Metal Overview: Motörhead (Part 3)

Welcome back to part 3 of my look at Motörhead, fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We last left off at Snake Bite Love, an album that wasn’t horrendous, but definitely didn’t help matters for the band in the late 90s. With their relevance lowering in the eyes of fans, Motörhead needed a boost to get back into their good graces, and from the most unlikely of places they would receive such a boost. After getting some pep back into their metallic step, they would go on to create some of the best albums of their entire career. So without further delay, here’s my final look at Motörhead. Enjoy!

We Are Motörhead (2000)

Upon the arrival of the new millennia, Lemmy discovered that he was officially diagnosed with diabetes. After hearing the news, along with their fading relevance in the metal community, left him in something of a depressed state. As per the norm, fate arose in the strangest of ways....a wrestler to be exact. To be even more specific, Triple H. A lifelong fan of Motörhead, he called the band for their services, and in a short time became friends with the frontman. This friendship brought band some energy into the band, and gave them the drive to create their next album, We Are Motörhead.

Released on the 16th of May, 2000, We Are Motörhead is the sound of a band rejuvenated from the blows of the late 90s. In many ways, the album is a companion piece to Ace of Spades from 2 decades earlier: both albums are speed metal infused punk, with a dose of spaghetti-western vibes sewn into the album. Listening to this record, it’s great to hear Motörhead come back from such a rough time, and see their first offering of the new millennium do such a good job. As it’s Allmusic review states:

“..'We Are Motörhead' maintains the generally high standard of the band's second decade, and while there aren't many speed-freak theatrics...the grimy attitude that's always driven their best work is fully intact. Pared back down to a trio, Kilmister and company deliver a tight, blistering set that's both well-executed and typical of Motörhead's long since established sound..”

Best Track? Bit of a two way tie between the speedy See Me Burning, and a cover of the iconic Punk song God Save The Queen. The former is a great compatriot to much of the Speed Metal material on previous albums, and the latter is an appropriate tribute to The Sex Pistols (Much as I don’t like them or Punk in general). Together, these two track give what Motörhead is offering in this new age, and show that they’ll always be around the Heavy Metal community.

See Me Burning

God Save The Queen

Worst Track? We Are Motörhead’s only fault is it’s short running time. Clocking in at just 38 minutes, it takes at least 2 or 3 times to listen to for the album to stick into your head. The title track plays at the end, and you’re left wanting more. Despite this one catch, Motörhead’s first release of the new millennium raises it’s middle finger to the haters & the dissatisfied, and acts as an appropriate return to form. Next album!

Hammered (2002)

With a triumphant return to the metal scene, Motörhead was ready to go down the warpath once again, and tear everybody a new asshole. However, they had one last stumbling block, and that stumbling block would Hammered. Released on April 9, 2002, Hammered to me is the least offensive of the 3 bad albums of their career. Orgasmatron is listenable but uses the wrong style, and March ör Die is an abomination, but Hammered? To me, this album is a step or two behind the band’s first record of the new millennium, We Are Motörhead. Lemmy himself has always maintained that:

“..Hammered...I'm kind of ambivalent, it's up and down. There's some good tracks on it and there's some crap on it..”

For the most part, I agree. I’m a bit more merciful towards this album, as the music overall really isn’t terrible. While I wouldn’t call Hammered a masterpiece, it’s not a horrific abomination that should be shunned either. At best, Hammered is a mildly entertaining album with moments of “Meh”. At worst, it’s an album that teeters close to the razor’s edge of mediocrity, and all it would take is a small breeze to push it over the edge. Thankfully, there are a few standouts that
prevent Hammered from becoming mediocre, such as the thrashy Voices from the War.

Voices from the War

For those of you who are wondering: yes, later releases of Hammered would contain Triple H’s theme The Game, but I’ve gotten so sick of hearing that song, I’m not in the mood to talk about it apart from what I’ve said here. Am I saying that Hammered is required Motörhead listening material? Not really, but if it somehow crosses your path, give it a listen to. You might find something on it you’ll enjoy. Next album!

Inferno (2004)

We had Overkill/Bomber/Ace of Spades in the 70s & 80s, Bastards/Sacrifice/Overnight Sensation in the 90s, and now we have the beginning of Motörhead’s modern trilogy. Release on June 22, 2004, Inferno is one of the most blistering hot albums the band has ever produced. With the excellent but short 2000 album, and the fun but flawed 2002 release, the band need to get kicked in the pants, and kick their fans in the pants in the process, so that’s what Inferno accomplished. This pants-kicking was brought on by their new producer Cameron Webb. He told Classic Rock Presents Motörhead in 2010 that he had wanted to do something with the band for a long time, and said this:

“..I talked about how I wanted to make a really heavy record with them. That was a mistake, because Lemmy likes to play rock 'n' roll — he doesn't like to play heavy music — and he called me on it..”

Regardless of the snafu, both sides decided to work with one another, and in the process produced one of Motörhead’s most heaviest albums in a while. In a interview with Mikkey Dee on the Inferno bonus DVD, he sat that Webb:


“..pushed us a little more. He wasn't intimidated by our rock star moods..”

Lemmy added:

“..That was a great thing, 'cause Mickey can be really intimidating and so can I, and Phil [Campbell] can be really violent..”

Motörhead admitted that they made Inferno the same way as all their other albums — at the last minute — by renting a big rehearsal room in Los Angeles and writing songs for about six weeks and, after a week break, recording them while they're still fresh.

Best Track? Bit of a tie between the thrash rhythms of Fight, and the concluding track Whorehouse Blues. Fight is a song geared heavily towards warfare, with the listener encouraged to take arms & fight back against the enemy. However, with a few changes, you could hook up this track to any struggle you might be going through. Whorehouse Blues is unusual in the fact that it’s not metal at all, but is highly reminiscent of old-school Country Blues. All 3 band members are on guitar duty, and Lemmy manages to get in some harmonica playing towards the end of the tune. Pretty much everything on here is fantastic, but these two tracks are the face of Inferno.

Fight

Whorehouse Blues

Worst track? Nothing! Inferno is the first perfect record of the new millennium. It’s a far meatier record that We Are Motörhead, and has essentially none of Hammered’s flip-flop vibe. A great start to a fine trilogy, and one that is essential for those walking the path of Motörhead. Next album!

Kiss of Death (2006)

What Bomber was to the band’s original trilogy, Kiss of Death is to their modern trilogy. Released on the 29th of August, 2006, Kiss of Death is the 2nd album to be produced by Cameron Webb, and continues to embrace the heaviness of their previous record. Motörhead had some guests come on this record in the form of Mike Inez (Alice in Chains) & C.C. Deville (Poison). In turn, the album would go on to reach no. 4 on Germant’s music charts, the highest Motörhead entry ever in that country, and would be the last time that artist Joe Petagno’s work would be on the front cover.

In general, Kiss of Death was received fairly well, but 1 review in particular intrigued me as I researched the albums. On Drowned In Sound’s review, it suggested 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. However, the review says that the songs are:

“..twelve slices of good old-fashioned, foot-stomping, fist-pumping rock ‘n’ roll..”

The review goes on, warning the listener not to assume that the material is boring as Motörhead still manages to:

“..slay most of the shit out there..”

The review also reminds listeners that:

“..Motörhead are living hard-rock legends..”

It continues on, stating 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..”

Best Track? While essentially everything on here is great, my guilty pleasure comes in the form of the band’s cover of Metallica’s Whiplash. Available only on the limited edition, Motörhead’s seem to have a reverence & respect for their compatriots, as the band doesn’t really try to mess with the established formula that the song already made. Lemmy’s crooning adds a age to it, make it their classic as much as Metallica’s.

Whiplash

Worst Track? Kiss of Death’s only kink in the armor is the fact that it’s sandwiched between two monster albums. As such, this record’s become something of a diamond in the rough, and has become an underrated album in the process. If you’re fond of more underdog-like CDs, Kiss of Death might be the one for you. Next album!

Motörizer (2008)

If Ace of Spades was an appropriate capstone for Motörhead’s classic trilogy, then Motörizer is a great concluding record for their modern trilogy.  Recorded over the winter of 2007/2008, and released on the 26th of August in 08, Motörizer saw the band working with Cameron Webb once again to produce the album. As with their previous 2 releases, the band spent a few weeks over a couple months practicing, then would head into the studio to finally record. This would become the norm for the band at this time, as by this point Lemmy’s health was bad enough that traveling outside of tours was not in his best interest (More on this below).

