Motörhead (album)

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Motörhead

Studio album by Motörhead
Released	September, 1977
Recorded	1977
Genre	Heavy Metal
Length	50:58
Label	Chiswick Records
Producer(s)	Speedy Keen
All Music Guide link
Motörhead chronology
On Parole (1975)	Motörhead (1977)	Overkill (1979)

Motörhead is the debut album by the British heavy metal band Motörhead.

On April 1, 1977, after a few unsuccessful years of toiling in obscurity hoping for a record deal, Motörhead decided to do their last show at the London Marquee Club. They asked Ted Carroll, head of Chiswick Records, to record the show for posterity. Instead of recording it, he offered a chance for the band to record a single. This being their last chance, they recorded eleven backing tracks in just two days, impressing Carroll enough to offer them further studio to finish the tracks. Eight of those tracks were released on their eponymous debut album - Motörhead. The album did well enough to ensure the band would remain together, but it was their next album, 1979's Overkill, that was their real breakthrough.^[1]

The title track, "Motorhead" (sample (help·info)), was coupled with the B-side "City Kids" and released as 7" and 12" singles. Four remaining tracks from that recording session were shelved until 1980, when they were released on the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers EP. Later the B-side and the EP were added to CD releases of the debut album.^[1]

The initial release was printed in silver on black, the sleeve artwork featuring Snaggletooth, the fanged face that serves as a symbol of Motörhead, created by artist Joe Petagno. Legend has it that only the first 600 sleeves were printed in sliver, before it was realised that it was too expensive to continue. The inner sleeves featured old and new photos of the band and friends, plus letters of thanks from Lemmy, Eddie and Phil. The advertisements for the album, single and tour bore the words "Acthung! This Band Takes No Prisoners".^[1]

Earlier versions of tracks 1-4, 9, and 11 were originally recorded in 1975 for Motörhead's would-be debut album On Parole, however, it was not released until 1979, when the record label that held its rights decided to capitalize on the band's popularity after the success of Overkill and its follow-up, Bomber.^[1]

1 Track listing
2 Special Releases
3 Credits
4 References

[edit] Track listing

"Motorhead" (Lemmy Kilmister) – 3:13
"Vibrator" (Larry Wallis) – 3:39
"Lost Johnny" (Kilmister, Mick Farren) – 4:15
"Iron Horse/Born to Lose" (Phil Taylor, Mick Brown, Guy Lawrence) – 5:21
"White Line Fever" (Eddie Clarke, Kilmister, Taylor) – 2:38
"Keep Us on the Road" (Clarke, Kilmister, Taylor, Farren) – 5:57
"The Watcher" (Kilmister) – 4:30
"Train Kept A-Rollin'" (Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann) – 3:19
"City Kids" (Wallis, Duncan Sanderson) – 3:24
"Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" (Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard) – 3:27
"On Parole" (Wallis) – 5:57
"Instro" (Clarke, Kilmister, Taylor) – 2:27
"I'm Your Witch Doctor" (John Mayall) – 2:58

tracks 9-13: bonus tracks added to CD releases
track 9 originally released as the B-side of the Motorhead single in 1977
tracks 10-13 originally released as the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers EP in 1980

[edit] Special Releases

Various vinyl editions of the album "Motörhead"

Big Beat records made pressings in black and clear vinyls, with a special run of 16,000 red vinyl editions.
Chiswick EMI pressed two white vinyl edtitions: the first run limited to 10,000 copies, while later versions had a gold stamped promo sleeve.
Big Beat have also issued a Direct Metal Mastered LP edition.
One-sided test pressings (used in the trade; not mis-presses) escaped the pressing plant and are on the market.

[edit] Credits

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Burridge, Alan (April 1991). "Motorhead". Record Collector (140): 16–18.

Members
Motörhead This box: view • talk • edit
Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister - Phil Campbell - Mikkey Dee
Former members: Larry Wallis - "Fast" Eddie Clarke - Brian "Robbo" Robertson - Michael "Würzel" Burston
Lucas Fox - Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - Pete Gill - Tommy Aldridge
Discography
Albums: On Parole - Motörhead - Overkill - Bomber - Ace of Spades - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith - Iron Fist - Another Perfect Day - No Remorse - Orgasmatron - Rock 'n' Roll - No Sleep at All - 1916 - March ör Die - Bastards - Sacrifice - Overnight Sensation - Snake Bite Love - Everything Louder Than Everyone Else - We Are Motörhead - The Best Of - Hammered - Live at Brixton Academy - Inferno - BBC Live & In-Session - Kiss of Death
Related articles
Motörhead discography - Joe Petagno - Alan Burridge - Headgirl