Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (40th Anniversary Edition)’ (Sanctuary Records/BMG)

Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (40th Anniversary Edition)’ (Sanctuary Records/BMG)

You never forget your first encounter with Motorhead. I vividly remember mine; I was around 12 years old and I had been regularly raiding my mate’s older brother’s vinyl collection. I had already been turned into a metalhead after blasting his copy of UFO’s classic live album ‘Strangers in the Night’ over and over and had my Dio virginity taken by Rainbow’s ‘Rising’ and his pristine copy of ‘Holy Diver’. I was flicking through to see what else would grab my attention when I came across his copy of ‘Ace of Spades’. I assumed they must be some sort of mad Mexican bandits judging by the cover with Lemmy and the boys resplendent with bullet belts, guns, and cowboy hats in the hot desert. (I was gutted when I found out years later that the photo was taken in High Barnet, London). Anyway, I feverishly took the LP out of its sleeve and put it on my mother’s crap hi-fi system. The opening bars of the title track was enough to have the speakers flapping, the neighbours complaining and this teenage scribe’s metal morphosis was complete.

 

This time in Motorhead’s history was to prove to be their most successful, ‘Ace of Spades’ reached number four on the UK album chart, and the ensuing ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ tour was their most lucrative to date, taking Bronze label-mates Girlschool out with them as support. This tour was documented in the loudest possible way with the release in 1981 of one of the best live albums ever recorded: ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’. Confusingly, the album wasn’t recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon as many people think but was made up from material recorded at the Newcastle City Hall and the Leeds Queen’s Hall in 1981. The album’s title came from a mural painted on one of the band’s tour trucks. It was the band’s only number one in the UK and showcased a band at the peak of their deafening powers. The line-up of Lemmy, ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke, and Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor is the most revered for good reason, the chemistry on stage is palpable and every track is performed as if their lives depended on it. It literally rips out of the speakers. I loved it as a spotty teenager, and I love it even more now.

 

 

This 40th-anniversary release of ‘No Sleep’ is hot on the heels of last year’s fantastic ‘Ace of Spades’ anniversary release. There’s so much here for Motorheadbangers to get their teeth into with the deluxe editions. You can choose from a remastered double CD or triple LP set, both come with bonus tracks, soundcheck recordings, and the previously unreleased Newcastle City Hall concert in its entirety. You also get hard books with the story of the album and brand-new photos, posters, a tour pass, and loads of other goodies.

 

 

There’s also the option of a four-CD box set with all three concerts that make up ‘No Sleep’ here in all their eardrum demolishing glory. Seventy-one tracks in total! The new remaster sounds incredible and you get all the thunderous bass runs, amphetamine-induced double kick drum mania, and full-throttle guitar riffs in crystal clear sound. The soundcheck recordings are a delight to behold, make sure you check them out!

40 years is a long time, give this reissue all the attention it deserves, turn it up as loud as you possibly can (fuck the neighbours), pour yourself a JD and Coke, and plunge yourself (Motor) headfirst into the audible delight that is ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’. It’s what Lemmy and the boys would have wanted. We all miss you. RIP.

Buy Here

Author: Kenny Kendrick

Motorhead ‘Stay Clean’ video drop

Motorhead ‘Stay Clean’ video drop

 A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
 SOUND CHECK OF
‘STAY CLEAN’
RECORDED ON THE NO SLEEP ‘81 TOUR

DELUXE CD BOX-SET AND
SPECIAL 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS OF
 NO SLEEP‘ TIL HAMMERSMITH
RELEASED JUNE 25TH 2021

 

PREORDERS & EXCLUSIVE MERCH BUNDLES HERE

Life on the road isn’t all glamour and rock’n’roll excess and Motörhead’s punishing tour schedule in 1981 took them all over the globe as they rode high on the success of Ace Of Spades. One integral part of the daily grind on the road is the sound check, although very little of it is ever seen or documented in the public domain.

