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Motörhead

Motörhead[a] (/ˈmtərhɛd/) were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precursor to the new wave of British heavy metal, which re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[1] Though several guitarists and drummers have played in Motörhead, most of their best-selling albums and singles feature drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke.

For their self-titled debut album, see Motörhead (album). For other uses, see Motorhead (disambiguation).

Motörhead released 23 studio albums, 10 live recordings, 12 compilation albums and five EPs over a career spanning 40 years. Usually a power trio, they had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Top 40 chart. The albums Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades and, particularly, the live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith cemented Motörhead's reputation as a top-tier rock band.[2] The band are ranked number 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.[3] As of 2016, the band has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.[4]


Most often classified as heavy metal, Motörhead has been credited with being part of and influencing numerous musical scenes, thrash metal and speed metal especially. Lemmy, however, always insisted that they were a rock and roll band. He said they had more in common with punk bands, but with their own unique sound, Motörhead is embraced in both punk and metal scenes. Their lyrics typically covered such topics as war, good versus evil, abuse of power, promiscuous sex, substance abuse and, most famously, gambling, the last theme being the focus of their hit song "Ace of Spades".[5][6][7][8][9][10]


Lemmy died on 28 December 2015 from cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.[11] The day after his death, drummer Mikkey Dee and guitarist Phil Campbell both confirmed that Motörhead had disbanded. By 2018, all three members of Motörhead's best-known line-up (Lemmy, Taylor and Clarke) had died.[11][12][13][14][15]

After Motörhead[edit]

Following the dissolution of the band as a result of Lemmy's death Phil Campbell went on to found Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. The band originally focused on performing Motörhead songs at major festivals. The band has subsequently performed in supporting slots with Guns N' Roses, Hawkwind, Saxon, and Airbourne. Following their debut album The Age of Absurdity, released in January 2018 they have gone on to produce several acclaimed albums of their own material and to establish a reputation as a successful touring band in their own right.


Mikkey Dee joined Thin Lizzy to play on their anniversary shows in January 2016. However, on 19 April, it was announced that he would not be participating.[114] Subsequently, it was announced that Dee would be filling in for James Kottak on the Scorpions' twelve North American headlining dates, including a run of shows at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas dubbed "Scorpions blacked out in Las Vegas".[115][116] Dee later joined the band permanently.[117]

Professional wrestling[edit]

Motörhead are well known in the professional wrestling world for performing wrestler Triple H's entrance music, "The Game", which he has used as his entrance music since January 2001.[134] In addition to the song playing whenever Triple H appears on WWE programming such as Raw or SmackDown, and at other pay-per-view wrestling events, the band have performed the song live for him at WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania 21. Their song "Rock Out" was also used as the theme song of the WWE pay-per-view Unforgiven in 2008. Motörhead also provided the entrance music for Triple H's faction Evolution, entitled "Line in the Sand".[134] "The Game" was released on both the American version of the Hammered and WWF The Music, Vol. 5 albums, and "Line in the Sand" was released on the WWE ThemeAddict: The Music, Vol. 6 album. Motörhead have since performed a third entrance track for Triple H, entitled "King of Kings", which made its debut at WrestleMania 22.[134] Triple H has also introduced the band in concert.[134] Lemmy inspired Triple H's facial hair, and Triple H spoke at Lemmy's funeral.[135]

– bass, lead vocals (1975–2015; his death)

Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister

– guitars, backing vocals (1984–2015)

Phil "Wizzö" Campbell

– drums (1992–2015)

Mikkey Dee

1987: : soundtrack includes "Nothing Up My Sleeve", "Built for Speed", "Orgasmatron", "Doctor Rock", "On the Road (live)", "Eat the Rich" and "Bess" – New Line Home Entertainment. Halfway through shooting, the idea of gradually replacing the members of the ballroom band with Motörhead was hit upon. At first there are no Motörhead personnel, then Phil Campbell appears, followed by Würzel and Phil Taylor. The scene involving Lemmy riding a motorcycle is played by a female stunt double as Lemmy was on tour with Motörhead in America at the time the scene had to be shot.

Eat the Rich

2010: (rockumentary film profile of Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister)

Lemmy (49% Motherf**ker. 51% Son of a Bitch.)

(2002). White Line Fever. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-85868-1.

Lemmy

Buckley, Peter, ed. (2003). . London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-201-2.

The Rough Guide to Rock

Shaw, Harry (2002). Lemmy ... In His Own Words. . ISBN 0-7119-9109-X.

Omnibus Press

Burridge, Alan (2012). Motorhead Live to Win. Cleopatra.  978-0-9636193-8-9.

ISBN

Official website

at AllMusic

Motörhead

German/Swiss/Austrian culture channel 3sat "Kulturzeit"

Interview with Lemmy 12/8/2010

in Sabotage Times

Article on Motorhead

for UnRated Magazine

One Lucky Devil - An interview with Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead