Genre
British Hard Rock/Heavy Metal, of the incoherent drunken lock-up-the-sheep variety.
Bio/History
Formed in 1975 after Lemmy was kicked out of Hawkwind following a drug bust at the US/Canada border.
They started as a ZZ Top cover band, but found their greatest success with the fast, loose hard rock sound typified by Ace of Spades. Lemmy professes to dislike the term "Heavy metal" - "people who shriek and plod around" but anyone else would place them firmly in that category.
Lemmy says that if you play Motörhead loud enough, you neighbour's lawn will die.
(Noder toalight notes: "In my Motörhead fan book (from the 80's), it says that if Motörhead moved in next door, your lawn would die.")
Lemmy also tells a great story about a teenager in Mexico City, whose apartment building collapsed in an earthquake. Lemmy claims that the young fan was listening to Motörhead, and never noticed a thing until rescuers found him, still head-banging in the rubble.
Known for
Discography
There are so many collections it's a bit barmy. Here's my best guess at original material:
- 1977: Motörhead
- 1979: Bomber
- 1979: Overkill
- 1980: Ace of Spades
- 1983: Another Perfect Day
- 1984: No Remorse Collection. It came with a cloth patch for your demin jacket. Ahem.
- 1986: Orgasmatron
- 1987: Rock N' Roll
- 1988: No Sleep At All
- 1991: 1916
- 1991: Lock up your Daughters
- 1992: March or Die
- 1995: Sacrifice
- 1996: Overnight Sensation
- 1997: Stone Dead Forever
- 1998: Snake Bite Love
- 1999: Everything Louder than Everyone Else
- 2000: 'We Are Motörhead', 'The Best of Motörhead'
- 2002: Hammered
- 2003: Live at BRIXTON ACADEMY: The Complete Concert
- 2004: Inferno
Trivia:
A young Lemmy worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix.
The band was originally called Bastard.
Lemmy claims to want to do a duet with Janet Jackson: "I wanted to do a version of 'Black Cat' with her." Now that would rock, wouldn't it?
Contemporaries and influences
Covered by Metallica on Garage Inc. - four live tracks they performed at Lemmy's birthday party.