Reception for this album by fans was great. It debuted on the billboard chats at no. 82, peaking at no. 2 on the UK’s Rock & Metal Charts, and no. 5 on Germany’s  'Offizielle Top 100' & US Independent charts. Motörizer didn’t really affect the general public, but truthfully, I think at this point they’ve probably become too jaded. Motörizer, like Inferno & Kiss of Death, comes across as a return to what made them so great in the first place: balls out rock ‘n’ roll, badasses on stage, and a level of quality that few other metal bands have ever gotten close to.

Best Track? Teach You How to Sing the Blues is a song that every twat with his pants halfway down his waist should listen to, or for that matter.......any so called “man” should sit down & have this going right through their ears! It’s the kind of song that teaches boys how to be gentlemen, treat women right, and knowing when to throw down when they have to. Even if you’re already a well-made member of the masculine gender, you’ll still find it to be awesome. Lemmy’s vocals are crisp, Phil’s guitar work is great, and Mikkey Dee is a wiz on the drums. Definitely one of their best!

Teach You How to Sing the Blues

Worst Track? As with so much of their discography, nothing on Motörizer is trash. A great record in it’s own right, and a great capstone to their modern trilogy. Next album!

The Wörld Is Yours (2010)

Released on December the 14th of 2010, The Wörld Is Yours is as much a Motörhead album, as it was a tribute to Ronnie James Dio (Stated my Lemmy himself). Continuing their relationship with Cameron Webb, the album was unusual for the fact that it was originally released as a ecolbook for a special edition of Classic Rock magazine, with the standard version released a few weeks afterwards (February 8 of 2001, to be specific). The band embarked on a world to promote the album, starting with dates in the UK a month before the album came out, a 27-day tour in the states, and even a 4-day tour in Australia. To help promote The Wörld Is Yours in the US, Motörhead appear on Conan & Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, playing the popular track Get Back in Line at both venues.

Reception for The Wörld Is Yours was generally very positive. Though most reviewers cited the fact that the album sounded very similar to many of their past records, in general they liked it. Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic said it may be remembered as Motörhead's "ultimate 'rock & roll' album". Express.co.uk summed up the album as being "every bit as noisy and scary as anything they’ve produced over their 35 years". Dom Lawson of the UK magazine Classic Rock considers The Wörld Is Yours "one of the finest of the lot" of 20 albums the band produced, praising the production skills of Cameron Webb and the band in "supreme form (...) as they blaze through some of their strongest material in years".

Only one album I found had anything negative to say: Alexis Petridis of Guardian.co.uk said of the album that those who purchase the album will not do so "in the hope of being surprised or baffled".

Best Track? Outlaw kind of drew my attention when I first heard it. It’s something of a copycat though: Outlaw drew influence from Dogs of War off of Snake Bite Love, which in turn took it’s influence from Deaf Forever off of Orgasmatron. On the one hand, it’s cheap that a band like Motörhead would have to use older material to make something new. On the other hand, Dogs of War & Deaf Forever are fine tracks, and using them as a basis isn’t necessarily a crime in my eyes. I understand why some of you wouldn’t like this track because of this, but for me I don’t have a problem.

Outlaw

Worst Track? As I was listening to this album, I’m thinking to myself that something’s off. I’m not exactly sure what it is. The instrumentation’s intense. The vocal work is great as usual, and the overall CD is badass, but I swear that something’s missing. Maybe they forgot to add something, or they didn’t put enough of something in. As with Snake Bite Love from part 2, if one was to stretch out what albums could be considered bad.......The Wörld Is Yours could be put into that category. Next album!

Aftershock (2013)

During their tour with Megadeth back in 2010, Motörhead had to cut the 2nd half short so Lemmy could get a pacemaker attacked to his heart, but did that stop him? Hell no! The guy might be part cyborg, but that doesn’t make him any less of a badass! In fact, once he was better, the band went back to the studio (With producer Cameron Webb, of course) and created a fine album by the name of Aftershock. Released on the 18th of October in Germany, with a further release for the rest of Europe on the 21st, and finally a North American release on the 22nd, Aftershock was yet another album that didn’t make much of an impact on the general public, but was a record that fans loved.

Aftershock was generally well received & reviewed. Hank Shteamer of Pitchfork Media stated that despite the 3-year gap between albums, the record wasn’t anything new. Regardless, he called the album "deeply satisfying and frequently thrilling" & concluded his review saying “In theory, what the band does might seem overfamiliar, but in practice, it's a minor miracle that they're still doing it so well”. It might be a minor miracle, but in it’s first week in the states it sold 11,000 copies, and managed to get to no. 22 on the Billboard 200. An impressive feat if you ask me!

Best Track? Essentially everything on Aftershock is fantastic, no question! However I’ve got 2 personal favorites in the form of Lost Woman Blues & Keep Your Powder Dry. The former is exactly as it sounds: a soulful blusey number, filled with the emotions of a love that has long since moved on. It’s a slow song for the most part, except when at the end it picks up speed for a satisfying conclusion. The later is a song that’s guaranteed to induce headbanging in a 5-mile radius. It’s got a Hard Rock vibe throughout the piece, and the song has a nice old-school attitude that’s just fantastic.

Lost Woman Blues

Keep Your Powder Dry

But again, listen all over this album! Practically everything is great from top to bottom, and there’s nothing bad in sight! With a merciless assault compared to their last record, Motörhead dusted themselves off yet again, and continues to flip the haters off. In fact, Aftershock could have been the start of an even more modern trilogy of album......but sadly, this was not meant to be. Next Album!

Bad Magic (2015)

As 2013 continued onward, Lemmy’s health continued to deteriorate. Bandmates & close friends noticed that something was definitely off. He certainly didn’t help himself, as he continued to use drugs, but at a decreased rate. Things were worse when it reached December the 26th, when it was discovered that Lemmy had an aggressive form of cancer (Later revealed to be Prostate Cancer), and had about 2 to 6 months to live. Sadly, he only had 2 days, and on the 28th of December of last year, he passed away due to complications from the cancer, along with congestive heart failure & cardiac arrhythmia. However....

Months before his passing, Lemmy & the boys cranked out a beast of a record by the name of Bad Magic. Released on the 28th of August 2015, Bad Magic represents the final chapter of Motörhead, even if everybody didn’t know it at the time. Working with producer Cameron Webb once again, Bad Magic was a little different when compared to prior albums as far as the recording process was concerned. In an interview, Mikkey Dee had this to say:

“..this time we were in a recording studio writing the album and all playing it together, actually. Before, we used to be in a rehearsal studio, write the songs and then we'd go in and record it one at a time, but here we kind of recorded it live, right away, as we had the song. We used to write very spontaneous, and this is probably even more spontaneous than any [previous] Motörhead [album]. But we really do enjoy the album. And it's a very live, very spontaneous record. I think that works best for us..”

A little later on, Lemmy said the whole album wasn’t recorded, but they did at least 5 tracks together. Reception wise, Bad Magic was highly reviewed. 2 reviewers in particular had some good things to say. Ray Van Horn Jr from Blabbermouth.net noted that:

“..[they're] on the verge of what might be [their] swan song...[Lemmy] exhibits the vocal wear and tear of a man whose long-beaten, gravelly pipes are betraying him due to a natural aging process..”

But continued to say:

“..Lemmy is a freak of nature, and it's great to hear him ralph, croon and snarl with a give-a-damn will to live—you're a total piece of crap if you knock a guy who has given us his all for [over four] decades..”

Consequence of Sound reviewer Sean Barry pointed to the song “Till the End”, and wrote:

“..here the frontman relates his story and woes in some rundown pub on the outskirts of town. It also finds Lemmy coming to terms with who he is, and despite all his flaws, pledging to continue living as he has through the remainder of his life. And while the 70 years of said hell-raising show in the way he slightly slurs his vocals, he’s just as virile and robust as he was on Overkill..”

He ends his review with this:

“..'Bad Magic' feels ancestral; you can feel it in your blood and in your bones. Even for those new to Motörhead, the album will have the power to recharge your love for all things rock ‘n’ roll. As a band that’s been around for generations, Motörhead isn’t just hanging around trying to keep themselves relevant. They’re partying until the sun goes out and celebrating their own immortality..”

