Motorhead

Motorhead
Motorhead is a name every metal music listener must know about. This British heavy metal band was formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy, who has remained the sole constant member since its inception.

While many term Motorheads music as heavy metal, speed metal or thrash metal, Lemmy preferred to describe the band's music simply as rock n' roll. Motorhead had seen unprecedented success in the early 1980s with several successful many singles in the UK Top 40 chart.

Their albums like Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades, and particularly No Sleep 'til Hammersmith, paved the way for band super success and earned it the reputation of one of Britain's foremost rock bands.

Motorhead's approach to music has remained the same over the band's career. They mostly play what they enjoy and do best. Their appreciation of early rock and roll is reflected in some of their occasional cover songs, but they also experimented with other formats as well. What is even more appreciated is the bands vision to comment on social issues.

Their lyrics typically cover social topics such as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse, and life on the road. The band mostly played as a power trio; however, its members keep on changing from time to time.

Lemmy is man behind the formation of this rocking band. Initially played in a band name Hawkwind, he formed a new band called Bastard but later changed the name to Motorhead in view of the using non-abusive name. This name was inspired by the final song he had written for Hawkwind.

Aimed to be the the dirtiest rock n' roll band in the world as Lemmy wanted to make it, the band was launched with Larry Wallis on electric guitar and Lucas Fox on drums. Their first gig was at The Roundhouse, London, on 20 July 1975 and by October 19, the band had played in ten gigs. The band also became the supporting act to established bands like Blue Oyster Cult, Pink Fairies, The Damned and The Adverts.

The bands first contract was done with United Artists, where they recorded sessions at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, during which Fox replaced by drummer Phil Philthy Animal Taylor. The record label was not pleased with the recorded material and only released the album On Parole in 1979, only after the band had established some success.

Initial reactions to the band were not favorable. Their bad boy persona was not getting very well with the listeners and they won a poll for the best worst band in the world in the music magazine NME. After years of living in squats and with little recognition, Phil and Eddie decided to give it up.

By April 1977, the band agreed to do a farewell show at the Marquee Club in London. Lemmy had become acquainted with Ted Carroll from Chiswick Records and asked him to bring a mobile studio to the show to record it for posterity.

Carroll was unable to get the mobile unit to the Marquee Club but showed up backstage after the gig and offered them two days at Escape Studios to record a single. This was the turning point for the band.

They took the chance and instead of recording a single did eleven unfinished tracks, Carroll gave them a few more days to finish the vocals and the band completed thirteen tracks for release as an album. This is what we call to rise from ashes and Motorhead rightly did so as soon they toured with Hawkwind and also began their 'Beyond the Threshold of Pain' tour.

Fat forward to 2005, Motorhead picked up their first Grammy award in the Best Metal Performance category for their cover of Metallica's Whiplash on Metallic Attack: Metallica - The Ultimate Tribute. Yes, the band worked hard to reach this place and made some very rocking melodies in a period of around thirty years to make this possible.

Lemmy and company have finally achieved their dreams although they worked like hell for it. Today regarded as one of the best metal acts, Motorhead is truly amazing and fantastic.

Now if want to experience the magic of this great band that has traveled the way from being the worst metal band to the best, catch them at their latest concert as entertainment is always guaranteed by them.