Motörhead

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Motörhead
The current band line-up
Years active 1975-present
Origin London, England
Genre(s) Heavy Metal
Label(s) SPV GmbH
Members Phil Campbell
Mikkey Dee
Lemmy Kilmister

Motörhead is an iconic British heavy metal band. The name was derived from a slang term for an amphetamine user. Founded by ex-Hawkwind bassist Lemmy Kilmister in 1975, the band specialises in songs that are extremely loud to the unaccustomed listener. The title of one of its live albums, Everything Louder Than Everyone Else, reflects this assertion.

While the band is typically classified as heavy metal, punk metal, or speed metal, Lemmy has refused such labels, preferring to describe Motörhead's style as "rock and roll". Their sound tends to be "part metal, part punk, and part rock n' roll" — purposefully adding up to three thirds of a band. Motörhead's lyrics cover topics such as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse, and "life on the road" - the latter for which they wrote songs like "We Are the Road Crew", "Iron Horse", and "Keep Us on the Road."

Contents

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History

The classic line-up. From left to right: Philthy Animal Taylor, Lemmy Kilmister and Fast Eddie Clarke.
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The classic line-up. From left to right: Philthy Animal Taylor, Lemmy Kilmister and Fast Eddie Clarke.

After being sacked from Hawkwind in 1975, supposedly for "doing the wrong drugs," Lemmy decided to form a new band, originally to be called Bastard. Realising that this would preclude them from commercial acceptance, he eventually settled on Motörhead, after a song he had written for Hawkwind. Lemmy's stated aim was for the outfit to be "the dirtiest rock n' roll band in the world."

The first line-up of the band featured Larry Wallis (ex-Pink Fairies) on guitar and Lucas Fox on drums. Their first gig was at The Roundhouse, London, on July 20, 1975. They recorded sessions at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, during which Fox left to be replaced by drum virtuoso Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. The sessions did not see the light of day until they were opportunistically released in 1979 once the band was becoming popular. Deciding that two guitarists were required, the band recruited "Fast" Eddie Clarke, but Wallis left during the auditions and so the idea was shelved. The trio of Lemmy, Clarke, and Taylor is today regarded as the "classic" Motörhead line-up, although initial reactions were unfavourable: they memorably won a poll for "Worst Band in the World" in one music magazine.

The band's first official album release was the self-titled Motörhead, released in 1977. By this time the standard of their performances had improved considerably, and the uncompromising nature of their music was beginning to garner a following from enthusiasts of both metal and punk. Follow-up albums Overkill and Bomber cemented their reputation as one of Britain's foremost heavy metal groups.

In the early 1980s they experienced UK Top 40 chart hits with singles and EPs such as "Ace of Spades," "Motörhead (live)," "Iron Fist," The Golden Years and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP - their collaboration with 'apprentices' Girlschool. Many fans regard "Ace of Spades" as the definitive Motörhead anthem. They also consider the albums Ace of Spades and the live No Sleep 'til Hammersmith to be among the best works of their era as well as the band's most commercially successful releases.

In 1982, Motörhead recorded and released Stand By Your Man, a cover version of the Tammy Wynette classic, with Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics. Clarke felt that this compromised the band's principles and resigned to be replaced by Brian Robertson, formerly with Thin Lizzy. Robertson only lasted for one album (1983's Another Perfect Day) having caused friction in the band due to his refusal to play their most popular tunes. The group then returned to the concept of dual guitars by hiring Wurzel and Phil Campbell (ex-Persian Risk). In 1984 a rare line-up of Lemmy, Campbell, Wurzel and Taylor played "Ace of Spades" in Bambi, an episode of the British sitcom The Young Ones. Mainstream success has dwindled since then, but the band still have a large and loyal fanbase and continues to record and tour extensively. Many modern hard rock, heavy metal and punk rock groups cite Motörhead as an important influence.

In 1992, Phil Taylor was fired after recording "I Ain't No Nice Guy" because he didn't learn the drum tracks, and Mikkey Dee became his permanent replacement after the short and disappointing engagement of Tommy Aldridge on the album March or Die. When Wurzel left in 1995, Motörhead returned as a three-man line-up and celebrated Lemmy's 50th Birthday with Metallica.