Best Track? Thunder & Lightning fellow Otaku & Metalheads! What Ace of Spades was to 1980, this song is to 2015 & beyond. Dare I say it, Thunder & Lightning might be even heavier & faster than it’s iconic precursor. The band definitely puts the nitrous into their instrumentation, as they’re playing at a speed that’s distinctively Motörhead, and Lemmy’s signing comes across as a crooner on speed. You almost get the feeling that the train is gonna fall right off the tracks, but this song manages to maintain a strange form of control, and that always makes me smile.

Thunder & Lightning

A good second place track comes in the form on the When the Sky Comes Looking for You. It’s strange that I’m picking a song about mortality, especially since last week we had a solemn memorial for Queen, but this one had to be picked. Whereas Freddy Mercury’s final records still had joviality alongside it’s somber nature, this song has little of that. Lemmy definitely takes a more serious approach to his look at mortality, as indicated by the darker lyrics. Phil & Mikkey put in some great effort on their part, and the end result is nothing but spectacular.

When the Sky Comes Looking for You

Worst Track? Bad Magic’s only weakness comes from the fact...that it doesn’t really do anything new. All throughout their career, all of their albums (Good/Bad/Indifferent) did something different. Here? The music on Bad Magic comes across as more of a final chapter in the story of a celebrated career. Truth be told I can’t fully complain, as by 2015 Lemmy was on borrowed time, and I can understand why they might not want to have done anything new.

Bad Magic. While not doing anything to push the envelope, it acts as an appropriate final record for a prestigious band such as this. Definitely something to pick up! 

And with that, we end my overview on Motörhead. Quite simply a band that can’t be ignored, whether because of history, their library of albums, or because of the band members. If you want this band more on the modern side, the 2000s & 2010s are for you. Well, December is coming in a few days, and that means top 5 lists are coming, and some holiday reviews as well. See you in the snow!

Album Review: Queen's Made In Heaven

Welcome back, fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

So, a few weeks back we looked at Queen’s 1991 release, Innuendo. It’s a great album, but it heralded the inevitable passing of Freddy Mercury. So much so, that Freddy himself still had some musical ideas left, and he wanted to get them out as soon as possible. To a degree, he & the rest of Queen succeeded in this, and while their previous record was indeed the end, the album that would become Made In Heaven......would add on a tiny bit more. Let’s take a look.

Background
After Freddy Mercury’s passing on November 24, 1991, the rest of Queen (Roger, Brian, & John) went their separate ways. All 3 did their own solo work & continued to mourn the loss of their friend, but when it came time to produce a record the trio came back together. Some of the music was already done before when Freddy Mercury was still alive, as he recorded as much vocal work as he could, but the band added fresh instrumentation & edits. However, there still wasn’t much, so the band filled out the rest of Made In Heaven with songs meant from previous records & Freddy’s solo career. Then, Queen released their 15th & final album on November 6, 1995.

Reception for Made In Heaven was generally positive upon it’s release, with The Sunday Times describing the album as “Essential Listening”, and Entertainment Weekly wrote that “It's the perfect theatrical epitaph for a life dedicated to gorgeous artifice”. In the UK it debuted at no. 1 & went platinum 4 times. Eventually, the album became a worldwide success, selling 5 million copies in Europe, and 7.5 million copies worldwide. A great way for a band to go out, if you ask me!

Basic Description
Table scraps.....but table scraps fit for a king.

Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Freddy’s not on this album. Yes, you hear his voice. Yes, you feel his emotion. But it’s not him: Freddy passed away 4 years before this record’s release, and what you’re hearing is a ghost. A powerful ghost with a soul, but a ghost none the less. The songs on this album, with the exception of 3 (More on that in my “Best Track” section), were all tracks taken from previous Queen records & Freddy’s solo work. Because of this, Made In Heaven feels like a patchwork quilt. That being said, the music on here is actually quite good! There is a quality issue with some tracks (More on this in a bit), but the experience you get from listening to this CD somehow masks & makes up for this.

Best Track
Mother Love. The last song that would ever have Freddy Mercury’s voice, and one of the 3 original tracks. The track starts out with a somber build, and basically turns into a slow, dare I say synth-rock-goth, ballad. Freddy’s vocal work is incredibly unusual as well, as he lets out his voice in a very slow manner, never really raising it......except for when he lets out a triumphant wail early on. It has the strength of 50 men, showing that Freddy still has power in his voice. The second part of the vocal work goes by, and for a few moments there is nothing but guitar work & electronica playing. The last verse starts, and then you realize that Freddy Mercury isn’t singing anymore. Brian May is, as Freddy died halfway through the making of Mother Love. That last part has since become a haunting moment in music history, and remains a sad yet beautiful track.

Mother Love

Worst Track
Like I said earlier, Made In Heaven’s biggest flaw is it’s scrapped together nature. As I listened to this, I was reminded of Led Zeppelin’s Coda from 1982: both are fine albums, but the tracks contained within were basically like cutting-room floor movie scenes. They’re fine songs, but maybe not the best as far as quality is concerned. In the case of Made In Heaven, I can’t necessarily complain, as Freddy was rushing to get the music he wanted done, but died before things were completed.

Overall Impression & Rating
Made In Heaven is a haunting album from Queen. For a brief moment in time, you feel like Freddy Mercury is still alive, and in the room singing to you. However, once you’re done reality comes back in, and the realization that one of music’s most iconic figures is gone comes to sharp focus. This album has it’s flaws. There’s no question about it. Despite the flaws, Made In Heaven is just one of those albums that’s required for anyone to listen to. Once you’re done listening, you might believe in this record’s name.

Made In Heaven gets a 8 to 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at Made In Heaven. An imperfect album to end a career on, but one that still has that Queen shine to it. The power within these songs continue to echo in our hearts to this day, but let’s not dwell on death, as there’s one final time period of Motörhead that must be looked at. So see you all next week, when we’ll look at Motörhead’s time in the 2000s & 2010s.

Metal Overview: Motörhead (Part 2)

Welcome back fellow Otaku & Metalheads, to my look at Motörhead!

Where was last left off, we concluded part 1 of this overview with Rock ‘n’ Roll, a great album to end the 80s with despite it’s issues. The band has established themselves as titans of metal, shaping the genre in ways that are still felt to this very day. However, their legacy didn’t stop with the end of the 80s. A brand new decade is before them, after all. So let’s continue, and look at part 2 of my Motörhead overview & tribute, dedicated to their presence in the 90s. Enjoy!

1916 (1991)

Although they emerged in the 90s a metal titan, Motörhead’s later output in the 80s didn’t quite have as much commercial success as their companies had hoped. Enter the savior that was 1916. Released on February 26, 1991, the band’s first output of the 90s was an immediate success, with fans & critics giving it generally positive reviews, but there were some difficulties in it’s recording.

In 1990, Lemmy moved from his longtime home in England, and settled in a West Hollywood apartment, which was within walking distance from his favorite watering hole (Rainbow Bar and Grill). With their manager Phil Carson behind them, Motörhead began to record what would become 1916 with producer Ed Stasium (Who was well known for producing Living Colour). Lemmy & the boys recorded 4 tracks, before Stasium left, as he cited Lemmy's drug and alcohol intake as the main reason for leaving the band. After hearing that 4 of the tracks had claves and tambourines added without their knowledge, the band hired Pete Solley to be their new producer.

Best Track? Bit of a time between the opener (The One to Sing the Blues) & the closer (1916). The opening track is a hard rock/punk hammer heading straight towards the listener’s head, and leaving a bloody wound. The closing track is a rather odd song: it marks the only time that Motörhead had ever used keyboards, barely uses instrumentation, and is shockingly slow in terms of pacing. As he said later on in his memoir, Lemmy stated that 1916 the song was about the Battle of the Somme, and had this to say about the track:

“..'Nightmare/The Dreamtime' and '1916' both relied heavily on keyboards, which was very different for Motörhead – or any heavy band in 1990. I wrote the words before the music. It's about the Battle of the Somme in World War I...Nineteen thousand Englishmen were killed before noon, a whole generation destroyed, in three hours – think about that! It was terrible – there were three or four towns in northern Lancashire and south Yorkshire where that whole generation of men were completely wiped out.”

