Motörhead

Motörhead is a group of Rock “Roll British founded in 1975 by its bass player Lemmy Kilmister, only permanent member of the group of the origins at our days. Evoking at the same time the heavy sound of heavy metal and the very fast tempos of the Punk, the whole on musical structures resulting from the Rock'n'roll of the Fifties and Sixties, the music of Motörhead is often regarded as being at the origin of the Speed Metal and the Thrash Metal. If this relationship can be discussed, it is undeniable that the influence of the group extends on all the scene Hard rock and Metal until today.

Lemmy always refused to see its group labelled under a banner or another, protesting which it is simply about Rock-and-roll. This attitude is typical philosophy of the group, which is expressed in particular through the words of the songs. Very neat, these last approach typical topics of Heavy metal - war, combat of the " mal" against the " bien-pensance" , drugs, sex and life “Rock'n'roll” on the road - while playing with the stereotypes of the kind and by circumventing them skilfully. Lemmy declared besides in an interview that the person who had influenced her career the most was her English professor to the college, when it had made him discover the literature and the writing.

History

Origins

Attracted as of childhood by the Rock'n'roll of the Fifties, then upset like so many others of its generation by the first album of the Beatles, which remain its favorite group today, Lemmy, wire of English Pasteur, learns the guitar very quickly and plays very young person in groups of recoveries like Sundowners , become later The DeeJays . It then briefly forms part of many other small groups like The Saphires , The Rainmakers , The Motown Sect then The Rocking Vicars, before officer one moment like roadie for Jimi Hendrix and hippie The Nice groups it. Recruit as bass player by a group of " Space Rock" relatively known at the time, Hawkwind, it remains five years there before being returned to have snobé LSD, base of the music and the life of the group, with the profit of the Amphétamines. Stopped at the Canadian border for possession of Cocaine, it is released a few days later for defect of procedure, because the customs officers had been mistaken in substance: they were in fact amphetamines! On its return, the other members of Hawkwind mean his reference to him.

Furious to be thus eliminated, Lemmy leaves the group by carrying part of their material of scene, and creates with two other musicians a group of Rock-and-roll called Bastard initially, then Motörhead , American slang term appointing a consumer of amphetamines and title of a song written by Lemmy for Hawkwind.

30 years of Rock'n'roll

The first grinding of the group is composed, in addition to Lemmy, Larry Wallis (ex- Pink Fairies) to the Guitare and Lucas Fox with the battery. After some sessions of recording which will not be born before several years, Fox is replaced by the beater Phil " Philthy Animal" Taylor, and a second guitarist, " Fast" Eddie Clarke, is recruited. Nevertheless, the group remains a trio, Wallis having left it before even the end of the sessions. Elected officials “worse group of the year” by the readers of a musical magazine, new Motörhead however persist and record in 1977 their first album éponyme. Hidden behind a black small pocket and a threatening metal effigy, this first disc is especially pointed out by the installed capacity and compact of its compositions, with crossed Hard rock and Punk then in full rise. But the group yet truly did not find its style, and it is only with Overkill , in 1979, qu ' bursts the its Motörhead , characterized by the low one that Lemmy uses like a guitar, the double gross case of the beater and rhythmic guitar amalgamating and solos in an exceptional way. Attracted by the sound without concession of the group, the public Punk and Heavy Metal English the plebiscite, and business success immediate, is consolidated the following year by Bomber .

The group, known to record very quickly, connects then the albums and successes: Ace off Spades , left in 1981, and live the No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith which follows it closely is regarded still today as tops of the career of Motörhead, and among the best albums Rock of this time.

In 1983 the starting formation is not any more: Eddie Clarke left the group, being disputed with Lemmy in connection with a young lady. It is replaced by Brian Robertson, former guitarist of Thin Lizzy, with which the group records Another Perfect day . The sound of this disc is different from the precedents, the play of the guitarist being definitely more worked and clean that of Clarke. For this reason, this album is often little appreciated fans, who do not like either the manner of getting dressed with Robertson, with its grinding pants bright red… But the reason of its expulsion is rather to seek in its unverifiable behavior: seeking to follow Lemmy in its abuses Drug, he does not manage sometimes even more to include/understand which piece he is supposed to play on scene.

The changes of line-up are connected then at intervals sometimes difficult to follow: in 1984, the group auditions several guitarists to replace Robertson. Two are retained: Phillip Campbell and Wurzel. Not being able to decide, Kilmister and Taylor keep them both, and Motörhead becomes again a quartet. But this formula hardly lasts: after a handle of pieces, which will appear later on compilation No Remorse , Taylor leaves the group, replaced by Pete Gill, old beater of the group of Heavy Metal Saxon. Taylor returns in the group in 1987, and will remain there until its final ousting in 1992. By no means disturbed by all these changes, Lemmy continuous to write and record with a frantic rate, and the group leaves many albums during this period, of which Orgasmatron , Rock' N Roll and live the No Sleep At All .

