Motorhead are a band that will never die, and for that we must be truly grateful. Their seminal gravelly voiced front-man and bass-player, Lemmy, might have sadly passed away back in 2015, but their hedonistic spirit and louder than war music continue to live on. The band are even going to be reborn in a new form with Lemmy and Motorhead getting their own graphic-novel, which details the bands rise to the top and will be published in September.
Never is their immortal popularity more clear, though, than when one of their albums gets a deluxe reissue for fans to add to their burgeoning collection. Well that’s the case again as their career defining live album No Sleep Till Hammersmith got its 40th year anniversary re-release on June 25th. It was the band’s one and only UK No. 1 album as it crashed into the top of the charts back in 1971, and is a rip-roaring set of songs that still manages to rattle your bones. The re-release is available in many different formats, including a 4 CD box set with an immense amount of bonus material.
What better time, then, to look back and have a quick rundown of Motorhead’s other must-listen-to albums.
Motorhead
This self-titled album was Motorhead’s proper debut release, and came out in 1977. It was also the first album to feature the classic line-up of Lemmy, “Fast” Eddie Clarke and Phil “Animal” Taylor. The cover is also the debut of their acclaimed mascot “Snaggletooth the War-Pig” who went on to adorn about a billion T-shirts. The album is a great example of the raw, energizing sound that the band could thrash out and includes the classic tracks “Motorhead” and “White Line Fever.” It still sounds a little bit frightening, and went on to inspire everyone from Metallica to Dave Grohl. Dave Grohl, interestingly, went on to record some songs with Lemmy, and the Foo Fighters’ singer has recently published a new book, that will delve into those sessions.
Ace of Spades
This is, easily, the band’s most famous album and we’re absolutely ok with that. That’s because it’s probably their best work. Ace of Spades was Motorhead’s fourth release in 1980, and is the first thing everyone thinks of when they hear the name of the band. “If you like to gamble, I tell you I’m your man” growls Lemmy on the opening lyrics to the title track, and he was not joking. He was an absolute die-hard gambler that spent anytime he wasn’t on stage strumming his bass guitar, in front of a device trying to win money. He was a huge fan of visiting casinos in Las Vegas and playing epic rounds of poker. When he wasn’t able to visit though, he’d make Vegas come to him with computerized poker machines and online casino sites. He must’ve had a thorough list of the best online legal casinos in the US.
If like Lemmy, you’re a fan of gambling, then VegasSlotsOnline has you covered. They’ve employed experts to bring you a comprehensive guide to online gambling in the US. Not to mention they’ve got great deals at sites like Slots.lv Casino, who are paying out more than $250,000 in monthly player cash-outs. It might be time to put on some Motorhead and go for a spin.
Overkill
This is the album that catapulted Motorhead into the public’s conscience. Overkill, the band’s sophomore album, was released in 1979 and took everything that their debut had done and then maxed it up to eleven. The songs come thick and fast and the title track features Taylor’s famed use of two bass drums to truly bash out some real noise. Other notable tracks on the album include fan-favorites “No Class” and “Tear Ya Down,” though there’s not a single dud on the entire thing.
The album was produced by Jimmy Miller who had previously worked with The Rolling Stones on some of their most notable earlier works, including Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street. Miller was previously a drummer and he had a real ear for getting the instrument to shine on a song and that’s exactly the case here, as the booming beat drives the album forwards in a manically rhythmic style.