Fortunately during the Short Sharp Pain In The Neck tour of March 1981, Motörhead had a mobile recording studio in tow as they recorded their thunderous, number 1 live album, No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith now celebrating its 40th year. This rare recording of them performing ‘Stay Clean’ as they warmed up for the night at Newcastle on 30th March is accompanied by a video containing behind the scenes montages of the backbone of the Motörhead live show; the legendary road crew!

Avalanche – ‘Second-hand Band’ (Golden Robot Records/Sliptrick Records)

Avalanche – ‘Second-hand Band’ (Golden Robot Records/Sliptrick Records)

‘Second hand band’ is the latest offering from Aussie hard rockers Avalanche. The Sydney based four piece have been around for two years, and have built up a strong following in their native Oz and even have their own music festival! I know!

 

The band have their tongues very firmly in cheek and sound ever so slightly like that other well-known Australian rock band, yes them, the ones with a lightning bolt in their logo. They aren’t afraid to show their influences on their sleeve and let’s be honest, it hasn’t done much harm to Airbourne’s career. It does get a little too close to the mark on occasion though, with the riffs sounding almost identical to a few AC/DC numbers. Being influenced and downright plagiarism are completely different things!

 

 

Opening track ‘Killer Instinct’ bounces along nicely with some shouty bits and a great widdly guitar solo from lead guitarist Veronica ‘V’ Campbell and a frenetic, full on rock n roll ending. Next up we have the title track which tells us the bands story so far, including lyrics about ‘wanting to blow them all away’ and they admit that they are pretty much re hashing everything that came before them. After listening to the lyrics to this I start to enjoy the band more. They don’t give a fuck that they sound like other bands, and they are obviously having a great time. The production of the EP is crystal clear with plenty of bottom end to boot.

 

 

‘Get Back (To Fuckwit City)’ is ‘If You Want Blood (You Got It)’ played slightly differently lol. More great lyrics with plenty of puns here make it a standout track. Vocalist/bassist Steven Campbell (yes, they are married) barks out the words with gusto and his better half cranks out more fine solo work. ‘Spit in My Mouth’ starts off with a nice build up before we are off into full on AC/DC territory again (think ‘Riff Raff’ and you won’t be far off). Drummer Ryan ‘ADHD’ Roma deserves a mention here, his solid grooves propel the band along superbly.

‘Down in the Gutter’ has a more Ramones-like feel to it with a more up-tempo groove before dropping down into an extended jam. There’s more solid guitar work from Campbell and rhythm guitarist Arthur Divis on display here. Final track ‘Permanent Ink’ closes the EP in style with another barnstormer.

Avalanche aren’t going to change the world and they certainly aren’t doing anything new, but they sound like they are having a blast, and I would bet that they are a great band to catch live with a few beers at your local dive.  Don’t over analyse them, just bang your head, stamp your feet, and enjoy a burst of good old (new) fashioned rock n roll!

Buy ‘Second Hand Band’ Here

Social Media Links:
Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / Spotify / Youtube / Apple / Website / Soundcloud

Author: Kenny Kendrick

 

Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’ Deluxe anniversary editions

Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’ Deluxe anniversary editions

‘NO SLEEP ‘TIL HAMMERSMITH’
GETS ANNIVERSARY EXPANSION

DELUXE CD BOX-SET AND SPECIAL 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS OF
 ‘NO SLEEP‘ TIL HAMMERSMITH’
TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 25TH 2021

PREORDERS & EXCLUSIVE MARCH BUNDLES Here

 

 

Back in the Summer of 1981, Motörhead got louder, dirtier and more universal, and you’re getting an invitation to relive this most glorious of achievements once again…

Following on from 2020’s year-long celebration of Motörhead’s iconic Ace Of Spades album comes the live album to end all live albums the undisputed definitive live record of all time; No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this number one album, it is being presented in new deluxe editions.