The One to Sing the Blues

1916

Worst Track? Jack squat is the worst track! 1916 brought back those who were disenfranchised by the band’s later output in the 80s. Not only had it brought them back, but it also attracted new fans who were interested in Motörhead. As Entertainment Weekly said in their review of 1916:

“..the most cohesive and downright ferocious record to appear under the Motorhead banner since the timeless blast of 'Ace Of Spades' in 1980...Motorhead badly needed an album like this, but no one could have guessed they'd do it so convincingly..”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Next album!

March ör Die (1992)

Like I said in part 1 of this overview series, Motörhead is not perfect. In that part, I stated that Orgasmatron was the first of 3 screwups. So now we come to what may very well be the worst thing the band has ever made. Released on the 14th of August, 1992, March ör Die was recorded during one of the toughest times of the bands career. After the highly successful 1916, the band reunited with Pete Stoley to begin recording their next album. About halfway through, and depending on who’s telling the story, Phil Taylor quit the band for a second time, or he was fired. As was said by Phil Campbell in Overkill: The Untold Story of Motörhead:

“..he just didn't have it for some reason. It was getting bad. He couldn't play four bars without fucking up. For three years when he rejoined, we gave it our best shot, but... he couldn't see anything wrong with his drumming, which was even worse... We'd be in the studio practicing and he'd be out washing his car..”

Lemmy himself had this to say as well:

“..the biggest blow was probably firing Phil Taylor the second time, because I would never have done it if he was pulling his weight, but he wasn't, and I couldn't make him do it... That was a blow, because I knew it was going to devastate him – and it did, and that really upset me..”

With Phil gone for good, March ör Die would have 3 drummers: Phil Taylor for one song, Tommy Aldridge (Who occasionally played with Ozzy Osbourne), and the man who would eventually become their permanent drummer, Mikkey Dee. Currently playing in Dokken at the time, Dee had this to say in The Guts and the Glory documentary about following in the footsteps of Taylor:

“..i had two options: I had to either replace him or join the band. I could not replace him... I had to join the band and do my shit. I had to change the band, I had to play differently, look differently, just be different. Either I got accepted or I didn't... I can overplay these songs... I can do drums all over these songs and show how damn good I am, you know, with a million fuckin' things, but that's not Motörhead... I like to keep it really straight and heavy... Less is a lot more in a band like this..”

Even the physical environment was chaotic. During the recording for March ör Die, the infamous Rodney King Riots were occurring, and the studio was right in the path of destruction. As Lemmy later recalled in Classic Rock Revisited:

“..I was doing a vocal and I finished and came into the lounge, and there was a TV on that was showing a house burning...I looked out the window and I saw the other side of the same house... Driving out of there was like driving through a war zone, as the whole city block was on fire. Everything went dark and all you could see was entire city blocks burning. It was fucking great..”

With this random & chaotic landscape, Motörhead would create & release one of the most blatantly commercial records of their entire career. With the exception of 3 songs (More on this in a sec), everything else sounds uninspired, tame, and horribly weak. I think AllMusic’s review of the album said it best:

“..This is where everything almost went horribly wrong. Encouraged by a new distribution deal through Epic Records and his recent collaboration with old friend Ozzy Osbourne on his wildly successful No More Tears album, Motörhead's Lemmy set out to pursue commercial success like never before and, as a result, almost managed to toss their impeccable legacy in the dumpster..”

Best Track? As much as I just harped on this record, there are 3 tracks that are honestly very good. Granted, they’re all covers, but there’s still nice. There’s the asskicking Hellraiser (The track was originally sung by Ozzy Osbourne off his No More Tears album the year prior, on which Lemmy helped out with 4 songs), the sexy Cat Scratch Fever (Original sung by the conservative tool Ted Neugent), and the metal take on the iconic Bad Religion. These 3 songs are the only shining motes of light in this sea of shit, and I’d suggest you listen to these only!

Hellraiser

Cat Scratch Fever

Bad Religion

Worst Track? Pretty much everything else. Even with the soulful I Ain’t no Nice Guy, there is nothing worth listening to on this abomination of a Motörhead album, and screw you to the fans that constantly espouse the “Motörhead Has No Bad Albums” ideology, acting holier than thou in the process (I’m looking at you Rageaholic). March ör Die? More like Suck ör Die. Next!

Bastards (1993)

From one of the worst, we now come to one of the best albums of the band’s career, and marked the beginning of what would become their middle-period trilogy (Not to mention a ). Released on November 29, 1993, Bastards is unique in that it was barely released outside of Germany. For this album, Motörhead had a deal with ZYX Records, but it would be the only time they would do anything for this company. In addition to barely getting released outside of Germany, it was practically not promoted outside of the country. As Lemmy himself said:

“..It's just so disappointing when you pull out all the stops for an album and you're really thrilled with it and nobody else cares, especially not your record company..”

Despite the record company not really doing anything about the album, Bastards is one of Motörhead’s finest! While March ör Die’s content seemed very cookie-cutter in nature, this album goes back to the band’s roots. Phil Campbell said in The Guts and the Glory:

“..we worked so fucking hard on that. The songs were there, the commitment was there, the playing was there, production was there, everything was there...I'm so proud of that album. Nothing wrong with that album at all. Some great songs..”

Here’s certainly not wrong. Bastards has some of the most diverse subjects ever touched by the band. Social criticism, war, mayhem, and even child abuse of all things (Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me) are sung about on this album. As such, I absolutely enjoy listening to Bastards, and can’t find a single bad thing about it. A great way to start a trilogy, and a fantastic record in it’s own right. Next album!

Sacrifice (1995)

From the start of a great trilogy, we enter the middle, and what a juicy center! Released on the 11th of July, 1995, Sacrifice is one of Motörhead’s more Thrash-oriented records, and was one of Lemmy’s favorite records the band made.....which is all the more ironic when you take a look at the album’s recording history. The band had reunited with producer Howard Benson, but as Lemmy explained:

“..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..”

As you can see from the quote, Würzel himself was having issues with the band, and eventually left. Everybody in the band all felt regret that he left the band, but deep down knew it was something inevitable. As we once again turn to The Guts and the Glory, Mikkey Dee said this:

“..I remember when it happened, it was both panic and satisfaction at the same time because Würzel was also very tired of us and we were very tired of him. It was a mutual thing. I miss him tremendously as a guy, but not as a guitar player. He was no good in the end..”

Phil Campbell, who joined up with Motörhead alongside Würzel, had this to say:

“..It took him six hours to try and do a solo on this one song on Sacrifice and in the end he just fuckin' slammed the guitar down and legged it – took the guitar with him and that was basically it..”

Within the same documentary, Lemmy spoke about his departure, along with his former friend’s growing paranoia:

“..He only played one solo on the whole album. He was gone already before we started that album. His input was, like, very minimal. It's a shame about Würzel; he started to believe the wrong people. 'Cause I was his best friend in the band and offstage – I was his best friend – and he didn't believe that; he started accusing me of stealin' his money and shit, like I need Würzel's money. I mean, I've got all that money coming from Hawkwind before him and the Motörhead before him – I didn't need his fuckin' money, and I wouldn't have stolen it even if I did. That's not like me. But there he goes – you make your choices and suffer the consequences..”

It’s from this kind of environment that Sacrifice thrived. In the years since, Sacrifice has gained a following, and reviewers have generally game it good praise. Allmusic states:

“..Sacrifice doesn't offer anything new, nor does it display a newfound subtlety. It's just straight-ahead, breakneck fast, ear-shatteringly loud Motörhead, with buzzing guitars, near-martial rhythms, and surprisingly catchy hooks..”

Motörhead biographer Joel McIver in 2011 wrote:

“..was exactly what you expect: a decent, if unspectacular, Motörhead record with a couple classics song here and there..”

Best Track? You’ve got good stuff all over this album, so take your pick. From the blues-like sludgeiness of War for War, to the 50s rock stylings of Don’t Waste Your Time, there’s essentially something for everybody. However, my personal favorite is the title track. Sacrifice is a great opener, and easily shows to the listener what they’re in for. It’s Thrash Metal juiciness at it’s finest, and is practically dripping with thrash, even as the first few seconds begin to play. A fair warning: listen to this at a respectable volume. If it’s too high, all windows in a 5-mine radius will shatter, and the metal waves emanating from your respective listening device will be immense.

