Motorhead, remember me now alright!

[phlemmy]

OK Brian, you asked for it, you got it.

Motorhead was an odd bird for me over the years. Throughout the 80s, I always saw them in the magazines and heard Ace of Spades more times than I ever cared to, but I never bothered to delve into their catalog at all. Weird. They had some great album covers and yet my interest was never piqued. Then I heard the 1916 album and totally dug it. Still, I didn't go back and check out anything else. In 92 when Mikkey joined the band, I went to see them on the March or Die tour only to see Mikkey who is one of my favorite drummers ever. I got to hang out and shoot pool with him before the show and he remembered meeting me a few years prior when he was playing with Don Dokken. I even got to meet Lemmy that day but I still didn't "get it". It was just about seeing Mikkey Dee play live. I tried listening to the subsequent album with Mikkey but they didn't do anything for me. Then around 1998, someone loaned me Bomber. I was hooked. THAT was the sound I was looking for. In 2000 when I saw Motorhead again, it was totally different for me. I appreciated it. I appreciated Lemmy and understood what he was all about. He is rock and roll. So here's my take on Motorhead, and you'll see where my allegiance lies with their history.

Motorhead - 1977
This is 1977 yes? Wow. This album is about as good of a debut that anyone could ask for. I don't really like the cover of Train Kept A-Rollin' but it makes sense that it's on there knowing Lemmy's affection towards rockabilly, classic country and the blues. It's just a great album with my favorites being the title track, Lost Johnny, Keep Us On The Road and The Watcher.
10/10

Overkill - 1979
HEAVY. I think it's the perfect description for this album. Not a stinker in the bunch and my faves would be Metropolis, Capricorn and the title track (it sounds like a rockabilly song done in speed metal style...brilliant!). One of the things that I think made this band what hey were was that they were a tad sloppy, they knew it, they didn't care. How punk of them. It was an endearing quality.
10/10

Bomber - 1979
Two albums in one year? Who do they think they are, KISS? While the title track, Stone Dead Forever and Dead men Tell No Tales are brilliant, the rest of the album always leaves me a bit flat. Not quite sure why.
5/10

Ace of Spades - 1980
The album that made Motorhead a household name in the States. Yes, it's a good album but severely overplayed IMHO. There are some great ones on here though: Chase is Better Than the Catch, Jailbait, The Road Crew, The Hammer, Love me Like a Reptile. As heavy as they were, they were still more of a rock and roll band than a metal band...they were just louder than all the metal bands.
8.5/10

No Sleep Till Hammersmith - 1981
I NEVER put live albums in these reviews but this one deserves it. It's simply great. "We may not be the best band in the world, but we're certainly the fastest." Hell yeah.
10/10

Iron Fist - 1982
Another damned good record by Lem and the boys. This is one of my favorites and usually one of the first I grab when I want to hear some Motorhead. The title track, Sex and Outrage, Don't Need Religion...classics. They were still raw. They still maintained their same formula and it works.
10/10

Another Perfect Day - 1983
Exit Fast Eddie Clarke. Enter Thin Lizzy's Brian Robertson. This is the album that most Motorhead fans love to hate. This is also my favorite album by them. Period. It's very different than their earlier works. A tad progressive for them. Robbo's influence was surely there. Shine, Dancing on Your Grave, I Got Mine. The whole thing. Most people I know that aren't Motorhead fans per se, seem to enjoy this one because it sounds a little less like the Ace of Spades era stuff.
11/10

Orgasmatron - 1986
Exit Robbo and Philthy, enter Pete Gill (Saxon), Wurzel and Phil Campbell (Persian Risk). Another lineup change for Lem. Another new sound for them. Production on this album is terrible but there are some great songs like Mean Machine (!!!), Orgasmatron, Doctor Rock and Deaf Forever. Not one of my faves by them in general though.
7/10

Rock and Roll - 1987
Exit Gill, re-enter Philty. This is an odd one for me. I like the title track, Eat the Rich and Stone Deaf in the USA but the rest leaves me really flat.
5/10

1916 - 1991
Boom! Motorhead. This is a Motorhead album with a few twists and turns. No Voices in the Sky, very different for them. Very melodic. R.A.M..O.N.E.S., Love Me Forever, Going to Brazil...all of it. Nice comeback.
11/10

March or Die - 1992
Exit Philty (again), enter Tommy Aldridge (ugh) (Mikkey Dee did the tour). Other than Hellraiser, which I prefer to Ozzy's version, this album just doesn't do it for me. This was also the real beginning for the "new" Motorhead sound. They became a tighter band and lost some of that punkish flair they always had.
2/10

Bastards - 1993
Ugh. Dudes. Other than the powerful Don't let Daddy Kiss Me and Born to raise Hell, this album blows.
2/10

Sacrifice - 1995
My interest is all but gone in newer Motorhead albums, but there's always one or 2 that really get me. Sacrifice and Out of the Sun are the standouts on this one.
2/10

Overnight Sensation - 1996
Civil War was great. The rest wasn't.
1/10

Snakebite Love - 1998
ugh.
0/10

We Are Motorhead - 2000
I like the title track and One More F*cking Time. The rest bores me to tears.
2/10

Hammered - 2002
Again, weak. Voices from the War and Brave New World are tolerable.
2/10

Infernal - 2004
Lem's voice is gone. Over the last few albums there were so many enhancements and his voice is cranked live so he doesn't have to do much more than whisper. This album had a few good songs on it...Terminal Show, In The Name of Tragedy, Whorehouse Blues and Killers. It was a nice breath of air for them as compared to the last few.
5/10

Kiss of Death - 2006
ugh.
0/10

[phlemmy]

[jps]

Oh, Brian? Brian,where are you? HEY, BRIAN????????????

[incubus2432]

Been a little busy with workin' Tribe games lately.....long home stand. I'll contribute when i have a few minutes to add something worthwhile. (That'll be a 1st)

[phlemmy]

boo@tribe.

goooo tigers!

[phlemmy]

Oh, Brian? Brian,where are you? HEY, BRIAN????????????

[phlemmy]

Legendary hard rock band MOTÖRHEAD has set "Motorizer" as the title of its new album, due before the end of the year via SPV Records. The follow-up to 2006's "Kiss of Death" is being recorded at FOO FIGHTERS frontman/ex-NIRVANA drummer Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California.

[Carson]

oh man...it better be good

[phlemmy]

For me, I wish Motorhead would just become a touring band at this point.

[phlemmy]

New album cover.

[nattiep]

Meh, seems kinda lame.

[phlemmy]

Yeah, I prefer Petagno's stuff for the most part.

hammered has one of the best cover's IMHO though.

[berth]

Yeah, I prefer Petagno's stuff for the most part.
hammered has one of the best cover's IMHO though.

My favorites are "No Remorse" and "No sleep at all"



Any idea why Petagno quit?