Motorhead Album Musings Last updated: 25AUG01 _________________________________________________________________ _We Are Motorhead_ - CMC, 2000 Twenty-fifth anniversay album is entirely okay, though not a ball-grabber. Longer review forthcoming. Tracks: "See Me Burning Slow," "Dance," "Stay Out Of Jail," "God Save The Queen" (Sex Pistols cover), "Out To Lunch," "Wake The Dead," "One More Fucking Time" (ballad), "Stagefright/Crash and Burn," "(Wearing Your) Heart On Your Sleeve," "We Are Motorhead." Lemmy and Friends - _Lemmy, Slim Jim, and Danny B_ - Cleopatra, 2000 The legendary Motorhead croaker pairs with a guitarist and a drummer, neither of whom I recognize, for a loosely-played, low-voltage electric set of oldies-style oldies. They cover Elvis ("Stuck on You"), Lloyd Price ("Lawdy, Miss Clawdy"), Carl Perkins ("Matchbox"), and even Johnny Cash ("Matchbox"). Two instrumentals, too, the syrupy "True Love Ways" and a lazily rockin' "Heartbreak Hotel." Lemmy sings, plays acoustic guitar, and blows a bit of harmonica. Danny B Harvey plays all guitars and keyboards. Slim Jim Phantom does drums, percussion, and backing vocals. Amusing, to say the least, though it might wear thin on repeat playings. How 'bout a follow-up, with _real_ production? _Everything Louder Than Everything Else (2CD)_ - CMC, 1999 What glorious noise! Lemmy and Company's umpteenth live album, with a couple dozen tracks recorded in Hamburg last year. All the hits are here, old classics to new. Lemmy's no-bull banter is a howl, as is his occasional attempt to incite the crowd. The mix is a non-dubbed wall of noise. You'll have to know the songs by heart to hear half the melodies... _Snake Bite Love _- CMC, 1998 The best 'head album in a decade? In two? Superb songwriting; great playing; and a production that _finally_ captures the band's raw edge with crisp clarity. Surprises: not one but _two_ boogie numbers ("Love For Sale," "Don't Lie to Me"), an organ (!) solo ("Take the Blame"), and an exotic (Brazilian?) percussion solo ("Assassins"). _Singles Collection/Bronze Years_ - Castle, 1998 Yet another singles collection, but with some choice tracks including covers of "Louie, Louie" and "Train Kept A-Rollin'," one of the Girlschool team-up tracks, and Lemmy's ultra-rough duet with Wendy O. Williams on "Stand by Your Man." Nice linear notes, too. _Overnight Sensation_ - CMC, 1996 Now a trio and no sign of slowing down. Tracks: Civil War, Crazy Like A Fox, I Don't Believe A Word, Eat The Gun, Overnight Sensation, Love Can't Buy You Money, Broken, Them Not Me, Murder Show, Shake The World, and Listen To Your Heart. _Sacrifice_ - CMC, 1995 Though I can't speak too highly of the album as a whole, track #9 ("Don't Waste Your Time") is an instant classic. Sax, piano, boogie-blues riffs, and it's over in about three minutes. _Bastards_ - 1993, ZYX Music Strong album, with a couple curiosities: an acoustic-flavored incest rant ("Don't Let Daddy Kiss Me") and a get-up-off-the-floor boogie number ("Born to Raise Hell"). Trivia: Lemmy would later cover "Born to Raise Hell" with Ice-T and Whitfield Crane (from Ugly Kid Joe) sharing the vocals, for the "Airheads" soundtrack. _March Or Die_ - Epic, 1992 The band's second and last Epic release. Exceptionally eclectic: Lemmy duets with Ozzy ("I Ain't No Nice Guy"), covers Ozzy ("Hellraiser"), covers Nugent ("Cat Scratch Fever"), and is the one to sing the (slow) blues ("You Better Run"). _1916_ - Epic, 1991 The band's first major label release in ages. Tracks: The One to Sing the Blues, I'm So Bad Baby I Don't Care, No Voices in the Sky, Going to Brazil, Nightmare/the Dreamtime, Love Me Forever, Angel City, Make My Day, Ramones, Shut You Down, and 1916. _Meltdown (3CD)_ - Castle, 1989? Box set, with 2 CDs of studio material and another of live cuts, both album excerpts and outtakes. (A number of which would resurface on the CMC reissues of the band's earlier albums.) It may not _all_ be here, but there's plenty of it... _No Sleep At All_ - GWR, 1988 No review. Another live album. _Rock 'n' Roll_ - GWR, 1988 I haven't heard this one in a while. As I recall, the songwriting wasn't bad, but the production was a typical mid-'80's Motorhead-horrid. Tracks: Rock n Roll, Eat the Rich, Blackheart, Stone Deaf in the USA, The Wolf, Traitor, Dogs, All for You, and Boogeyman. _Orgasmatron_ - GWR, 1986 Great songs; godawful production. Side-B (or, on CD, the last four tracks) is particularly choice. Has Lemmy written better lyrics than on the title track? I don't think so.. Tracks: Deaf Forever, Nothing Up My Sleeve, Ain't My Crime, Claw, Mean Machine, Built for Speed, Ridin' with the Driver, Dr. Rock, and Orgasmatron. _No Remorse_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1984 No review. Double-disc compilation, originally released with 5 new songs. Band now a quartet. Mick "Wurzel" Burston joins. _Another Perfect Day_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1983 No review. Brian Robertson (from Thin Lizzy) joins for one album. Tracks: Back at the Funny Farm, Shine, Dancing on Your Grave, Rock It, One Track Mind, Another Perfect Day, Marching Off to War, I Got Mine, Tales Of Glory, and Die You Bastard. _Iron Fist_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1982 No review. Last album with "Fast Eddie" Clark. Tracks: Iron Fist, Heart of Stone, I'm the Doctor, Go to Hell, Loser, Sex and Outrage, America, Shut It Down, Speedfreak, (Don't Let 'Em) Grind Ya Down, (Don't Need) Religion, and Bang to Rights. _No Sleep 'til Hammersmith_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1981 No review. Live album. _Ace of Spades_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1980 No review. Tracks: Ace of Spades, Love Me Like A Reptile, Shoot You in the Back, Live to Win, Fast and Loose, (We Are) the Road Crew, Fire Fire, Jailbait, Dance, Bite the Bullet, The Chase is Better than the Catch, and The Hammer. _Bomber_ - Bronze/Mercury, 1979 No review. Tracks: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Lawman, Sweet Revenge, Sharpshooter, Poison, Stone Dead Forever, All the Aces, Step Down, Talking Head, and Bomber. _Overkill_ - Bronze, 1978 No review. Tracks: Overkill, Stay Clean, (I Won't) Pay Your Price, I'll Be Your Sister, Capricorn, No Class, Damage Case, Tear Ya Down, Metropolis, and Limb from Limb. _Motorhead_ - Chiswick, 1977 No review. Tracks: Motorhead, Vibrator, Lost Johnny, Iron Horse / Born to Lose, White Line Fever, Keep Us On The Road, The Watcher, and Train Kept A Rollin'. _On Parole_ - Chiswick, 1976 No review. Not released until 1979. Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros _________________________________________________________________