There will be hardback book-packs in two CD and triple LP formats, featuring a new venue demolishing remaster of the original album, bonus tracks and the previously unreleased – in its entirety – concert from Newcastle City Hall, 30th March 1981, the story of the album and many previously unseen photos. Also, the album will be released as a four CD box set of all three concerts recorded for the album, released here in their entirety for the very first time and primed to gleefully shatter what’s left of your grateful eardrums.

Upon that original June 27th ’81 release, Lemmy is quoted as saying of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith after it crashed into number one in the UK charts; “I knew it’d be the live one that went best, because we’re really a live band. You can’t listen to a record and find out what we’re about. You’ve got to see us.” No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith was Motörhead’s first and only number one record in the UK and is still the most necessary live album of all time.

The No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith CD box set contains:

  • The No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith album, remastered from the original master tapes. Featuring extra bonus tracks and newly unearthed, previously unreleased sound check recordings.
  • The three full recordings of the concerts that made up No Sleep, never before released in their entirety.
  • The story of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith told through previously unpublished and new interviews with the people that were on the road at the time.
  • Never before seen photos and rare memorabilia.
  • Double sided, A3 concert posters from 1981.
  • Reproduction USA ’81 tour pass.
  • Motörhead ‘England’ plectrum.
  • 1981 European tour badge.
  • Reproduction Newcastle City Hall ticket.
  • Port Vale gig flyer post card.

Motörhead in 1981 was a band of extremes; a flammable mix of non-stop celebration over their rising success and punishing graft, underscored by an inter-band powder-keg dynamic. After recording Ace Of Spades, it had shot to number four in the UK; the killer breakthrough after Overkill and Bomber had done essential groundwork, late 1980’s Ace Up Your Sleeve UK tour was a triumphant lap of honour that spilled into the recording of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. The album took its title from an inscription painted on one of the trucks, referencing the 32 gigs they were playing with only two days off. The track listing ended up featuring three tracks from Ace Of Spades, five from Overkill, Bomber’s title track and two from their self-titled debut.

See below for full details of the No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith releases and be sure to visit www.iMotorhead.com for news and updates!

 

Photo credit: Graham Mitchell

Saxon – ‘Inspirations’ (Militia Guard Music)

Saxon – ‘Inspirations’ (Militia Guard Music)

Ah, the mighty Saxon. The band that turned me into a metal head back in 1986. Up until that point it was all about the top 40 and whatever was on Top of the Pops for me! A friend from school did me a mix tape and lent me his vinyl copy of the compilation ‘Strong Arm Metal’ and I was hooked. It was all about heavy metal for me from that pivotal moment. There was something about early Saxon that I connected with and I’ve (mostly) been a fan ever since. They have been through their ups and downs over the years and a few line up changes, but Saxon have had a resurgence over the last 10 years or so and have released some fantastic albums. 2013’s ‘Sacrifice’ and 2015’s ‘Battering Ram’ is up there with their best work, as is 2018’s ‘Thunderbolt’. Enlisting Andy Sneap (Sabbat/Judas Priest) as producer gave their sound a thunderous edge and pushed Saxon back into the big leagues of metal.

The band had been busier than ever in the live arena until the dreaded virus put paid to any dates that were scheduled. What do you do when you have lots of free time on your hands? Put out an album of covers from the bands and artists that have influenced you of course! That’s exactly what Saxon have done here with some fantastic results. It’s a celebration of the music that makes Saxon the band they are. They have gone down the old school route to record the album at Brockfield House near York, using real drums, and lots of Marshall amps! Frontman Biff Byford along with Jacky Lehmann have produced the album and it benefits from a great mix.

The band have dabbled with covers in the past with a great version of The Sweet’s ‘Set Me Free’ on 1984s ‘Crusader’ album and this foray into the bands influences throws up some tracks I would never have dreamed of a band like Saxon covering. The albums kicks off with a crunchy version of The Rolling Stones ‘Paint it Black’, this was the first release from Inspirations and there’s a cool behind the scenes video to accompany it. Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ is up next and Biff shows his vocal prowess here (yes, he handles the high notes in his own inimitable style), the bands groove is relentless behind him, this is a great version. The next track is one of the songs that shouldn’t work but it does somehow! The Beatles ‘Paperback Writer’ sounds great with heavier guitars and the vocal harmonies really work well.