In 1991, whereas the group struggles in problems of contracts of recording, Motörhead leaves 1916 , which has as a subject the First World War. One finds there in particular moving it synthetic ballade éponyme, which sees Lemmy singing a history ghostly soldiers promised with an unquestionable death on bottom of tablecloths of synthetizers - a first in the history of the group! One also finds a homage to punk there, very short and very effective R.A.M.O.N.E.S. .

With the final ousting of Taylor in 1992, the sound of Motörhead seeks to evolve/move. After some wanderings (on March ör Die ), the group turns resolutely to Metal ( cf the albums Bastards or Sacrifice , for example). Become again a trio with the departure of Wurzel in 1995, Motörhead adopts a heavier sonority, more saturated than it preserved until today.

In spite of the 61 years of Lemmy and occasional health issues due to its at the very least chaotic lifestyle, the group does not weaken, and continuous to connect discs and concerts. Even if one should not any more from now on count on a success near the general public, Lemmy and its accomplices can count on a basis of very faithful fans and on the recognition of their pars: almost all the groups of Heavy Metal and Punk current assert their influence. The last album of Motörhead, KIS off Death , was published at the end of August 2006. No surprise nor disappointment. Motörhead continues the infinite variation of its Gothic universe of band-drawn: the inevitable head of dog to the defense-sabers, weapons metamorphosed in animal, satanic incantations (without it being useful to play the disc with the back) like laughing, song for a girl which makes insane, etc… No the anthem with the Rock'n'roll' nRoll as the title “Rock'n'roll `Roll” (1987) precisely, not of bronca unslung like “Mean Machine”, not of odd couplings with furies like “Orgasmatron”. Those which like will continue. Those which hate too.

Image and spirit of the group

By many aspects, Motörhead is the prototype of the group of Hard rock, salts, aggressive and violent one. Lemmy even likes to him to maintain this impression, by its physical appearance, its clothing causing or of the declarations without call such as “if Motörhead settled beside on your premise, your lawn would die”. But its personality is much more complex than that: inveterate amateur of Amphetamines and alcohol, Lemmy is also a keen enemy of the Héroïne, and never fails to specify but, if its exceptional physical constitution seems to avoid to him the perverse effects of the Drogue S, it disadvises with all following its lifestyle. Consumer notorious and asserted Groupie S, it is also a convinced feminist , follower of sexual freedom for all. Provocative character if it is, it is also very with horse on the Politesse and the good mannerss…

These paradoxes are found in the music of Motörhead: follower of a sound without concessions, the group is also characterized by very neat and often subtle texts always, with the sources of varied inspirations: thus We Are The Road Crew plays with the Rock-and-roll stereotypes by describing the life of the roadies in round, whereas Metropolis refers to the silent film of the same name of the German realizer Fritz Lang, left in 1927.

The most significant originality of the group, remains in the formula of the trio, but especially in the use of low, by Lemmy Kilmister, former bass player of Hawkwind. Indeed, Kilmister exploits in agreements the base of a sound saturated by ensuring at the same time the role with a rhythmic guitar and that with low. One finds this way of playing only in pieces of Hawkwind, (played by Kilmister), as “Lost Johnny” which will be taken again besides on the first album of Motörhead. Lemmy sings and plays this song with low. Used this way, the low one played in agreements, produces an extremely heavy and major sound, giving the impression of a noise of earthquake. This style remains without any equivalent in the history of the heavy metal, and made of Motörhead, the group with the heaviest style and most aggressive of the kind, while remaining relatively mélodieux. There is however only on the very first albums, such as “Motörhead”, “Overkill”, and already to a lesser extent, “To bend”, and “Ace off spades”, that this style is definitely audible. In particular on songs like “Motörhead”, “White line fever”, “Lost Johnny” (on “Motörhead”), “I' L Be your sister”, “No class”, “Metropolis” (on “Overkill”, the heaviest album of the group), “Stone dead forever”, “Sharpshooter” (on “Bending”), “Coils to me like has reptile”, “Live to win” (On “Ace off spades”), etc

Motörhead and wrestling

Motörhead is one of the favorite groups of the amateurs of Catch. The title The Game was written for the all-in wrestler Triple H (called The Game or The King off Kings), of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). Triple H is a very large fan of Motörhead, he also takes part in back vocal at piece-rates Serial Killer . In 2006, Motörhead recorded the new anthem of Triple H: King Off Kings . This song is found on the disc WWE Wreckless Intent .