Sacrifice

Worst Track? Really Sacrifice’s biggest fault lies with the general public. When it was released, the general public essentially ignored Sacrifice, and it never really made much impact on the album charts. It’s a crying shame, as this point in their middle-period trilogy is easily one of their best. Maybe it doesn’t necessarily do anything new, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good time. Sacrifice. Just put your money on the altar, and take this offering. Next album!

Overnight Sensation (1996)

After Würzel’s departure in 1995, Motörhead returned to the classic 3-man setup. Lemmy, Campbell, and Mikkey would become the final incarnation that fans the world over would come to remember, and Overnight Sensation would be the first offering that this trio would provide. Released on the 15th of October, 1996, the record was an even heavier beast than their previous record Sacrifice, despite going back to being just 3 band members. As Lemmy himself said once:

“..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..”

Würzel’s departure from the band was a little more impactful than they believed. Mikkey Dee was quoted in Overkill: The Untold Story of Motörhead saying:

“..Würzel, I used to say, was more Motörhead than me, Phil and Lemmy put together. He was a true Motörheader, you know. He wrote super-hard songs and riffs, and I miss that sometimes. Because me and Phil, we might sometimes write a little too ... not soft, but maybe too musically correct songs, where Würzel was very simple, straight, very hard riffs. Nothing complicated with him whatsoever..”

And this was the vibe that surrounded the recording of the album. A Speed Metal monster, Overnight Sensation was generally reviewed well by critics, with Allmusic stating:

“..the band's most eclectic in years, its tracks range from pedal to the metal stompers like 'Civil War' and 'Eat the Gun' to mid-paced groovers like 'Listen to Your Heart' (featuring acoustic guitars – shock!) and the classy 'I Don't Believe a Word.' Always a great lyricist, vocalist/bassist Lemmy takes it up a notch with the highly ironic title track and what is quite possibly the band's greatest song of the decade..”

Lee Marlow of Classic Rock Magazine said back in 2013 that Overnight Sensation:

“..immediate proof that the latest three-man Motörhead line-up was more than a match for all previous incarnations..”

Best Track? Civil War immediately comes to mind when I think of this album. Thought Overnight Sensation as a whole is awesome, no other album (Except maybe Sacrifice) from Motörhead during the 90s has a opening track as appropriate as this one. It immediately puts the listener on a out-of-control freight train, heading straight towards a brick wall. Everybody in the band is furiously playing like no tomorrow, and Lemmy is singing like his life depends on it. Then it all comes to a glorious impact, spreading heavy metal scrap all over the place for anyone to pick it up.

Civil War

And while it isn’t music related, another good (But odd) thing that Overnight Sensation does right is it’s album cover. Since Ace of Spades back in 1980, this offering marks the first time in ages that you see the band members on the front. Phil, Lemmy, and Mikkey are all front & center, looking badass as ever! The one strange thing would be the absent presence of Lemmy’s mutton chops. He regrew then in 2001, and they would stay on his face (Along with his Mole) until the day he died.

Another cool thing about this record was the writing & recording. It took only about 4 weeks to write the songs, and just 4 weeks to record the material. It’s not the biggest thing about the record, but I thought it was cool regardless.

Worst Track? Ultimately it’s the restraint that can be the only problem with Overnight Sensation. In the album’s defense, I don’t feel that it holds itself back as much as other metal albums from the 90s (I’m looking at you Better Off Dead). That said, it’s unusual to hear Motörhead hold back even a little, as you can definitely tell that something’s off. The energy, intensity, and heaviness is definitely on this record, but as I’m listening to it, I felt that maybe an ingredient wasn’t fully added to the recipe. Regardless, it doesn’t stop Overnight Sensation from being a great record, and acts as a appropriate launching pad for what would become the final & permanent lineup for Motörhead. Next album!

Snake Bite Love (1998)

If Overnight Sensation was a little restrained, Snake Bite Love was problematic. Released on March 10, 1998, Snake Bite Love would be the final album recorded with their producer, Howard Benson. By accounts from practically everybody in the band, the entire recording process was rather rushed, with Mikkey Dee quoted as saying:

“..we were stressed out of our minds when we did that album. It turned out OK, but no more than OK. We all know it; we should've had three more weeks on that and it would've been a great album. I blame it completely on the time we had. For instance, we put on the worst song we ever had, which is "Night Side," it's the worst shit we've ever done, and we thought it was shit when we did it. We had no time to write another tune, we had nothing left...So we all feel the same about that album. I've heard people say, "That's the best album you've got" and I'm like "What planet are you from?..”

Lemmy, ironically, was a bit kinder to Snake Bite Love. In his autobiography (White Line Fever), he had this to say:

“..six weeks before we recorded it, we didn't 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..”

And this is Snake Bite Love in a nutshell: not a horrific release by any stretch, but definitely problematic. The album didn’t have much of a buzz among fans, and would continue the ambivalence the general public had towards the band in the late 90s. Reviewers had similar sentiments, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic saying:

“..an undisguised album...There isn't necessarily anything wrong with the record, as it offers a solid set of blistering, heavy rockers that race by at breakneck speed, but it doesn't add any new twists to the formula or have particularly memorable songs..”

Best Track? That honor goes to Assassin, a highly experimental piece of music. While Lemmy & Phil are giving it their all, the song is ultimately the domain of Mickey Dee. He’s going to town on his drum set, and if fact the whole track seems to be focused exclusively on the drumming, all the while the vocals & guitar take more of a supplementary role. It’s almost tribal in a way, as it seems to bring about a kind of metal-infused trance. Definitely one of their more interesting songs in their library.

Assassin

Worst Track? Snake Bite Love’s biggest offense is it’s consistency. Quality wise the record is top notch, as is the norm among almost all of their releases. That being said, the album can’t seem to pick a theme, and as such it doesn’t really have a solid identity. You’ll laugh, but as I was listening to the album, I was reminded, of all things, Devin Townsend’s Infinity. A fantastic album in it’s own right, it’s only hitch is having a chaotic & jumbled nature. And that’s Snake Bit Love in a nutshell: great album, but no solid identity. As I said back in part 1 of this overview you could expand Motörhead scant few bad albums to 4 or 5, and Snake Bite Love is one of these records.

So this was my look at 90s Motörhead. Definitely a random & more chaotic time for the band, but a time in which they cranked out some of the best material of their career. If you like your Motörhead more up in the air, the 90s are for you! Taking a break from this guys next week, as we’ll look at the last time we’d ever hear Freddy Mercury’s voice. It’s gonna be a tearjerker to be sure. See you then.

Album Review: Queen's Innuendo

Fellow Otaku & Metalheads, I have a confession to make.....I wasn’t a Queen fan growing up.

I was born right at the end of the group’s career, and when Freddy Mercury passed away in 1991, I was too young to understand. In the years after, I never really got into the band, as my folks always seemed to play the same songs over & over. I didn’t think they were bad, but if that was all Queen had to offer, I wasn’t interested. It really hasn’t been until 2014/2015 that I’ve truly appreciated the work they’ve done, and for that I’m sorry. Anyways, with this month devoted to a 3-part overview on Motorhead, you’re probably wondering why I’m talking about one of the world’s most iconic rock bands. Well.....

This month marks the 25th anniversary of Freddy Mercury’s death. 25 long years without one of music’s most powerful voices. So to celebrate the life of such an amazing person, not to mention an amazing band, I’m going to take a look at Queen’s final two albums. These are the ones that closed this chapter of the group, and concluded a remarkable story. Today’s review is of their last album recorded with Freddy, Innuendo. Let’s take a look!

Background
By the dawn of the 90s, touring was out of the question for Queen. Freddy Mercury’s health at this point was in the pits, as he was supposed to die in 1988, but somehow managed to make it to the early 90s. However, this allowed the band to completely focus on the production, which was made all the better with their signing to Hollywood Records (A division of Disney). After working their asses off, Queen released one of their final albums, Innuendo, on February the 9th, 1991. Reviews for this album were mixed at first, with Rolling Stone magazine stated "Innuendo is so lightweight you'll forget it as soon as it's over", & People magazine wrote "If this is cartoon rock and roll, at least it's good and brazenly cartoonish". However, Allmusic wrote years later that “Innuendo was a fitting way to end one of rock's most successful careers”.

Basic Description
Beautiful yet cryptic.

It’s very obvious that Freddy was on death’s door in 1991. If you’ve seen video footage from that time, or a couple pictures, you can tell he could pass away at any moment. So many of the songs on here have a finality to them, and some just come across as “This is it. It’s over.”. It’s truly heartbreaking, as he was quite beautiful. Beautiful in his humanity & personality, and beautiful in voice as well. Innuendo closes the ranks between all members of the band: in this rare instance, all four members feel like their jamming & singing as one. Despite the finality of the album, there is a aspect of hope & vitality. Freddy Mercury, along with the rest of Queen, stare down the grim reaper, and offer some of the most triumphant music of their entire career.

Best Track
I’m Going Slightly Mad! Even in the face of death, Freddy Mercury still had a sense of humor, and the rest of Queen pretty much had the same mindset. While the instrumentation has this melancholic vibe for the most part, and Freddy’s voice is much lower than it was in prior albums, it’s hard not to go along with the beat. Not only that, but the lyrics are just outright goofy. Almost upon Weird Al levels of silly! Coupled with one of their finest & equally funny music videos, and this becomes a memorable piece of music.

I’m Going Slightly Mad

A good second place track would be the concluding song, The Show Must Go On. Often misinterpreted as Freddy’s goodbye to his bandmates & the fans (That accolade would be credited to Was It All Worth It on their prior album, The Miracle), The Show Must Go On was instead Freddy’s acknowledgment of his imminent death, and the band’s goodbye to Freddy. Equal parts sorrowful, melancholic, and metallic, this track is a fitting concluding song, and represents everything that Queen has ever done.

The Show Must Go On

Worst Track
There nothing’s bad on here. Given that they weren’t going to tour for this record, they devoted their entire time and energy to Innuendo’s recording & production, creating perhaps their best record ever. The only thing that could be considered bad about Innuendo, is that this would be the last time that all 4 members of Queen would be together. The last time that Freddy, Brian, Roger, and John would ever create music. It’s a rather haunting thing to think about, and it’s made all the more tragic when you consider what was to come.

Other
If you’re interested in purchasing Innuendo, check out the link below & give it a listen to.

Innuendo

Overall Impression & Rating
Innuendo is the kind of album that a band (Metal or Otherwise), should aspire to end on. Queen has never been more connected & more focused in their career than they were on this record, and it shows: the instrumentation is tight, the vocal work superb, and the emotions in the songs are powerful. There is a grim aura around this record, but the band has never been better. Listen to this albu

Innuendo gets a 9 out of 10.

And that was a look at Innuendo. A damn fine but reluctant way for Queen to bow off stage. However they still had a little bit of gas left in the tank, and around the mid 90s they were gonna use it. That review will have to wait however, as Motörhead is knocking on this blog’s door, and I’m definitely gonna answer. So see you all next week, as part 2 of my overview on Motörhead continues, when we’ll look at their time in the 90s. See you then!

Metal Overview: Motörhead (Part 1)

Welcome fellow Otaku & Metalheads, to my 13th Metal Overview!

I know I just put out 2 of them yesterday, but this time is special. 1 year ago this November, legendary drummer Phil “Philthy” Animal Taylor of Motörhead passed away, and in December, the almighty Lemmy Kilmister’s life ascended to heavy metal heaven (Nice U.D.O. reference, don’t you think?). I had been waiting to do an overview of this band for a long time, and considering the circumstance, I feel it was only appropriate. Not only do I consider this to be an overview, but I consider this to be a tribute to a pinnacle of Heavy Metal. However.....

With 23 albums to their name, this was a monumental task. The band is so prolific with their music, that it would take up a large space. On top of that, you be seeing 2 to 3 “Best Track” points throughout this overview, making for even more stuff to read. So for just this rare time, I will be splitting up my look at a band. Today will begin with their prime, the 70s & 80s, so without further delay, here’s my first look at the iconic Motörhead. Enjoy!

Motörhead (1977)

If there was one thing that was constant throughout the early years of this band, it would be drugs. After getting fired from Hawkwind in May of 1975 due to a drug arrest in Canada, Lemmy was on his own, and assembled a band of his own. Wanting his band to be fast & loud (He was inspired by the iconic rock band MC5), he acquired the services of guitarist Larry Wallis (Originally from punk rock band Pink Fairies) & drummer Lucius Fox. Unfortunately, things did not work for long, as Fox was proven to be unreliable. In his stead, Lemmy acquired the services of Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor, who’s drumming skills would prove to be invaluable to the formation of Heavy Metal itself. Larry Wallis left as well, and he was replaced by the excellent “Fast” Eddie Clark, a guitar lord in his own right.

With these 3 individuals together, the classic lineup of Motörhead congealed, they finally began work on their self-titled first record. Recorded from April the 27th to the 29th of 1977, Motörhead was officially released on August the 21 of that same year. Though it was only a minor chart success, as Alex Ogg of Allmusic states:

“Motörhead patented the group's style: Lemmy's rasping vocal over a speeding juggernaut of guitar, bass, and drums...no wonder the punks liked them”

Best Track? Bit of a tie between the title track, and the ode to drugs that is White Line Fever. These tracks don’t come across as Heavy Metal, but more of a mix of punk & hard rock. I’m normally not a fan of punk (Personal reasons), but the band manipulates that genre to great effect on these song. Not to mention the record in general.

Motörhead

White Line Fever

Worst Track? The worst thing you could say about Motörhead’s inaugural album is how old it feels & sounds. Make no mistake, I’m not calling this album bad. Far from it! This a great album for a party, and the potential for headbanging is definitely high! That said, you can definitely tell this comes from the infancy of Heavy Metal. The vibe & sounds of that genre still had to walk a few steps before it could finally get it’s footing. All things aside, Motörhead is a great first record. If you like this band more on the punk & hard rock side of things, then this will be that fix. Next album!

Overkill (1979)

And thus begins Motörhead’s classic trilogy. After aligning themselves with legendary produced Jimmy Miller (Who’s prior work was with Traffic & the Rolling Stones), the band jammed together like no other Metal/Rock band ever did, and on March 24, 1979, Overkill was released. A massive improvement over their first record, Motörhead had some troubles beforehand, which lent to the energy & intensity that was used during the recording sessions, not to mention projecting from the songs on here. This album was also important for another reason: Phil Taylor’s drumming, along with Lemmy & Eddie Clark’s guitar work, helped the foundation of Heavy Metal harded, and develop into the monstrous music genre it is today.

Best Track? Right away, the title track of this album hits my mind like 1000s bricks. Phil Taylor’s drumwork is out of this world, as it planted the seeds for Thrash Metal & Speed Metal to come out of the ground. Lemmy’s raspy vocals, along with his Rock-N-Roll style of guitar play, created the fierce attitude that Motörhead would be know for. Eddie Clark plays right along side Mr. Kilmister, and the two’s work is practically inseparable as the song goes on. Even if you listen to the first few second, the beat will stay in your mind forever!

Overkill

Apart from that, practically everything on Overkill is phenomenal. From hard rock, to blues-style croonings, to early Heavy Metal, nothing on this album is bad! The worst thing you could say is that it kinda come across as old, but this would only be a point for the most pickiest of music listeners, metal or otherwise. I simply cannot recommend this record enough, as more than likely you’ll be immediately brought into the Motörhead fold. Next album!

Bomber (1979)

Every trio has that oddball that never seems to stand as high as it’s older & younger companions. An oddball that has great worth, but people don’t seem to give enough credit to. In the case of Motörhead’s classic trilogy, Bomber is that oddball. Upon it’s release on the 27th of October, 1979, Motörhead had been around for a few years. They had gained a successful following in both the Punk & Heavy Metal scenes. Thanks to Overkill, their popularity got even better. Sadly, the recording sessions for Bomber had a few issues. As quote by Lemmy:

“..I wish we'd played the songs onstage first, like we did with the Overkill album, if we could've played them for three weeks on the road it would have been less slick.....Listen to the way we play them live and compare that to the album..”

The issues didn’t end there: Jimmy Miller was suffering from an increasing heroine addiction. Some he would be half a day late, and other times it would be worse. As Lemmy said in his autobiography:

“..Overkill was supposed to be something of a comeback album for Jimmy Miller, which is exactly what it turned out to be for him. He had gotten very heavily into heroin (which likely began when he was working with the Stones) and he had lost it for a couple [of] years...but months later, when we were working with him on Bomber, it was sadly clear that he was back on smack..”

He elaborates further:

“..[Clarke] had been bitching that I was getting all the limelight, but he wouldn't do anything about it. I got sick of him complaining, so I said, 'Right, you're gonna fucking sing one on this album'...he hated it, but really, he was a good singer, Eddie..”