We get back on more familiar ground with Black Sabbath’s ‘Evil Woman’, a real showcase for Tim ‘Nibbs’ Carter who is undoubtedly one of metals most underrated bass players. Next up we have a version of Jimi Hendrix’s classic anthem ‘Stone Free’, the band sound like they are having a blast with this one, you can feel the energy. I don’t think Saxon fans would be very happy if there wasn’t a Motorhead cover on here, of course they deliver with a brilliant version of ‘Bomber’ with drummer Nigel Glockler in full double bass monster mode. A great tribute to their old friends.

A frenetic take on Deep Purple’s ‘Speed King’ again highlights the vocal range of Biff Byford, he screams like a man possessed here and guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt play an absolute blinder with some serious shredding. A lesser know Thin Lizzy track gets the Saxon treatment, ‘The Rocker’ is a welcome addition instead of the usual Lizzy covers. Byford surprises again here with his range and really carries the song. A true to the original version of ‘Hold the Line’ by Toto grooves along nicely with Glockler showing he can handle the famous ‘Porcaro Shuffle’ with ease. (Google it kids). AC/DC’s ‘Problem Child’ doesn’t have the raw energy of the original, but it’s a solid effort all the same with Biff doing his best Bon impression. To close the album, we have a version of The Kinks ‘See My Friends’ which is probably the only track that doesn’t transition very well over to the metal titans even though it does chunk up towards the end.

Saxon have done a great job here and the main thing is to remember that it’s a bit of fun to try and lighten up these darkest of days that we have all been experiencing over the last year. Don’t take it too seriously, Saxon certainly haven’t. Crank it up with a beer in hand and sing along, you know the words!

 

Buy Inspirations Here

Author: Kenny Kendrick

 

The Almighty – ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’ (Cherry Red Records)

The Almighty – ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’ (Cherry Red Records)

While the Almighty’s ‘Soul Destruction’ (the final album released with original guitarist Tantrum) ensured them some regular airtime on MTV, it was the grungier direction of ‘Powertrippin’’, with new guitarist Pete Friesen, which showed that the band had more routes to take. After leaving Polydor records in 1993, the band would release a run of hard and fast, punk-inspired material that would make them one of the most beloved bands of the new golden era of British rock music. It is this part of the Almighty’s output that will be available in ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’, released in March through Cherry Red Records.

I recently watched an old interview with Lemmy where he was asked about Motorhead’s influence on others. Whilst dismissive of bands that had taken only the fast aspects of it, he specifically mentioned the Almighty for having taken the best parts of it. It reminded me of the story I once heard Ricky Warwick tell at an acoustic gig in Brighton several years ago, about the first time he met Lemmy. A funny story which I won’t re-tell here but surely you can find on YouTube.

At that time, Ricky was playing mostly as a solo acoustic artist and when asked about reforming the Almighty he quickly dismissed the idea. The Almighty, evidently, was part of the past and not the future. Fast forward to now, and not only is he continuing to head an ever more successful solo career (the new album ‘When Life was Hard and Fast’ is released this month), but he is also fronting the hugely popular Black Star Riders, which evolved from the reformed Thin Lizzy.

What does remain of the Almighty, though, is a wild and wonderful back catalogue, much of which is included in this 7-disc collection.

In 1994, the same year that Therapy? released ‘Troublegum’, and a year after ‘Earth Vs the Wildhearts’ was born, the Almighty released the hard-hitting album ‘Crank’, ripping a hole in the universe and adding to what was a glorious time for British and Irish rock music. Songs such as ‘Jonestown Mind’ and ‘Wrench’ would register among some of the greatest material the band would ever produce. Notably, the artwork on the album was provided by Jamie Reid, most famous for his ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ cover. ‘Crank’ was followed up in 1996 by the excellent ‘Just Add Life’ and the popular singles ‘All Sussed Out’ and ‘Do You Understand’. The album would ultimately signal the end of the most creative and stable period for the band.

