Motörhead

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MOTORHEAD CHRONOLOGY

1975: After being fired from Hawkwind, Lemmy Kilmister decides to form

a band called Bastard. When his manager informs him that a band by

that name will never get a slot on "Top of the Pops," he changes it

to Motorhead. The lineup consists of Lemmy on bass and vocals,

Larry Wallace on guitar and Lucas Fox on drums. The band hits the

studio by the end of the year, and during the recording sessions,

Lucas is replaced by Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor.

1976: Motorhead's then-label doesn't like the recordings (the company

releases them, however, as On Parole three years later when the group

starts achieving success). The guys decide a second guitar player is

in order, so they ask "Fast" Eddie Clarke to try out. For reasons

still unknown, Larry Wallace quits during the audition. Fast Eddie

stays however, thus completing the trio that sees Motorhead through

its ground-breaking early years. The band gigs, records, and finds a

new manager (or two).

1977: Motorhead (Chiswick) is the band's first album to see the light

of day. The guys' fan base builds and they start earning a reputation

for being very loud, raw, dirty and all those good things heavy

rock 'n' roll should be.

1978: Motorhead's manager pulls them out of the Chiswick deal. Yet

another manager gets them a contract with Bronze Records. Before

making their own album, they record a few tracks with the Damned,

including a cover of the Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz." At the end of the

year, Motorhead enters the studio with producer Jimmy Miller (of the

Stones' Exile on Main Street and Goat's Head Soup fame). Life is

looking much better.

1979: The resulting album, Overkill, is an immediate classic and

hits the charts very strongly. The band tours all over England and

lands in jail after some playful destruction at a Finish festival.

Without taking a breather, Motorhead goes back into the studio with

Miller, this time producing Bomber, which charts even higher than

Overkill . More touring and insanity ensues.

1980: After touring Europe and appearing on "Top of the Pops" for

the umpteenth time (maybe that manager did have a point), the band

teams up with Vic Maile for perhaps their best known studio album,

Ace of Spades . The record peaks at number 4 in the charts. The

accident-prone Philthy ends the year by breaking his neck while

engaging in a bit of horseplay with a large Irish fan.

1981: While waiting for Philthy to heal, Lemmy and Eddie team up with

the members of Girlschool and producer Maile. The result is The

St. Valetines Day Massacre EP, which includes the hit single,

"Please Don't Touch." After the two groups perform on "Top of

the Pops" as Headgirl, Motorhead hits the road and makes its first

trek to the States as special guest on Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard

of 0z tour. While in the U.S., No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith - perhaps

one of the greatest live albums ever - is released. It instantly

charts in at Number One. Motorhead are now bonafide rock stars.

1982: The guys begin the year by recording Iron Fist , which they

produce themselves. The record sells well and they return to their

natural habitat - the road. There is trouble in paradise, however,

and Fast Eddie leaves the band during their second U.S. tour, not

long after Lemmy records the Tammy Wynette song, "Stand By Your Man"

with Wendy 0. Williams. To replace him, Motorhead enlists Brian

"Robbo" Robertson from Thin Lizzy. They conquer Japan and re-conquer

Europe.

1983: The band records Art Another Perfect Day , their first - and

only - album with Robbo. The guitarist's strange penchant for shorts

and ballet shoes, and his refusal to play Motorhead's most popular

songs does not sit well with the fans. He leaves the band near the

end of the year.

1984: Motorhead finds not one but two guitarists-Phil Campbell

and Wurzel. Unfortunately, they lose Philthy. He's replaced by

Saxon's Pete Gill. They break new ground in Australia and New

Zealand, but they also part ways with their record label, Bronze.

No Remorse - a "greatest hits" package with four new tracks-is

their last album for the company.

1985: Because of legal hassles with Bronze, Motorhead is not able

to make a new album, so the band spends its tenth year of existence

touring and appearing on various radio and TV shows in England,

Scandinavia and America.

1986: The legal trouble with Bronze now resolved, the guys hit the

studio with Bill Laswell for the GWR label and record the mighty

Orgasmatron . Motorhead is back in action and massive touring

ensues, including a powerful show at the Monsters of Rock in Castle

Donnington.