Motörhead is well-known in the professional wrestling community for performing popular wrestler Triple H's entrance music, "The Game," beginning in 2000. In addition to the track being heard live nearly every Monday on WWE RAW and at numerous other wrestling shows, they have performed the song live at two WrestleMania events, WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania 21. They also provided the entrance music for Triple H's Faction, Evolution.

In 2005, Motörhead picked up their first Grammy Award in the "Best Metal Performance" category for their cover of Metallica's "Whiplash".

The umlaut over the ö in their name is a record-cover art conceit, possibly derived from the similar "Heavy metal umlaut" in the name of the Blue Öyster Cult. However, the band's name is not pronounced as the German usage; instead, Lemmy pronounces it (IPA) /'məʊtəhɛd/. Lemmy is also quoted to have "put the umlaut on the middle-O in order to make the name more 'German-looking,' meaner!"

Motörhead has influenced a wide variety of punk, metal, and rock and roll bands over the years and are considered to be "The Godfathers of Punk Metal".

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Line-ups

Lemmy is the only member of Motörhead who has been in all of the line-ups, although Phil Taylor has played with all of the guitarists (Larry Wallis, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, Brian Robertson, Phil Campbell and Wurzel).

1975 (On Parole) - initial line-up

1976 (temporary line-up, no recorded material)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Larry Wallis - guitar
  • "Fast" Eddie Clarke - guitar
  • Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - drums

1976-1982 (Motörhead, Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades, No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, Iron Fist)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • "Fast" Eddie Clarke - guitar, vocals
  • Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - drums

1982-1983 (Another Perfect Day)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Brian Robertson - guitar
  • Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - drums

1984-1987 (No Remorse, Orgasmatron)

1987-1992 (Rock 'n' Roll, No Sleep At All, 1916, March or Die)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Phil Campbell - guitar
  • Wurzel - guitar
  • Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - drums

1992 (March or Die)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Phil Campbell - guitar
  • Wurzel - guitar
  • Tommy Aldridge - drums

1992-1995 (March or Die, Bastards, Sacrifice)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Phil Campbell - guitar
  • Wurzel - guitar
  • Mikkey Dee - drums

1995-present (Overnight Sensation, Snake Bite Love, Everything Louder Than Everyone Else, We Are Motörhead, Hammered, Live At Brixton Academy The Complete Concert, Inferno)

  • Lemmy Kilmister - bass, vocals
  • Phil Campbell - guitar
  • Mikkey Dee - drums
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Discography

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Albums

(In order of UK release date)

1979's Bomber album
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1979's Bomber album
1991's 1916 album
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1991's 1916 album
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Singles

Ace of Spades single
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Ace of Spades single
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EPs

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Videography

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VHS

2001's 25 & Alive Boneshaker DVD
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2001's 25 & Alive Boneshaker DVD
  • 1982 Live in Toronto
  • 1984 Another Perfect Day EP
  • 1985 Birthday Party
  • 1986 Deaf Not Blind
  • 1988 EP
  • 1991 Everything Louder than Everything Else
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DVD

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Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth on Motörhead's first album
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Snaggletooth on Motörhead's first album

Snaggletooth (full name Snaggletooth B. Motörhead) is the name of the fanged face that serves as a symbol of Motörhead. Artist Joe Petagno created it in 1977 for the cover of the band's first released album.

It has remained a symbol of Motörhead throughout the years, with Petagno creating many variations of Snaggletooth for the covers of ensuing albums (e.g., Overkill, Another Perfect Day, and Orgasmatron).

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See also

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External links


Motörhead
Lemmy Kilmister | Phil Campbell | Mikkey Dee
Larry Wallis | Fast Eddie Clarke | Brian Robertson | Wurzel
Lucas Fox | Philthy Animal Taylor | Pete Gill

Albums - EPs - Singles - DVDs
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mot%C3%B6rhead"
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