Motörhead -

Motörhead was an English metal trio that released a 1977 self-titled album on Chiswick, followed by five studio albums and a live disc between 1979 and 1984 on Bronze. Ex-Hawkwind bassist Lemmy Kilmister fronted Motörhead through numerous iterations across four decades.

Members: Lemmy (vocals, bass), Lucas Fox (drums, 1975), Larry Wallis (guitar, 1975-76), Philthy Animal Taylor (drums, 1975-84, 1987-92), Fast Eddie Clarke (guitar, 1976-82), Brian Robertson (guitar 1982-83), Phil Campbell (guitar, 1984-2015), Würzel (guitar, 1984-95), Pete Gill (drums, 1984-87)

Background

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister (1945–2015) assembled Motörhead in mid-1975, immediately after his four-year stint with Hawkwind. His career stretched back to the late 1960s when he served as a roadie for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and played in the bands Sam Gopal and Opal Butterfly.

The original Motörhead lineup featured drummer Lucas Fox and erstwhile Pink Fairies guitarist Larry Wallis. They rehearsed in the basement of a furniture store and played their first concert at London’s Roundhouse in July 1975 as an opening act for Greenslade. Three months later, they opened for Blue Oyster Cult at the Hammersmith Odeon.

Edmunds Demos, On Parole

Motörhead first contracted with United Artists, Hawkwind’s label. They cut four demos with producer Dave Edmunds:

10. “On Parole” (6:58)
11. “City Kids” (3:48)
12. “Motörhead” (2:48)
13. “Leaving Here” (3:01)

Fox cleared for drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor. Between December 1975 and February 1976, they recorded nine songs at Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, Wales, with producer Fritz Fryer.

1. “Motörhead” Ian Kilmister (2:57)
2. “On Parole” Larry Wallis (5:38)
3. “Vibrator” Wallis, Des Brown (2:53)
4. “Iron Horse/Born to Lose” Phil Taylor, Mick Brown, Guy “Tramp” Lawrence (5:17)

5. “City Kids” Wallis, Duncan Sanderson (3:43)
6. “The Watcher” Kilmister (4:50)
7. “Leaving Here” Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Edward Holland (2:56)
8. “Lost Johnny” Kilmister, Mick Farren (3:31)
9. “Fools” Wallis, Brown (5:35)

Lemmy Kilmister – lead vocals, bass
Larry Wallis – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Vibrator” and “Fools”
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

United Artists vetoed the intended album’s release. The nine songs later appeared as On Parole, released in October 1979 after their first two Bronze titles.

Classic Lineup

In March 1976, guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke joined Motörhead. The subsequent departure of Wallis trimmed Motörhead to its classic three-piece lineup of Lemmy, Taylor, and Clarke. They covered the 1963 Holland–Dozier–Holland song “Leaving Here” for a slated Stiff Records single but UA intervened on the plan. It appeared on Sky Dog (France) and Blitz (Sweden), backed with the band original “White Line Fever.” In 1977, the two songs appeared respectively on the Stiff compilations Hits Greatest Stiffs and A Bunch of Stiff Records.

By April 1977, Motörhead was on the verge of collapse when Chiswick founder Ted Carroll offered them two free days at Escape Studios to cut a single. They instead cut 11 songs with producer Speedy King (Thunderclap Newman), eight of which formed their self-titled debut album, released in August 1977.

Motörhead

Motörhead released their self-titled (second recorded) debut album on August 12, 1977, on Chiswick. The eight-song album (32:52) features the group-written “White Line Fever” and two originals (“Motorhead” “The Watcher”) by Lemmy, who co-wrote “Lost Johnny” with ex-Deviants Mick Farren, who added to the band number “Keep Us on the Road.”

1. “Motorhead” (3:13)
2. “Vibrator” (3:39) Larry Wallis, Des Brown
3. “Lost Johnny” (4:15)
4. “Iron Horse/Born to Lose” (5:21) Phil Taylor, Mick Brown, Guy “Tramp” Lawrence

5. “White Line Fever” (2:38)
6. “Keep Us on the Road” (5:57)
7. “The Watcher” (4:30)
8. “Train Kept A-Rollin’” (3:19) Myron Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann

Recorded 27–29 April 1977
Studio Escape, Kent

Lemmy – lead vocals, bass
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – guitar, backing vocals
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

Production
John “Speedy” Keen – producer
John Burns – engineer
Adam Skeaping – mastering
Motörhead – executive producers
Joe Petagno – album cover & Snaggletooth
Motorcycle Irene and Lensy – photography

“Motorhead” / “City Kids”
Released: 10 June 1977

B. “City Kids” (3:24) Pink Fairies cover

Overkill

Motörhead released their second album, Overkill, in March 1979 on Bronze.

1. “Overkill” (5:12)
2. “Stay Clean” (2:40)
3. “(I Won’t) Pay Your Price” (2:56)
4. “I’ll Be Your Sister” (2:51)
5. “Capricorn” (4:06)

6. “No Class” (2:39)
7. “Damage Case” (2:59) co-written by Motörhead and Mick Farren.
8. “Tear Ya Down” (2:39)
9. “Metropolis” (3:34)
10. “Limb from Limb” (4:54)

Recorded December 1978 – January 1979
Studio Roundhouse, London; Sound Development, London

Lemmy – bass guitar, vocals, bass solo on “Stay Clean”, second guitar solo on “Limb from Limb”
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – guitars
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

Production
Jimmy Miller – producer, remixer
Neil Richmond – producer (“Louie Louie”, “Tear Ya Down”)
Ashley Howe – engineer
Trevor Hallesy – engineer
Darren Colin Burn – tape operator
Joe Petagno – cover design

“Overkill”
Released: 16 February 1979

“No Class”
Released: 15 June 1979

French Albums (SNEP) 17
UK Albums (OCC) 24

Bomber

Motörhead released their third album, Bomber, on October 12, 1979, on Bronze.

