Snaggletooth

Much like previous metal bands mentioned here, Motorhead definately need no introduction. (And the author is well aware that Lemmy would hate his band being described as 'metal' but there you go.) They formed in 1975 after Lemmy was booted out of Hawkwind for 'doing the wrong type of drugs,' as he has put it. The bands first monicker was going to be Bastard but figuring televiosion appearances would be very limited they changed it to Motorhead after a song Lemmy had written for Hawkwind.
The band are regarded as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, eventhough they predate the thing, but nobody could deny their contribution to hard rock over the years. From 1979/80's 'Bomber' and 'Ace Of Spades' to more recent great albums like 'Inferno' 'Kiss Of Death' and 'Motorizer', Motorhead have left a trail of ringing ears and banged heads in their noisy wake.


The image on a gazillion tee shirts

Confession time; I used to dislike Motorhead. True, this hardcore, born for devilhorns and metal; this passionate, dyed in the studded denim, headbanger DID NOT LIKE one of THE most heavy metal-est bands known to mankind! I actually looked down on them like some toffee nosed brat and thought of their music as a mess played by scruffy buffoons. (I thought the exact same thing of the Sex Pistols but I wasn't far wrong in that assumption.)
It wasn't until 2005 that I folded away my haughty attitude towards Motorhead and bought a Best Of double CD in HMV. And was blown away! True I had always begrudgingly loved 'Ace Of Spades' (who would'nt?) and the brilliant 'Killed By Death' but the sheer ferocity and razor melodies of songs like 'Rock n' Roll' and 'Shine' were a revelation to my then 34 year old self. So much so that I immediately set about collecting all of the bands albums on CD and loving every whisky soaked riff.
Looking back to my teenage years (and those of my 20s) I can't believe how foolish I was in ignoring Motorhead. To realise how important the band are to heavy metal, it was like someone into more mainstream music shrugging off David Bowie's albums as being not any good, which would be incredibly stupid. To think how I would happily listen to the likes of Poison and Cinderella while sticking two fingers up at Lemmy and co. makes me cringe with embarrassment.
I can only hope that the Metal Gods are a forgiving bunch and take my dedication to all things metal/rock for almost 30 years into account should there be a divine judgement. Motorhead are a truly great band and if you listen through their early works like 'Orgasmatron' you'll notice how the music is timeless and never on any given track sound out-dated or stale.
There are very few bands around like this. Bands with staying power who keep it real with their fans. Bands where putting on a fantastic show and releasing a solid record are the most important things to offer. In short, Motorhead have not crawled up into their posteriors and decided they are bigger than the music which a lot of other bands seem fond of doing. (No names but there are a few in the rock world who this is certainly true of I am sad to report.)
Motorhead are amazing live. The band is reputedly louder than a 747 plane taking off and its not hard to believe that this claim is NOT an idle boast when they suddenly kick off onstage like some ravenous, rock n' roll hellhound bent on carnage. You don't get the fancy theatrics of other acts but you DO get full on attitude, honesty and great rock music in abundance.
Motorhead - a founding stone of British Heavy Metal and a band with very few equals. Go party with Dr. Rock !!