Motörhead

Undoubtedly one of rock's most anthologized bands bar none (even Kiss!), heavy metal legends Motörhead have their back catalog plundered and reconfigured yet again with this collection of singles (including B-sides) from their Bronze Records years…

Motörhead were an English rock band formed in June 1975 by bassist, singer, and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister (1945–2015), professionally known by his stage name Lemmy, who had remained the sole constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to, or one of the earliest members of, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, Lemmy had always dubbed their music as simply "rock and roll"…

Motörhead was an English rock band formed in June 1975 by bassist, singer, and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister (1945–2015), professionally known by his stage name Lemmy, who had remained the sole constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to, or one of the earliest members of, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, Lemmy had always dubbed their music as simply "rock and roll"…

There have been dozens and dozens of Motörhead compilations released over the decades, but the first one remains definitive, even if it's not perfect. Released in 1984 as a gap-filler – for Motörhead were regrouping in the wake of the bandmember shuffling that followed the odd Another Perfect Day album – No Remorse compiled two-dozen songs across two discs (latter-day editions adding a good serving of bonus tracks, too)…

As part of its 2005 Motörhead reissue campaign, Sanctuary Records compiled and released a collection of BBC Radio 1 recordings featuring the band. This double-disc, 22-song release includes a series of four shows: a 1978 John Peel session, a 1979 In-Concert session from London, a 1981 David Jensen session, and a 1986 Friday Rock Show session. There's nothing particularly revelatory here, especially when you consider the bonus discs of such material that accompanied Sanctuary's concurrent Motörhead reissues…

Motörhead was an English rock band formed in June 1975 by bassist, singer, and songwriter Ian Fraser Kilmister (1945–2015), professionally known by his stage name Lemmy, who had remained the sole constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to, or one of the earliest members of, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, Lemmy had always dubbed their music as simply "rock and roll"…

If you're reading, you know Motorhead, the diesel fuel of the hard rock engine. Over the Top centers on the classic lineup which included, of course, the great Ian Fraiser ("Lemmy a Fiver") Kilmister, Phil ("Philthy Animal") Taylor, and "Fast" Eddie Clarke. Subsequent incarnations actually made better records, but the grass-killing intensity and cranium-splitting adrenaline of the Motorhead depicted here left an indelible stain on the history books. Named for one of Clarke's earliest numbers, Over the Top sums it up, and the record swings violentl…

Few metal bands have had their back catalogue repackaged as much as Motorhead has over the years, and the 1989 import compilation DIRTY LOVE can be added to the ever-growing list. Like such other similarly styled collections (OVER THE TOP, ON PAROLE, etc.), DIRTY LOVE contains much of the same selections, but also includes several other rarely heard oddities–"Waltz of the Vampire" and "Godzilla Akimbo."…

Motörhead's short stay at Epic Records (1991-1992) marked a particularly uninspired period in the band's long career. Hellraiser collects seven songs from each of the albums it recorded (1991's 1916 and 1992's March or Die) and adds two songs that were recorded at the time but not released: "Dead Man's Hand" and one of the better songs here, "Eagle Rock." Lemmy seemingly was searching for some kind of mainstream rock success at this point…

Like AC/DC, Motörhead rarely stray from their niche, crafting reliable records from a punk metal template that began in 1977 with their self-titled debut. Inferno is no exception, as the sum of its parts does little to deviate from the formula. Opening with the blistering "Terminal Show" – marking the first of two appearances by guitar legend Steve Vai – Lemmy, Philip, and Mikkey burn through 12 raucous blues-rock fist-pumpers with the energy of a trio of wily twentysomethings. Lemmy's gruff vocal style is ageless; as "f*ck you" now as it was on "Ace of Spades." All of the classic Motörhead themes are present; there's sticking-it-to-the-man ("Life's a Bitch"), murder and death ("Smiling Like a Killer"), and sex (the surprise back porch acoustic jam "Whorehouse Blues")…