1. “Dead Men Tell No Tales” (3:07)
2. “Lawman” (3:56)
3. “Sweet Revenge” (4:10)
4. “Sharpshooter” (3:19)
5. “Poison” (2:54)

6. “Stone Dead Forever” (4:54)
7. “All the Aces” (3:24)
8. “Step Down” (3:41)
9. “Talking Head” (3:40)
10. “Bomber” (3:43)

Recorded 7 July – 31 August 1979
Studio Roundhouse, London
Olympic, London

Lemmy – lead vocals, bass guitar
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on all versions of “Step Down”
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

Production
Jimmy Miller – producer
Trevor Hallesy – engineer
Darren Burn – mastering
Nigel Brooke-Hartz – mastering
Adrian Chesterman – design
Joe Petagno – Snaggletooth (the Bomber has it painted on the side)

“Bomber” / “Over the Top”
Released: November 1979

B. “Over the Top” (3:21)

UK Albums (OCC) 12

Ace of Spades

Motörhead released their fourth album, Ace of Spades, in October 1980 on Bronze.

1. “Ace of Spades” (2:48)
2. “Love Me Like a Reptile” (3:23)
3. “Shoot You in the Back” (2:39)
4. “Live to Win” (3:37)
5. “Fast and Loose” (3:23)
6. “(We Are) the Road Crew” (3:13)

7. “Fire, Fire” (2:44)
8. “Jailbait” (3:33)
9. “Dance” (2:38)
10. “Bite the Bullet” (1:38)
11. “The Chase Is Better Than the Catch” (4:18)
12. “The Hammer” (2:48)

Recorded 4 August – 15 September 1980
Studio Jackson’s Studios (Rickmansworth, England)

Lemmy – vocals, bass, backing vocals on “Emergency”
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – lead guitar, lead vocals on “Emergency”
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums except on “Please Don’t Touch” & “Emergency”

Production
Vic “Chairman” Maile – producer, engineer & mixing
Martin Poole – design
Alan Ballard – photography
Joe Petagno – Snaggletooth

On October 20, “Ace of Spades”
B. “Dirty Love” (2:57)

UK Albums (OCC) 4
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) 29

St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

On February 13, 1981, Bronze issued St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, an EP collaboration by Motörhead and Girlschool.

1. “Please Don’t Touch” (2:49)
2. “Bomber” (3:30)
3. “Emergency” (3:03)

Recorded December 1980
Studio Jacksons Studios, Rickmansworth, London
Producer Vic Maile

Lemmy Kilmister – bass (1 & 3), co-lead vocals (1), backing vocals (3)
Kelly Johnson – co-lead guitar (1 & 2), co-lead vocals (1)
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – lead guitar (1 & 3), lead vocals (3)
Kim McAuliffe – rhythm guitar (1 & 2), backing vocals (2 & 3)
Enid Williams – bass (1 & 2), lead vocals (2)
Denise Dufort – drums all tracks

No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith

In June 1981, Motörhead released No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith, a live document of their spring shows in Leeds and Newcastle.

Iron Fist

Motörhead released their fifth studio album, Iron Fist, in April 1982 on Bronze.

1. “Iron Fist” (2:55)
2. “Heart of Stone” (3:04)
3. “I’m the Doctor” (2:43)
4. “Go to Hell” (3:10)
5. “Loser” (3:57)
6. “Sex & Outrage” (2:10)

7. “America” (3:38)
8. “Shut It Down” (2:41)
9. “Speedfreak” (3:28)
10. “(Don’t Let ‘Em) Grind Ya Down” (3:08)
11. “(Don’t Need) Religion” (2:43)
12. “Bang to Rights” (2:43)

Recorded 26–28 January and 1–28 February 1982
Studio Ramport (London), Morgan (London)

Lemmy – vocals, bass guitar
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – guitars
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

Production
Will “Evil Red Neck” Reid – producer
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – producer
Charles Harrowell – engineer
Chaz Harrowell – mixing
Martin Poole – album design
Alan Ballard – photography
Joe Petagno – Snaggletooth

“Iron Fist” / “Remember Me, I’m Gone”
Released: March 1982
B. “Remember Me, I’m Gone” (2:18)

“Go to Hell”
Released: April 1982 (Germany)

Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) 4
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) 5
UK Albums (OCC) 6
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 23
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) 25
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 26
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 27

Another Perfect Day

Motörhead released their sixth studio album, Another Perfect Day, in May 1983 on Bronze.

1. “Back at the Funny Farm” (4:14)
2. “Shine” (3:11)
3. “Dancing on Your Grave” (4:29)
4. “Rock It” (3:55)
5. “One Track Mind” (5:55)

6. “Another Perfect Day” (5:29)
7. “Marching Off to War” (4:11)
8. “I Got Mine” (5:24)
9. “Tales of Glory” (2:56)
10. “Die You Bastard!” (4:25)

Recorded February–March 1983
Studio Olympic Studios and Eel Pie Studios (London)

Lemmy – bass, vocals
Brian “Robbo” Robertson – guitars, piano (4), Fender piano (2) and backing vocals (1)
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – drums

Production
Tony Platt – producer, mixing
Joe Petagno – Snaggletooth

“I Got Mine” / “Turn You Round Again”
Released: May 1983
B. “Turn You Round Again” (3:57)

“Shine”
Released: July 1983