The Almighty went on to release two more strong albums, though. First was the self-titled offering in 2000, Floyd London having left the band before release and Friesen having already been replaced by Nick Parsons on guitar. ‘Psycho-Narco’, the bands final album to date, was released a year later. Both albums certainly have their moments, and it’s interesting listening back to them now alongside their other releases, hearing the way that the Almighty developed from album to album.

Also in this new collection is the live album Crank and Deceit, recorded in 1995 in Japan, a collection of B-sides and remixes, and a series of live B-sides and sessions, all recorded between 1994 and 1996. All this in addition to a booklet with the details for each disc, making for one excellent collection of the Almighty’s later period.

For Ricky Warwick the Almighty may well be the past (and who could blame him with his current activities) but, as this collection shows, it is certainly one hell of a legacy.

Buy Here

Author: Craggy Collyde

Saxon announce details of ‘Inspirations’ Album & Video set for early 2021 release

Saxon announce details of ‘Inspirations’ Album & Video set for early 2021 release

British Heavy Metal legends Saxon will deliver a full-roar-fun-down set of covers with their latest album Inspirations, which drops a brand new 11 track release featuring some of the superb classic rock songs that influenced Biff Byford & the band.

Set for release on March 19th2021, via Silver Lining Music, Inspirations gets things rolling with the release of Saxon’s crunching take on The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’.  Biff Byford comments: “Loved this band since I first saw them and heard them.  I liked the Beatles, but the Stones appealed to my rebel side; their iconic look… so many great songs, such a great attitude in the music!” 

Inspirations was recorded at Brockfield Hall near York in the UK, which was built in 1804 and holds the largest collection of paintings by Yorkshire’s impressionist artists – the Staithes Group.

For Byford, recording Inspirations all together within such a rich historical environment was a major ingredient of the project. “The warmth and feel of Inspirations had so much to do with being together in this magnificent place and doing it ‘old-school’ style,” Byford explains. “This is how many bands back in the day -including some of the ones covered here- made such great albums, so it just felt really good to be able to do this somewhere like Brockfield Hall.” The results speak for themselves.

From the super-charged melodic romp of The Beatles’ ‘Paperback Writer’ to their freeway mad take on Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Stone Free’, Saxonshow their love and appreciation with a series of faithful, raw and ready tributes.  Maintaining a firm eye on the old school way using Marshall cabs, Marshall amps, real drums and produced by Biff Byford with Jacky Lehmann recording and mixing, Saxon approach the likes of Motörhead’s ‘Bomber’ (with added whistle!),AC/DC’s ‘Problem Child’, Black Sabbath’s ‘Evil Woman’ and a raucous Deep Purple’s ‘Speed King’ with refreshingly warm, unfiltered, “vintage” sounding renditions.

“We wanted to do an album based on our influences, the songs and bands that inspired us to write what we did and still do,” continues Byford, “and it was also interesting to see what my voice could do as I haven’t sung many of these songs before.”

Byford does, indeed, take on some new vocal challenges, which he duly smashes on the likes of Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Rocker’. The net result is that whether cranking up a heavyweight take on Led Zeppelin‘s ‘Immigrant Song’ or throwing down AC/DC’s ‘Problem Child’, Saxondoes a supreme job of entertaining both themselves and their audience throughout Inspirations.