It was this environment that Bomber was created. Among Motörhead fans, it was regarded pretty well. Among reviewers & critics, it was more of a mixed bag (Past & Present). Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic wrote:

“There are a couple killers here, namely "Dead Men Tell No Tales", "Stone Dead Forever," and "Bomber," but overall, the songs of Bomber aren't as strong as those of Overkill were. Granted, this is somewhat of a moot point to raise, as Bomber is still a top-shelf Motörhead album, one of their all-time best, without question.”

Motörhead biographer Joel McIver has this to say in 2011:

“Some think that the effort of writing two killer albums in the space of a year was too much for Motörhead at this early stage, and that Bomber – released on October 27, seven months after its predecessor – couldn't hope to match up to Overkill”

Best Track? Bit of a tie between the title track, and the Blues Metal style croonings of Step Down. Step Down is unusual in the fact that Lemmy Kilmister isn’t singing, but it’s Eddie Clark at the vocal helm. Strangely, Eddie’s vocals complement the instrumentation well. Whenever this track comes on, you’re transported to a seedy bar: there’s roguish individuals all over the place, carefully sipping their drinks, and keeping an eye on each other. Songs like this always manage to put a smile on my face.

Bomber

Step Down

Worst Track? Bomber’s only flaw is it’s strange sequencing of it’s songs. You know an album has a weird track listing when the title track.....is at the end! Later re-releases of Bomber would have different listings, but for simplicity’s sake, I’m going with the original 79 listing. Despite this one flaw, Bomber is a nice little album, and acts as a bridge from their origins in the 70s, to the titanic album that was to come.

Ace of Spades (1980)

For some metal bands, there’s multiple reasons for their fame & success. For Motörhead, there was just one, and it was the legendary Ace of Spades. Released on November 8, 1980, Ace of Spades has since become one of, if not the most, iconic albums in Heavy Metal to date, and makes for an appropriate concluding album in their classic trio. After the success of both Overkill & Bomber, the band had gained a sizable following in both the Punk crowd & the Heavy Metal crowd. However, in 1979, Sounds writer Geoff Barton coined the iconic term New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM for short), and put in bands like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and Saxon. Motörhead was placed in the NWOBHM as well, and it generated a lot of positives vibes for the group, and helped Thrash Metal form as well. Ironic, given that they’ve never considered themselves a metal band at all. Here’s what Lemmy had to say about it:

“..I like Iron Maiden and Saxon out of the new mob, and that's about it, really...We were too late for the first metal movement and early for the next one...Motörhead don't fit into any category, really. We're not straight heavy metal, because we're a rock 'n' roll band, which no-one knows how to market anymore..”

Despite this, Ace of Spades was received in a overwhelmingly positive light. It has since been described as "one of the best metal albums by any band, ever"and has become a significantly influential hard rock classic. Even though they called themselves a rock ‘n’ roll band, Ace of Spades (The album & title track) is considered by most to be Motörhead’s definitive anthem. You ultimately know you’ve got a classic album when it’s listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, which is a book I have to pick up.

Best Track? Ace of Spades in it’s entirety is nothing short of perfection, so picking an individual song to hold above the others is practically a crime. There’s Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Blues, Rock, and a good dose of Punk in this entire record. So, for maybe just once in this 3-part series, I’m gonna say that this entire album is the so-called best track.

Worst Track?.....I am about to commit Heavy Metal blasphemy by saying this, but if Ace of Spades had any fault to it, it would be how incredibly......overrated the album is. Make no mistake, there’s no bad track in sight on this record. From top to bottom you’re being treated to a sonic assault, and one in which still sounds awesome here in 2016. That being said, just the sheer reputation of this record has practically elevated it above much of Motörhead’s discography. Even the title track is spoken about more that other songs (On this album & others) that the band has created. In fact, even Lemmy himself at one point was sick of Ace of Spades. Don’t believe me? Here’s something he said in his autobiography about the track:

“..I used gambling metaphors, mostly cards and dice — when it comes to that sort of thing, I'm more into the slot machines actually, but you can't really sing about spinning fruit, and the wheels coming down. Most of the song's just poker, really - 'I know you've got to see me, read 'em and weep, Dead man's hand again, aces and eights' - that was Wild Bill Hickock's hand when he got shot. To be honest, although "Ace of Spades" is a good song, I'm sick to death of it now. Two decades on, when people think of Motörhead, they think "Ace of Spades." We didn't become fossilised after that record, you know. We've had quite a few good releases since then. But the fans want to hear it so we still play it every night. For myself, I've had enough of that song..”

Ace of Spades. Maybe it has a over-bloated reputation, but at the same time this reputation seems to be deserved in some way. Listen to this record (Title track & all), or hand in your Metalhead card to the nearest shredder. Next album!

Iron Fist (1982)

All was not well by the time 1980 passed. Motörhead was riding on a great deal of success thanks to their classic trilogy, so when it came time to record their next record, they once again teamed up with their producer Vic Maile at his Jackson's Studio in Rickmansworth, England. During a break in recording, the band went to do some shows in November and December with fellow British metal band Tank, and “Fast” Eddie Clarke produced Tank's debut album with help from Will Reid Dick. Shortly after this, Maile left his job, and to this day there’s been conflicting explanations about the matter. In his stead was Clarke himself, as he produced what would become April 17, 1982 release, Iron Fist.

Iron Fist also marked the last time that Eddie Clarke played with Motörhead. Bad feelings between him & Lemmy had actually been simmering for a while, but what finally set Clarke over the edge was Lemmy deciding to record a cover of the Tammy Wynette country classic "Stand By Your Man" with Wendy O' Williams and the Plasmatics. In his 2002 memoir, Lemmy had this to say:

“..actually, Eddie used to leave the band about every two months, but this time it just so happened that we didn't ask him back. We didn't try to persuade him, which is why he stayed away - that surprised him a bit. But we were just tired of him because he was always freaking out and he was drinking a lot back then. He's become much better now since he stopped...Looking back - and I must say, hindsight is 20/20 - it was good for us that we fell apart when we did. We wouldn't have been going now if we had carried on getting more and more famous. We would have wound up a bunch of twats with houses in the country and gotten divorced from each other. So it was just as well, I think, for Motörhead's morale overall. It's important for a band to be hungry because that is the motivation that makes all bands work. And if anyone knows about being hungry for long periods of time, it's me..”

Best Track? Definitely the title track: echoing the title song of the previous record, Iron Fist tells the tale of a angry deity, smiting anyone who displeases him, and conquering all lands in his vision. Much like Ace of Spades the song, this track goes by in a flash, but the impression it leaves definitely doesn’t go away. No wonder’s it’s become an anthem for Motörhead fans.

Iron Fist

Worst Track? Iron Fist’s only fault is that it comes across as somewhat similar to their previous record, Ace of Spades. I don’t necessarily have a problem with this: Ace of Spades is a iconic release, and anything following suit would have been seen as a adequate follow-up. Iron Fist is indeed that follow-up, but I swear I was listening to Ace of Spades 2.0, not a different record. Granted, this vibe I felt was more in certain places rather than the album as a whole, but it was enough that I could tell something was off.

Iron Fist. Maybe a little similar to Ace of Spades in places, but for the most part remains it’s own thing. If their previous record was a little too intense, then this might suit your taste. Now as I said above, “Fast” Eddie Clarke left the band, breaking up the original lineup of Motörhead. Without a guitarist, it seemed like the band would breakup. Little did they know, a momentary savior would arrive, and that savior would be........

Another Perfect Day (1983)

Brian Robertson! Formerly from Thin Lizzy fame, Brian was brought on the remainder of their Iron Fist US tour after Eddie Clarke left, it was suggested by Phil Taylor (A big fan of Thin Lizzy, btw) that he join the band permanently. Phil & Lemmy initially enjoyed having Robertson in Motörhead, and Lemmy was quoted saying:

“..[the sound] changed a little now that Brian's joined the band; I think it's gotten more musical..”

However, these positive vibes would change drastically once they entered the studio. Quoting from the documentary The Guts and the Glory:

“..Recording Another Perfect Day was fucking torture. Brian, he'd take seventeen hours doin' a guitar track. It fuckin' took so long compared with the other albums. And then when it was released everybody fucking hated it..”

