Published on Apr 16, 2000
Despite what Motorhead might want you to believe, their 1977
self-titled release was not their first effort. That honor goes to
On Parole, an album they recorded in 1976 but that the label
bosses decided to shelve – that is, until Motorhead became popular.
(It eventually saw the light of day around 1979.)
And though this comment might earn me a punch in the nose from
bassist/vocalist Lemmy Kilmister should I ever run into him again,
in many ways I prefer
On Parole to
Motorhead. The feel of
Motorhead is a bit more raw and unrefined – normally
something good for Motorhead, but in this case, it’s just a little
too gritty.
For starters, the material on this disc is hardly the
thrash-and-bash that Motorhead became known for. If you’re looking
for the speed and all-out power of a track like “Ace Of Spades,”
this just isn’t the album. If anything, Motorhead is a bit of a
throwback to Kilmister’s days with Hawkwind – no surprise, seeing
at least one song on this disc was originally done by Hawkwind, and
another song was written (but never used) by the band.
“Iron Horse / Born To Lose” always seems to have a magical
quality about it, no matter what version I hear, and this version
is no exception. A tad faster than the
On Parole mix (which was plodding, but surprisingly good),
the band – Kilmister, guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke and drummer
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – make sure that this song will be
remembered as a classic of the band’s catalog. Likewise, their
cover of “White Line Fever,” a song I first heard on their 1978
live album
What’s Words Worth, has a kick like a mule. (These days,
What’s Words Worth is damn near impossible to find – if you
do see a copy, snag it post haste.)
What is surprising is that some of the band’s time-honored
classics don’t seem to have that kind of power in these versions.
“Motorhead,” the song that defined this band, doesn’t have the
raucous energy that so many other versions I’ve heard do, and it
falls a shade flat. And I have to admit I’ve never been a fan of
the track “The Watcher,” no matter how many times I hear it.
If all you know of Motorhead (besides any of their ’90s
releases) is what’s on the compilation discs like
No Remorse, then a lot of this material is going to be new
to you. Tracks like “Vibrator,” “Lost Johnny” and “City Kids” were
early staples of Motorhead, but I can’t remember the last time I
heard any of these played live. Chances are you’ll find a track or
two that you’ll add to your personal favorites list; I know that
“On Parole” is on mine.
Of the bonus tracks thrown onto this re-release, be sure not to
miss their cover of ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers,” as
well as “Instro,” which features Kilmister and the boys getting
down and dirty with the instrumentation.
Motorhead is an album that doesn’t seem to blend with the
next releases that the band would begin churning out once they
signed with Bronze. It is still worth checking out, so long as you
don’t expect to have your eardrums nailed to the wall.