“We didn’t want to change any of the songs too much, just play them more like Saxon,” concludes Byford, “and we also think it’s very important to have -and share with the fans- some fun in these dark times.”
You want even more proof of the validity behind that statement? Wrap your ears around their sparkling take on Toto’s ‘Hold The Line’ and consider Saxon’s Inspirations a mission accomplished.
Saxon’s Inspirations is available on Vinyl, CD, digital formats and limited edition D2C products; to pre-order go  Here

 

Follow Saxon on:
www.facebook.com/saxon
www.instagram.com/saxon.official
www.twitter.com/SaxonOfficial
www.youtube.com/PlanetSaxon
www.saxon747.com

 

MOTÖRCAST PODCAST MINI SERIES & Ace Of Spades Box Set

MOTÖRCAST PODCAST MINI SERIES & Ace Of Spades Box Set

ANNOUNCE NEW MOTÖRCAST PODCAST MINI SERIES AS THEY CONTINUE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS SUBSCRIBE HERE

ACE OF SPADES
DELUXE ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS
AVAILABLE OCTOBER 30th
PRE ORDER HERE

WATCH HENRY ROLLINS UNBOX THE DELUXE ACE OF SPADES BOX SET HERE

Rock N’Roll renegades Motörhead continue the 40th anniversary celebrations of the dirtiest, meanest, toughest album of them all, Ace Of Spades, with a new podcast mini-series called Motörcast, telling stories from the recording studio, on the road, behind the scenes and of Motorhead’s phenomenal growth in popularity following the release of this seminal album.

Told through interviews with a selection of guests who were in the midst of the Motör-machine during 1980 and 1981, the Motörcast series will reveal all the tales, warts and all! The teaser trailer for the ‘Ace Of Spades’ Motörcast is available now on all podcast platforms here.

Episode one will go live next week, with subsequent episodes released every two weeks. Make sure you subscribe to the Motörcast series!

In addition to the previously announced expanded editions of ‘Ace Of Spades’ and the deluxe collectors box set, the album will also be released digitally in 360 Reality Audio – a new immersive music experience utilising Sony’s spatial audio technology that will let listeners hear this behemoth like never before. The 360 Reality Audio content will be available on Deezer and Tidal and can be enjoyed on any headphones and also on Amazon Music HD, playing on the Amazon Echo Studio. For additional details visit the 360 Reality Audio official website.

The Hip Priests – ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ (Speedowax Records)

The Hip Priests – ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ (Speedowax Records)

If you suddenly have the desire to collect The Hip Priests 7 inchers, just forget it already! That’s tantamount to saying you are gonna start collecting Star Wars figures or Kiss merchandise…there’s just too damn many, they’re too expensive and you won’t find ‘em all! But lucky for you, those fuckin’ boys have saved you the trouble and gathered together the lost gems, the hard to find cuts and the curios for all The Hip Priest fanboys and fangals to salivate over.

Yes, if you are a fully-fledged member of the Spasm Gang or even just a casual fan, (ie you don’t wear black denim every fuckin’ day!) then you probably already own the comprehensive double album ‘A Decade Of Disdain’. An album that brought together the best of The Hip Priests singles released over 2 pretty coloured records. And if you don’t, then give yourself a slap and get it sorted before we have words!

Well, ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ is The Hip Priests strike back! 17 hard to find tracks from singles and EPs released between 2017-2019. That’s 6 cover versions bastardised by the band, sandwiched between 11 glorious original jams previously unavailable to mere mortals until now.

 

If quality, high octane garage rock is your thing, if you dig sonically seductive sounds delivered with more filth and fury than a Johnny Depp/Amber Heard weekend bender, then ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ is right up your street. The dirty, the clean and the truly obscene rub sweaty shoulders and bloody knuckles in a defiant “fuck you!” to society, with no hint of socially distancing going on.

The epic ‘No Time (Like Right Now)’ is present and correct. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, it’s their punk rock masterpiece, channelling the power of the MC5 with the horns and suss of Rocket From The Crypt, while they rant a diatribe about political skulduggery and post Brexit fuckery. It’s a punk rock anthem for right now. The other 3 tracks from that EP are present and correct, but the punk and belligerent ‘All My Rowdy Friends Are Dead’ and album closer ‘I’m Too Good’ seems to pale in comparison to the overly cool ‘She’s A Queen’. It sounds like Ian Astbury jamming with The Hellacopters, with one finger piano stabs, overly fuzzy guitars and vocals delivered straight from the crotch. It could be my favourite Hip Priests song right now.