Things got even worse & stranger when they were on tour, as the contrast of clothes made for an awkward environment on stage. Lemmy once said:

“..Brian's fashion sense continued to shock and horrify fans throughout the tour of Europe at the end of the year. Let's face it, ballet shoes and Motörhead do not mix!..”

In a interview with Classic Rock magazine, Lemmy made light of the situation:

“..All that shit about being dressed differently; all the wearing of stupid shorts, it was just to get at me. Or make sure everybody knew he wasn't in Motörhead, just a featured guest artist, doing us a favour from the great heights as a Thin Lizzy guitar player..”

In his memoir, Lemmy brought the album into perspective:

“..We had to get another guitar player fast so we could continue the tour, and we chose Brian Robertson, who had been in Thin Lizzy. Technically, he was a better guitarist than Eddie, but ultimately he wasn't right for Motörhead. With Robbo our slide downwards began to pick up speed, which was unfair really, because the record we made with him, Another Perfect Day, was very good... Another Perfect Day stood the test of time - a lot of fans have recanted now and come to like it. But that didn't help us back then..”

It was this environment that one of Motörhead’s most misunderstood albums was produced. Release on the 4th of June, 1983, Another Perfect Day marks the first & only time....that the band went prog. Well, not completely prog. The band was still rock, punk, and metal, but with Brian Robertson on their team, the Progressive Rock stylings of Thin Lizzy come through on much of the music. Those who are fans of Motörhead but not necessarily interesting in prog would do well to focus on this album, as there enough prog to satisfy your urge, but not so much that it’s not overwhelming.

Best Track? While the entire album is great, my personal favorite comes in the form of One Track Mind. A bluesy little number, One Track Mind is one of the very few songs to not really contain much prog at all. This tune falls more into the rock side of things as well, but there’s a metal edge that cuts things just right as you listen. A great bar song if there ever was one.

One Track Mind

Worst Track? Really the nature in how Another Perfect Day was recorded could be considered bad. There was definitely potential when Brian Robertson first joined, but it all immediately seemed to go to hell, thanks in part to Brian’s immense ego & self-importance. They say one-bad apple can ruin a whole bunch, and in a sense that’s what happened here. Luckily, it didn’t ruin the album, as it’s stood the test of time, and Motörhead fans have come to appreciate it since it’s release.

Another Perfect Day. A downright odd album in Motörhead’s discography, but it’s that oddity that seems to make it a fun experience. Those who walk on the prog side of town, this is that album for you. Next!

Orgasmatron (1986)

Contrary to what some people on the internet say, Motörhead is not perfect. No band can ever be 100% all the time. Bands always mess-up in some capacity, whether they do it willingly (aka Metallica) or accidentally (aka Devin Townsend). Even a titan of Heavy Metal such as Motörhead has moments of weakness, and Orgasmatron is the first.....of really only 3 screw-ups in their entire career, although one could stretch it out to 4 or 5 if they were exceptionally nitpicky.

Released on August 9, 1986, Orgasmatron came from a rather chaotic time: Brian Robertson was way over his head when he joined the band. His ego, combined with his perchance for clashing clothes & egging on Lemmy, ultimately left Motörhead. Phil Taylor left the group as well to pursue personal projects, but that didn’t end so well (More on this in a sec). This ultimately left Lemmy as the sole remaining member of the band, but this didn’t last long, as he would recruit new members to carry on it’s name. For the drummer, Lemmy called upon the service of Saxon drummer Pete Gill. Lemmy would remain in his position, but finding a guitarist was something of a challenge. There were 2 that Lemmy had an eye on: Phil Campbell from the horrifically Persian Risk, and Michael Burston, who went by the stage name of Würzel.

In the end, Lemmy picked them both, went to the studio, and on the 9th of August, 1986, released Orgasmatron. Originally titled Riding with the Devil, Orgasmatron is an extension of the prog nature of their previous release Another Perfect Day.....but it’s hallow. With the case of Iron Fist, it was understandable that it would tail Ace of Spades. But in this case? Since the leaving of Brian Robertson, there was really no need to stay prog. I can only assume that Lemmy had no idea what to do next, and simply stayed to course. Does that make the music bad? No! The music on Orgasmatron is actually pretty good. Maybe a little bloated & raised a little too high by it’s fans, but the tunes are still within the realm of Motörhead quality, as exemplified by the title track.

Orgasmatron

Really the fact that Motörhead tried to continue down their Prog Metal path without Brian Robertson is Orgasmatron’s only fault. It’s really quite unusual that the band would do this, and makes the music feel hallow in a sense, despite it being quite good overall. I’m all for prog, but only when it’s being manipulated by a master, and Motörhead is not such a master unless Brian Robertson stayed with them.

Orgasmatron. Definitely overrated, and maybe it shouldn’t have copied their previous release, but the songs themselves are good under the right circumstances. Recommended, but more as a curiosity. Next album!

Rock ‘n’ Roll (1987)

From the overrated Orgasmatron, we transition to the underrated Rock ‘n’ Roll. Released on September 5,1987, the record was a welcome return to their late 70s/early 80s sound, as exemplified by it’s blues & rock influence. With Phil Taylor back on board, the band got an infusion of energy back into their system. However, the recording for Rock ‘n’ Roll wasn’t without issues: As the group was about to appear in a movie (Eat The Rich), Pete Gell had left the time. As Lemmy said in his autobiography:

“..Peter was his own worst enemy, he was another one who wouldn't just be content in the band. He went up against me on a couple of decisions, and he was making Phil and Wurzel upset too. I got tired of him moaning, so when he kept us waiting while he hung around in the lobby of his hotel for twenty minutes while he read the paper or something, that was the proverbial last straw. I know it sounds trivial, but most flare-ups in families are, aren't they? And a band is a family..”

He went on to say that Phil Taylor, who was playing with Frankie Miller & Brian Robertson, wanted to come back for this record. Released on the 5th of September, 1987, the recording of Rock ‘n’ Roll had difficulty as well, in part of Taylor’s return. Once again from the words of Lemmy:

“.Anyhow, with Pete gone, we gave Phil Taylor his job back. It was a mistake in retrospect... things weren't the same, and I should have known they wouldn't be... Rock 'n' Roll is a fair album, but it isn't one of our best... Our biggest mistake was choosing Guy Bidmead to produce it. He was just an engineer, really, so we were pretty much producing ourselves... And (guitarist) Wurzel was having a bad time personally... In addition to all of this, we didn't have enough time to do the songs properly and when that happens you're pretty much wasting your time..”

Despite this, I rather like Rock ‘n’ Roll. It is considerably more polished than Orgasmatron, and is reminiscent of their earliest material. If anything, I think I might enjoy this more than anything that Motörhead produced in the 80s. Even more so than Ace of Spades, and that album’s great!

Best Track? Bit of a 3-way tie between the title track, the sadly obscure Blackheart, and a protest song in the form of Just 'Cos You Got the Power. The previously mentioned track is unusual in that it wasn’t included on the original release. You can only find it on the Castle Communications 1996 re-release, and the Sanctuary Records 2006 2CD deluxe edition. As for the song itself, it’s a great example of the band trying out different genres, while staying firm in their metal haven. The hard rock/punk flavor of the track makes for a great listen to, especially at a political rally.

Rock ‘n’ Roll

Blackheart

Just 'Cos You Got the Power

Worst Track? Rock ‘n’ Roll’s only fault isn’t with the music, but the people who bash it. Given how unjustifiably (For the most part) elevated Orgasmatron was, the expectations for the next album would be incredibly high. Regardless, Rock ‘n’ Roll is a great record. Absolutely buried by it’s detractors, it’s a classic example of a diamond in the rough. Dare I say it, out of every album from this part of their career, Rock ‘n’ Roll is the release you should pick up the most. Recommended to the highest degree!

And that concludes part 1 of my look at the metal icons known as Motörhead. The 70s & 80s were an important period for this group, as some of the most iconic albums of their career came out during this time. If you like your metal old-school, this is the period you’ll enjoy. I’ll see you all next week, when I’ll begin a somber 2-part memorial to one of the finest rock bands to have ever existed. See you then!




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If you like to know more about Overkill’s history, check out my review of it below.

Album Review - Motörhead’s Overkill

On top of that, sorry about getting this one up later. I had it mostly finished, but still had some stuff left to flush out. Hope you don’t mind!