1987: Motorhead performs in Eat the Rich, the black comedy by the

makers of the English TV show The Young Ones (a show the band

appeared on frequently). Lemmy has a featured role in the movie,

and Motorhead also records the soundtrack album. Just before filming

starts, Pete Gill leaves the band and Philthy returns. They record

an album with title that says it all: Rock ‘N’ Roll.

1988: The guys barrel on as road dogs, beginning with America as

special guests for Alice Cooper. Another live album, No Sleep at

All , is released. Lemmy somehow finds the time to co-write a song,

"Can't Catch Me" with Lita Ford for her album, Lita. He also writes

lyrics for "Head Over Heels," a song by his old friends, Girlschool.

He also appears in The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The

Metal Years. The band finishes up the year with another American

tour-Slayer opens.

1989: The boys break new ground, playing in Brazil and Yugoslavia,

along with many other old, familiar countries. Lemmy sings and plays

bass with Nina Hagen on her self-titled LP. There is no new

Motorhead studio album this year because of litigation with GWR.

1990: The legal trouble with GWR is finally resolved, and Motorhead

signs its first full-on major label record deal with WTG - Sony.

Lemmy relocates to West Hollywood, just a couple blocks from the

Rainbow. The band obtains new management, and enters the studio for

another crushing LP.

1991: 1916 is released and it's Motorhead's best album in years.

The band goes through a couple more managers and play the "Operation

Rock 'n' Roll" tour with Judas Priest and Alice Cooper-a review calls

our boys "the tangy mustard in an otherwise bland noise sandwich."

An appearance on The Tonight Show' - the first time a heavy band is

featured-adds to their already rock-solid credibility. Lemmy writes

lyrics for four songs on Ozzy Osbourne's No More Tears album.

1992: 1916 is nominated for a Grammy (but loses to Metallica) and

Lemmy attends the festivities. When the band goes into the studio

to record March or Die , they change drummers-Philthy is out and

Mikkey Dee comes in. The guys play some dates with a couple of bands

they've influenced-Metallica and Guns N' Roses, on their stadium tour.

1993: Inexplicably, Motorhead is dropped by WTG, which goes belly up

not long after. Amidst much anger and frustration, the band records

Bastards on their own. They work out a deal with ZYX for

distribution, but this great album does not hit the stores like it

should. Nevertheless, it gets more radio play than either 1916 or

March or Die.

1994: Tours for the year include a trek with Black Sabbath and a

concert in Argentina, where Motorhead co-headlines with the Ramones

for 45,000 fans. They record a version of "Born to Raise Hell"

(originally on Bastards ) with Ice T and Ugly Kid Joe's Whitfield

Crane for the movie Airheads . Although the band is temporarily

without an American deal, they hit the studio once again, and the

result is the fearsome Sacrifice.

1995: This banner year-Motorhead's 20th anniversary-sees changes and

celebrations. Wurzel leaves the band at the end of making Sacrifice.

Motorhead is a three-piece once again and their shows are stronger

than ever. CMC signs the guys and releases Sacrifice Stateside. There

is an historic party at year's end, marking two decades of Motor-mania

and Lemmy's 50th birthday. Metallica flies down especially for the

tribute at the Whisky. The Bay-Area behemoths call themselves

"The Lemmys" (and dress the part!) and rip through a set of

Motorhead's greatest songs.

1996: After the usual world-wide trek, the group settles back into

the studio once again to create yet another slab of sheer volume

and power for CMC. The past 21 years have contained glorious highs

and dastardly lows, but absolutely nothing can stop Motorhead.

¿Còmo influye al grupo?

Motörhead no influyò con la misma intensidad que Metallica o A.N.I.M.A.L, pero al realizar el cover de la canción "Civil War", nos dimos cuenta de que era un estilo bastante copado y fuerte. Y si de actitud se trata, yo creo que la de Lemmy es una de las mas sólidas de todas.

Por: cerebrus y dr. Litio

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