Released originally back in 1986, Orgasmatron was the first (and only) Motorhead LP to feature the lineup of Lemmy, Wurzel, Phil Campbell and Pete Gill. This lineup had recorded a few new songs for the No Remorse compilation two years previously.

Orgasmatron was a brand new chapter for the band and the songs presented a heavier feel while retaining the trademark Motorhead sound. Tracks like Deaf Forever, Ain’t My Crime, Doctor Rock and the monstrous title track remain fan favourites to this day.

It’s a well-known fact that the band were never happy with the final mix of the album. Lemmy has gone on the record stating that the band had made a massive effort with writing the songs, but the final result fell flat. Fans and reviewers have also expressed their disappointment with the production that was originally handled by Bill Laswell. I always had a soft spot for the album, sure, the mix is muddy, but it’s what I’m used to.

Fast forward to 40 years later, Orgasmatron has been given a new lease of life. With this 40th anniversary edition, we get a newly remastered version of the original album, plus a remix and remaster from long-time Motörhead producer Cameron Webb. We also get the story of the album, written by Neil Perry, which is brought to life with rare photos and memorabilia.

The Motörhead team explain: “Orgasmatron is a special album. Part of that is down to the stylized production of Bill Laswell, who approached the work from a unique perspective. Bill’s work stands in its own right as something special in the Motörhead library, and Orgasmatron stands as one hell of an album. However, there was some controversy in the sense that both Lemmy and Phil Campbell felt that some of the power, bite and energy had been lost in Laswell’s final delivery.

“As old-school Motörhead fans, we found ourselves sitting around the coffee table one night several months ago, drinks in hand, pondering what Orgasmatron would sound like if it were to be remixed by Motörhead’s longtime producer, Cameron Webb. Cameron helmed six studio albums, and it’s fair to say he had the trust, love — and grumbles too! — of Lem, Phil and Mikkey. Would it be ‘right’ to ask him if he wanted a crack at remixing Orgasmatron? Would it be disrespecting the original album if we were to offer such a thing alongside Bill’s original work? We concluded a big fat ‘no’! It would be an added adventure if people wanted to take it. So we asked Cameron if he was up for it. And he screamed a rather enthusiastic ‘yes’!”

For Cameron, the opportunity was particularly personal: “My brother introduced me to Orgasmatron when I was 14 years old. I heard the song and thought, ‘Is this even music?’ It was like the devil coming through my cassette tape. And I loved it. That record and Rock ’N’ Roll were my Motörhead records, so being asked to work on this is incredibly special to me. I honestly don’t know anyone in the world who would be more excited than me to do it.”

The remaster of the original LP sounds fantastic, it highlights the quality of the songs and brightens up the sound completely. I found myself hearing things I had never heard before. It really sounds great.

 Let’s get to the remix… if I’m completely honest, the remix sounds worse than the original mix. The rhythm guitar is hard to hear, the vocals seem buried on occasion, the crushing heaviness of the title track remains and Lemmy’s bass sounds ever so slightly sharper, but I much prefer the original mix. There’s nothing in the Cameron Webb remix that jumps out and makes you think that anything he’s done actually improves the original version of the album.

The remaster of the version we all know and love is excellent, unfortunately, the remix is a massive letdown. I’m a fan of the Motorhead albums that Webb produced, but he has fallen flat here. I would 100% recommend the remaster of the original album, it’s superb. We also get some gems from the Motorhead vault. The Friday Rock Show session is brilliant, the band sounds so vibrant. I was always a big fan of drummer Pete Gill. His style fitted in with the Motorhead sound effortlessly, it was a shame he didn’t do more with the band.

We also get some studio outtakes, alternate versions and rehearsals added as interesting extras. Is it worth shelling out your hard-earned cash for? I would argue yes, the remastered album is great, as is the bonus material. Forget about the pointless remix, though….. It’s a shame, because the potential to blow people’s minds was there. Instead of that, the Webb remix is more like a wet fart.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick