MOTORHEAD – MY KIND OF METAL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_S_5n66cNo

Amnesty International is an organisation that warms the cockles of my heart. The problems in the Middle East, Burma and Zimbabwe would be unchallenged and possibly ignored but for the brilliant, hard working activists standing up for Human Rights around the world.

The warmth I have mentioned above also applies to the music I listen to, and there’s no better at spewing out molten lava Rock/Metal sounds than the British Heavy Metal band that goes by the name of MOTORHEAD. The vocalist, Ian Kilmister, known to all as Lemmy, growls out the lyrics like he was born smoking heavy tobacco and sipping neat vodka. If you add ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor (Drums) and guitarist ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke the band (the 1980’s line up) becomes a toxic tonic of tinnitus causing tantrums on a massive scale. HEAVY!

Some of the sounds that MOTORHEAD have slammed out over the years include: We are the Road Crew, Deaf Forever, Ace of Spades, Sucker, No Class, Killed by Death, Doctor Rock and my own favourite, Overkill, (with it’s false endings) are all devastating sounds which cement the band’s reputation for being not only the loudest and fastest Metal band, but also signal the lyrical deftness of those involved with crafting the songs. A MOTORHEAD song will stick in your mind long after the first listen and you want more and more and more and mo…..…

Lemmy is a colourful character, even if he almost always dresses in black. He has said that if MOTORHEAD were to perform near your house, your lawn would die. The band’s front man has a habit of collecting Nazi memorabilia, but it seems he isn’t a dedicated follower of Fascism (apologies to BILLY BRAGG).

One day, in roughly 1986, my Uncle came over from the UK to visit my family and he presented a 7” single by MOTORHEAD to my brother. Deaf Forever was on the A side and a live recording of Killed by Death was on the reverse. Well it was a great source of pleasure to my sibling and envy to me. How dare he own such an item of sonic sandblasting? Of course my brother has grown up and moved on from those days but I have made it my business to listen to MOTORHEAD on a regular basis either on the Internet or on CD.

A great sense of excitement comes over me whenever I put MOTORHEAD on the stereo. If you hear this writer playing their music it’s usually to attempt to banish negative thoughts. Who needs Heroin when Lemmy and co can send your spirits soaring? The great man has even said that he got a letter from a fan telling him that MOTORHEAD’s music led him to abandon plans for suicide.

Now living in LA, Lemmy is still active and shows no signs of slowing down although he was diagnosed with Diabetes a couple of years back. Of his ambitions, the Sexagenarian says: “Still haven’t fucked Halle Berry yet.” Quite a bawdy remark, it should be said that Berry is Diabetic too. So Lemmy you’ve already got something in common with the Hollywood star.

MOTORHEAD are touring constantly and have played in Dublin several times in the past. They’re due to appear in Dublin’s Ambassador venue on 31st October and 1st November next. If you’re not deafened after the first gig, you’ll definitely be stone deaf by the time the second night’s over. As Lemmy famously said: “You have to come to see us live if you want to hear MOTORHEAD properly”. Sorry Lemmy, I’ll stick to the stereo, but the sound MOTORHEAD crank out remains truly DEVASTATING!

NOTE: NO EARS WERE DAMAGED IN THE WRITING OF THIS ARTICLE. ALMOST.