. Magpie) worked on the drum track for the demo of "Stand" during a 1991 session in London with Wurzel and Phil Campbell.

   The album was produced by Peter Solley with the exception of Hellraiser which was produced by Billy Sherwood, and used in the 1992 movie Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth.The song "You Better Run" was re-recorded in 2004 as "You Better Swim" for the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

BASTARDS

(1993)

   Bastards is the eleventh album by the British band Motörhead, and the first studio album they recorded with the short-lived Lemmy, Campbell, Würzel and Mikkey Dee line-up. It was also the first of four Motörhead albums that were produced by Howard Benson.After unsuccessfully commercialising the success of 1916 with its 1992 follow up March or Die, the band returned to their roots, being loud and fast. The lyrical themes range from social criticism ("On Your Feet or on Your Knees"), war ("Death or Glory", "I am the Sword") to child abuse ("Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me") and total mayhem ("Burner").

   "Born to Raise Hell" was later recorded with Ice T and Whitfield Crane and released as a single (including a version on picture disc). This version of the song was featured in the movie Airheads.Joe Petagno, long time Motörhead sleeve artist, revealed in a rare interview on the Inferno 30th Anniversary edition bonus DVD that the album was originally to be titled Devils. He had already drawn up a cover to reflect this title when it was changed.

SACRIFICE

(1995)

   Sacrifice is the twelfth studio album by British band Motörhead. Released in 1995, it is the second, and last album, to feature the four man line up of Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Würzel, and Mikkey Dee, as Würzel left the band at the end of recording this album.The title track was used in the movie Tromeo and Juliet, a film in which Lemmy appears.

   "This is a very good album," Lemmy wrote in the sleeve notes, "Put it in your system and your girlfriend's clothes fall off." Lemmy views Sacrifice as one of his favourite records the band has made, despite the difficulties involved, which he explained as:

Howard was producing us again, but he'd also just got an A&R gig with a label called Giant. So his mind was in at least two or three different places, and half the time the engineer, Ryan Dorn, was holding it all together, following the direction Howard gave him. And it was becoming clearer every day that Würzel was on his way out of the band. He wouldn't extend himself at all, and usually just sat there while we were writing songs, with his guitar across his knee. When we stopped playing, he stopped playing and when we started again, he would too.

OVERNIGHT SENSATION

(1996)

   Overnight Sensation, released in 1996, is the thirteenth studio album by the British band Motörhead.Following the departure of Würzel in 1995, the band returned to the same three man formula as "the classic Motörhead line up"; Bass Guitar/Vocals, Lead Guitar and Drums. This album is also the first, since Ace of Spades, to have a picture of the band on the cover. Despite being only a three piece, the band have a heavier style on this work than on their last album, Sacrifice.

   Lemmy recalls that amidst the touring, the record took about four weeks writing and four weeks in the studio.Lemmy talked about the return to being a three piece:

...it went the same as a four-piece except one guy wasn't there! Or the same as the Everly Brothers plus one. It was a bit more fraught, but that was just because Phil, being the only guitarist, felt that there was a lot riding on his shoulders (which there was). So he was under added pressure, but he proved himself well. Overnight Sensation is a great album for him. Mikkey was his usual perfect self - he always finishes his drums tracks well ahead of schedule. This time around he did them in one day.

   Overnight Sensation was the band's first official record for CMC — Sacrifice was already partly in the States on import but the label proved itself with Overnight Sensation and it became the best-distributed record the band had for some time.

SNAKE BITE LOVE

(1998)

   Snake Bite Love is the fourteenth album by the British band Motörhead. It was released on March 10, 1998 and was distributed by BMG. This album features the three piece line up of Lemmy, Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell.Lemmy recalls that the making of Snake Bite Love was quite normal for the band:

Six weeks before we recorded it, we didn't even even have one song. But when it came time, we put it together very quickly. Unfortunately, I was sick for some of the rehearsals, and when you leave two guys together who aren't singers, you end up with some weird arrangements.

   Reviewers have noted the album shows the less heavier side of Motörhead as there are "one or two too many slower tracks, but it's still heavy for the most part" and having a mixture of musical ideas, ranging from the true metal of "Dogs of War" and "Assassin" to rock and roll influenced songs like the "Snake Bite Love" "Don't Lie to Me".Another view is the album is not as cutting and consistent as the previous effort but sees "Love for Sale" as a "grooving and flowing romp", "Joy of Labour" having "plenty of nasty slow riffs, and "Night Side" as a traditional fast track which will please 'old school' fans.

WE ARE MOTÖRHEAD

(2000)

   We Are Motörhead is the fifteenth album by the band Motörhead. It was released in 2000, and features a cover of the punk band The Sex Pistols' song "God Save the Queen", for which the band recorded a promo video atop an open-top London bus.Joe Petagno, the sleeve artist, commented on the influences behind the cover concept:

It's one of my favourite pieces. At that time, there was a lot of death metal and black metal going on. I was working with a lot of those people anyway. They were all totally Motörhead dedicated, and grew up with Motörhead. I said, "Listen, instead of letting these guys sort of get to you, why don't we just pay homage to the death thing? That's cool enough. You guys were the first to do it anyway." In the original sketch, the head was turned three-quarter view, but Lemmy said we'd never used the head since "Deaf Forever" from the side. So why don't we just give it a full profile?