Covers-wise, the likes of Motorhead’s ‘The Hammer’ and Demons ‘ Hot Running Blood’ are perfect Hip Priests fodder and stay pretty true to the originals. The Stooges ‘Loose’ is suitably ramshackle, sped up and delivered with guts and glory. Saxon’s ‘Play It Loud’ follows the same path and sounds epic.  It’s only Adam & The Ants classic ‘Press Darlings’ that doesn’t really benefit from the Hip Priests rough n’ ready, punk rock treatment for me.

Just because this is a b sides compilation, it doesn’t mean the quality has to suffer. ‘Nihilist Twist’ is a brutal, chanting 2 minute assault on the senses. ‘Dead By Sunday’ literally out ‘copters The Hellacopters and ‘I’m In Exile’ is all killer no filler. Wah-wah infused guitars fight with power chords as newest recruit Gentle Ben fills the right speaker and Austin the left, or is it the other way round? Who knows! But what I do know is the twin guitar attack sounds mighty.

 

27 singles, 3 EPs and 4 albums since their inception in 2007. It’s true to say that ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ is more than just a stop-gap collection of odds and sods to keep their fanbase happy until album number 5 drops later this year. This is a quality collection of songs from shit island’s best-kept secret, and any self-respecting punk rock junkie should have it in their collection. The only trouble is do you choose green or blue vinyl?

Buy ‘Solid Gold Easy Option’ Here

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Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

ACE OF SPADES ANNIVERSARY REBIRTH

ACE OF SPADES ANNIVERSARY REBIRTH

DELUXE COLLECTOR’S BOX-SET AND SPECIAL 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS OF ACE OF SPADES
TO BE RELEASED ON OCTOBER 30th 2020

 

Upon its release in 1980, the Ace Of Spades album was nothing short of a gamechanger for all forms of hard rock. Like lightning in a bottle, it perfectly captured everything great about hard rock, heavy metal, and punk, amped it all up to 11, and came racing out of the gates at what felt like a million miles an hour, pushing at every musical boundary. Nothing was harder. Nothing was faster. And certainly nothing was louder.

Now, following on from last year’s fan and media acclaimed anniversary editions of the seminal Overkill and Bomber albums, comes the record that launched Motörhead into the stratosphere and carved their name into the walls of rock’n’roll history forever; Ace Of Spades.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this milestone album, it is being presented in new deluxe editions. There will be hardback book-packs in two CD and triple LP formats, featuring a previously unheard concert from the ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ tour, the story of the album and many previously unseen photos. Also, the album will be released as an ultimate fan, collector edition Ace Of Spades box set, containing a bevvy of era-specific treasures and some 42 previously unreleased tracks!

The Ace Of Spades Deluxe box set contains:

  • The Ace Of Spades album, half-speed mastered and created from the original master tapes.
  • Two double-live albums of previously unheard concerts from the ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ tour.
  • A Fistful Of Instrumentals : A 10” EP of previously unreleased, instrumental tracks from 1980.
  • The Good, The Broke & The Ugly. A double album of B-sides, outtakes and rare tracks.
  • Ace On Your Screens: A DVD compilation of rare TV appearances from 1980-81, a live concert from 1981 and a 5.1 audio mix of the original album.
  • The Ace Of Spades story. A 40 page book telling the story of Ace Of Spades through previously unpublished interviews with the people that were there. Includes never before seen photos and memorabilia.
  • The ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ tour programme
  • The Motörhead Rock Commando comic.
  • A set of 5 poker dice that can be played on the game board inside the box set lid.
  • All encased in a classic Wild West dynamite box.
  • A limited edition 7″ reproduction of the Dutch ‘Ace Of Spades’, with a previously unreleased instrumental version on Side B. (while stocks last!)