Line-up

  • 1975-1976 : Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Lucas Fox (battery) - Larry Wallis (guitar)
  • 1976-1982: Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Phil Taylor (battery) - Eddie Clarke (guitar)
  • 1983-1984: Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Phil Taylor (battery) - Brian Robertson (guitar)
  • 1984-1987: Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Pete Gill (battery) - Phil Campbell (guitar) - Mick Burtson (guitar)
  • 1987-1992: Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Phil Taylor (battery) - Phil Campbell (guitar) - Mick Burtson (guitar)
  • 1992-1995: Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Mikael Delaoglou (battery) - Phil Campbell (guitar) - Mick Burtson (guitar)
  • 1995-???? : Lemmy Kilmister (low/song) - Mikael Delaoglou (battery) - Phil Campbell (guitar)

Nicknames

  • Ian Fraser Kilminster : Lemmy
  • Brian Robertson : Robbo
  • Eddie Clarke : Fast Eddie
  • Mick Burston : Würzel
  • Mikael Delaoglou : Mikkey Dee
  • Phil Campbell: Wizzo - Zoom
  • Phil Taylor: Philthy - Animal Philthy Taylor

Discography

  • 1975 : One Word (left in 1979)
  • 1977: Motörhead
    • Leaving Young stag (individual)
    • Motörhead/City Kids (individual)
    • Motörhead/Over The Signal (individual)
    • The Train Kept A-Rollin' (individual)
  • 1979: Overkill
    • Louie Louie (individual)
    • No Class/Like has Nightmare (individual)
    • Overkill (individual)
  • 1979: To bend
    • To bend/Over The Signal (individual)
  • 1980: Beer Drinkers (EP)
  • 1980: Ace off Spades
    • Ace off Spades/Dirty Love (individual)
    • The Golden delicious Years - Live EP
  • 1981: No Sleep Til Hammersmith (live)
  • 1982: Iron Fist
    • Iron Fist (individual)
  • 1982: St Valentine' S Day Massacres (EP with the group Girlschool)
  • 1982: Stand By Your Man (EP with Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics)
  • 1983: Another Perfect Day
    • I Got Undermines (individual)
    • Shine (individual)
  • 1984: No Remorse (compilation)
  • 1984: Killed By Death (individual 7" and 12". The version 12" contains faces B where each member changes instrument)
  • 1986: Orgasmatron
    • Deaf Forever (individual
  • 1987: Motörhead
) ** Eat The Rich (individual)
    • Rock' Roll (individual)
    • Traitor (individual)
  • 1988: No Sleep At All (live)
  • 1991: 1916
    • Angel City & Other Cities Live (Cd promotion 4 titles live in Munich in 1991)
    • Going To Brazil (individual)
    • It' S Almost… 1916 (Cd promotion containing of the titles not retained for the album + an interview of Lemmy)
    • No Voices In The Sky (individual)
    • The One To Sing The Blues (individual)
  • 1992: March ör Die
    • Bad Religion (individual)
    • Cat Scratch Fever (Cd promotion)
    • You Better Run (Cd promotion)
  • 1992: '92 Turn (EP)
  • 1993: Bastards
    • Born To Raise Hell (individual)
    • Burner (individual)
    • Don' T Let Daddy KIS Me (individual)
  • 1995: Sacrifice
    • Sacrifice (individual)
  • 1996: Overnight Sensation
    • I Don' T Believe has Word (individual)
  • 1998: Snake Bite Coils
    • Love For Sale/Take The Blame (individual)
  • 1999: Everything Louder Than Everyone Else (live)
  • 2000: We Are Motörhead
    • God Save The Queen (individual)
    • See Me Burning (individual)
  • 2000: The Best off Motörhead (compilation)
  • 2000: The Drives out Is Better Than The Catch (compilation)
  • 2000: Over The Signal - The Rarities (compilation)
  • 2001: All The Aces (compilation)
  • 2002: Hammered
  • 2003 : Stone Deaf Forever (box set 5 Cd) (compilation)
  • 2003: Live At Brixton Academy - The Supplements Concert (live)
  • 2004: Inferno (album)
  • 2005: The BBC Sessions (double album)
  • 2006: KIS Off Death
  • 2007: Better Motörhead Than Dead - Live At Hammersmith
  • 2007: Motörhead - collections (compilation)

Videotex

  • 1982 : Live In Toronto - Castle Hendering (VHS)
  • 1984: Another Perfect Day EP (VHS)
  • 1985: Birthday Party (VHS)
  • 1986: Deaf Not Blind (VHS)
  • 1988: EP (VHS)
  • 1991 : Everything louder Than Everything Else (VHS)
  • 2001: 25 & Alive Boneshaker - Steamhammer - SPV (DVD)
  • 2002: Motörhead EP (DVD)
  • 2002: The Best off Motörhead (DVD)
  • 2003: Special The Edition EP (DVD)
  • 2004: Everything Louder Than Everything Else (Live 1991) (DVD)
  • 2005: Training course Fright (Live 2004) (DVD)

Books, articles

Sounds, images

Sacrifice 1995

" Interview" of Lemmy and Phil Taylor in 1983

Bond

  • Official site
  • French Site on Motörhead

Be-X-old: Motörhead

Simple: Motörhead

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