HAMMERED

(2002)

   Hammered is the sixteenth album by the British band Motörhead. Released in 2002, the limited edition of this release included a bonus CD, featuring three tracks and a preview of the Motörhead DVD 25 & Alive Boneshaker."The Game" was written by WWE music composer Jim Johnston as the entrance theme for wrestler Triple H. At two WrestleMania events, WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania 21, Motörhead would perform this song live as Triple H made his entrance to the ring.

   Joe Petagno, long time sleeve artist, had this insight into the concept of the album artwork:

It was originally going to be used for the 27-year-old anniversary design, we took the 27 out and experimented. The first idea Lemmy had was to put two crossed hammers in at the bottom, but it looked too Russian. Then we opted for an ace in the end. It was supposed to be the gold braid you'd have on your military cap or shoulder. It's very pretty. The most difficult part was the lettering. The highlights and shadowing.

INFERNO

(2004)

  Inferno is the seventeenth album by the British band Motörhead. Released in 2004, it features some heavy tracks (like "Terminal Show" and "In the Name of Tragedy"), but also some rock'n'roll tracks ("Killers", "Life's a Bitch"). "Whorehouse Blues" is an acoustic track, which reflects on the thirty years of Motörhead's existence. Guitarist Steve Vai plays on "Terminal Show" and "Down on Me". "In the Black" was featured in the video game Brütal Legend.In November 2005, a special, 30th anniversary edition of Inferno was released with a bonus DVD, which contains 6 live tracks from the band's 30th anniversary show, a documentary and the "Whorehouse Blues" video.

   The final song on the album, "Whorehouse Blues", was somewhat of a departure for the band in terms of influence. It was described as a country blues style song, and was distinguished by the playing of acoustic guitar by all three band members, with Lemmy also taking up harmonica towards the end. Mikkey Dee explained his role change from drums to guitar by saying "I've been playing guitar all my life a little bit, because guitars have always been around, so it's nothing spectacular in my eyes". He also stated that "it's quite fun to walk onstage and do that song. And we definitely surprised the audiences..."

   Filming of the video was due to take place in a Stringfellow's club, but Peter Stringfellow objected to the song title and the associations it brought with it, and withdrew any involvement. With twenty-four hours left until the shoot, they found a club in Ealing.

KISS OF DEATH

(2006)

   Kiss Of Death is the eighteenth studio album by the British band Motörhead, released on August 29, 2006, through SPV. The follow-up to 2004's Inferno, it was produced by Cameron Webb, as was their previous studio album.A new Motörhead track, entitled "Kingdom Of The Worm", received its world premiere on Friday, May 19, during Motörhead mainman Lemmy's appearance on the "Jonesy's Jukebox" radio show on Indie 103.1 FM.The album reached #4 in Germany marking Motörhead's highest entry ever in the German charts.

   A review on Drowned in Sound suggests that Motörhead is not a band that focuses on innovation and progression and that they are happy doing more of the same and their fans are more than happy to receive it, this album being no exception. Otherwise the review notes the tracks as "twelve slices of good old-fashioned, foot-stomping, fist-pumping rock ‘n’ roll" and warns not assume that the album is boring as the band still manage to "slay most of the shit out there" and reminds us that "Motörhead are living hard-rock legends". Continuing, the review states the lyrics are as entertaining as ever and that with Lemmy's style of singing, coupled with a "plethora of insanely catchy twelve-bar riffs that most bands would happily die for, the album is yet another timeless Motörhead classic."

MOTÖRIZER

(2008)

   Motörizer is the nineteenth studio album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was released on 26 August 2008.The album cover was revealed on the front page of the group's official website on 11 June 2008.[7] The cover artwork is by Mark De Vito and features a Motörhead-themed coat of arms. The shield is quartered with three of the band members' nations: The Three Lions of England (Lemmy), the Welsh Dragon of Wales (Phil Campbell), and the Three Crowns of Sweden (Mikkey Dee). The second quarter features the band's logo, The War-Pig Snaggletooth.

THE WORLD IS YOURS

(2010)

   The Wörld Is Yours is the twentieth album by British rock band Motörhead, first released on 14 December 2010 by Future PLC's Classic Rock magazine.The standard CD release of The Wörld is Yours was released on 17 January 2011, through Motörhead's own label, Motörhead Music, distributed by EMI Label Services.The album is dedicated to Ronnie James Dio.On December 6, 2010, a video for the single "Get Back In Line" was released.The album has received generally positive reviews, with most reviewers citing the album as very similar to most of Motörhead's past works due to the band essentially following the same formula.

   Rob Sleigh of Stereoboard.com gave the album a score of 8 out of 10, calling the album "a corker" and "evidence that [Motörhead] are still strong contenders in today’s rock scene."Dangerdog writer Craig Hartranft gave the album a 3.5 out of 5, stating that the album "is Motörhead, pure and simple: fast, heavy, and with a bit of punk n roll."

   Metal Delirium writer Matthew "Blitz" Kuritz gave the album a perfect 10/10 saying "A fast heavy metal album full of punk elements and thrashy riffs. A true testament this album is to exactly what heavy metal should be."Ozzy Osbourne also included The Wörld is Yours in his list of favourite albums of 2010, alongside such titles as his own Scream and Black Label Society's Order of the Black, as did Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, who ranked it #10 on his list of favorite albums from 2010 on ultimate-guitar.com.

Now, let us rock 'n' roll along with the awesome Motörhead:

This article is dedicated to "Antigoni_Iommi"