In 1980, off the back of two essential albums, Overkill and Bomber the previous year, Motörhead continued to get bigger, better, louder and faster by the second. This time, on Ace Of Spades they teamed up with producer Vic Maile and came up with twelve songs; each and every one of which crams a regular band’s ten minutes of playing into an average of three. The song titles alone made ears bleed; ‘Love Me Like A Reptile’, ‘Shoot You In The Back’, ‘The Chase Is Better Than The Catch’ and ‘The Hammer’ were a few examples.

This landmark album saw the three amigos of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor at the helm of the juggernaut that was Motörhead, gaining phenomenal growth in popularity as they forged onward. The band’s and their fans ideas, wants and inspirations, converged at a perfect tangent. Anyone disputing this fact need look no further than any heavy metal gig of the time and play ‘spot the Motörhead T-shirt and jacket’. They outnumbered anyone else by at least five to one. A statistic that is still accurate some forty-five years since they first began!

The Ace Of Spades album release was a magical moment in rock’n’roll history, an album which had enormous global impact and continues to resonate and inspire people worldwide. Fans to this day still remember where they were when they first heard it, and it immediately inspired bands worldwide to absorb the album’s energy, speed, and attitude into their own work. Ace Of Spades is ground zero for thrash, speed metal, and punk / metal crossover.

See below for full details of the Ace Of Spades releases and be sure to visit www.iMotorhead.com for news and updates!

BOX SET TRACKLISTING
Ace of Spades    
Side One
Ace Of Spades
Love Me Like A Reptile
Shoot You In The Back
Live To Win
Fast And Loose
(We Are) The Road Crew
Side Two
Fire Fire
Jailbait
Dance
Bite The Bullet
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
The HammerA Fistful Of Instrumentals
Side One
Ace Of Spades (demo)
Hump On Your Back (demo)
Shoot You In The Back (demo)
Fast And Loose (demo)
Side Two
Dirty Love (demo)
Love Me Like A Reptile (demo)
Dance (demo)

Riders Wearing Black
Live At Whitla Hall, Belfast – 23rd Dec 1981    
Side One
Ace Of Spades
Stay Clean
Over The Top
The Hammer
Shoot You In The Back
Metropolis
Side Two
(We Are) The Road Crew
No Class
Bite The Bullet
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch

Side Three
Jailbait
Leaving Here
Capricorn
Too Late, Too Late
Side Four
Overkill
Bomber
Motörhead

Dead Man’s Hand
Live At Parc Expo, Orleans – 5th March 1981
Side One
Ace Of Spades
Stay Clean
Over The Top
Metropolis
Shoot You In The Back
Side Two
The Hammer
Jailbait
Leaving Here
Fire Fire
Love Me Like A Reptile

Side Three
Capricorn
Too Late, Too Late
(We Are) The Road Crew
No Class
Side Four
Bite The Bullet
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
Overkill
Bomber

The Good, The Broke & The Ugly    
Side One
Ace Of Spades (Alternative Version)
Dirty Love
Love Me Like A Reptile (Alternative Long Version)
Shoot You In The Back (Alternative Version)
Side Two
Hump On Your Back
Fast And Loose (Alternative Version)
(We Are) The Road Crew (Alternative Version)
Fire Fire (Alternative Version)
Jailbait (Alternative Version)

Side Three
Waltz Of The Vampire
The Hammer (Alternative Version)
Dirty Love (Alternative Long Version)
Bastard
Godzilla Akimbo
Side Four
Love Me Like A Reptile (Alternative Version)
Dirty Love (Alternative Version)
Please Don’t Touch (Performed by Headgirl)
Bomber (Performed by Girlschool)
Emergency

Ace On Your Screens DVD
Part 1 : Motörhead on TV 1980-1981
Part 2 : BBC In The City; Live In Belfast ‘81
Part 3 : 5.1 audio mix of Ace Of Spades