The legendary Lemmy/Philthy/Fast Eddie lineup of Motörhead roars into life on their 1977 self-titled debut, sounding every bit the skint, pissed off, ne’er-do-wells they were. Over 40 years later Motörhead is still an impressively belligerent noise. It captures the band at the point where they were dubbed “the worst band in the world” (and couldn’t have cared less). The title track is a thunderous biker anthem and Iron Horse/Born To Lose, White Line Fever and Keep Us On The Road are low-down and mean rackets. The band’s everything-louder-than-everything-else chemistry is already thrillingly volatile but the hurried recording sessions didn’t allow much time for writing. So there’s a reliance on old songs from Lemmy’s stint in Hawkwind and songs from a formative and short-lived earlier lineup of the band. Which means Motörhead ends up more trippy, dated and ponderous than later albums where the band would truly gel: mixing their wide range of influences into a seamless Motörmusic. But it’s a great and important debut: an obnoxious, warts-and-all album that set a new standard in loud, dirty, fuck off rock n’ roll.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
Great classic! It’s made my Monday evening.
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Perfect music for a Motormonday!
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That’s a great pic of them at the top Scott!
I have never heard or seen this album as Lemmy and crew smashed me outside the noggin with that cool No Sleep cover back in 81 with the cool Bomber hanging above there heads!
Instant selling feature.
Than Iron Fist I heard at a buddy’s house back in what 82 or 83? haha
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I didn’t get into them until the No Remorse comp came out. That’s still a great comp. Loved the Robbo era stuff instantly!
Pic at top came from the reissue booklet. A really nice edition.
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Lemmy tell you how awesome Motorhead is.
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Man, tons o’ Motörhead love here but I still haven’t gotten around to the debut. It does look like this is the version to covet.
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Took me a long time to get to it. Hearing ‘On Parole’ put me off cause I thought the debut would be similar but it’s really not. Much better.
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I’d give it more of a 3/5 and therefore I will never trust you again, ever on anything. I resign.
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And I likewise will continue disregarding everything you say.
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Can we just clarify that I’m disregarding you more than you’re disregarding me?
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Did someone say something?
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Don’t you disregard me, when I’m talking to you about disregarding you!
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Mooooo! Not listening.
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(whistles, looks other way)
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I know I deserve to be banned for this, but here goes… I have this one on the MP3 racks, but I still haven’t listened to it. CD might be lying around somewhere too. Definitely not this anniversary edition, though.
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Took me ages to get round to this as well. After hearing On Parole I mistakenly decided the Motorhead story started with Overkill and just left it at that. But this is actually really good… especially if you like the moodier Iron Horse/Capricorn kinda stuff.
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You mean it doesn’t start with Overkill!?!?
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So glad you featured Keep Us On The Road! The best hidden gem on the album, IMHO.
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Yessss! The outro is kinda like Overkill at half speed. It’s awesome. A great deep cut of theirs.
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There is a solid live version on What’s Words Worth? I think it might be the only time it was recorded live.
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Good to know. Don’t have that album!
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When you put together that great list for me you had to know that i was digging this stuff and wanted to find some of the same vein. Good post and a reminder
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Great stuff! I’m just focusing on reviews and nothing else now… so hopefully there will be plenty more where that came from.
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I really do like that Motorhead sound. Good idea to shake things up. I do it to stay kind of fresh (mix in a couple showers also).
Here’s the kicker on your review. I thought for sure I had this record on vinyl so I went digging in my pile. Couldn’t find it but I did find the ‘Live 1978’. But get this It’s still sealed. How the hell did that happen?
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I think that’s the one another commenter mentioned (with Keep Us On The Road on it?). I really need to get that one. Got a few Motorgaps in my collection that need filled!
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‘What’s Words Worth’ and yes that songs on it. I always just thought it was “you know that Motorhead album with the hatchet in the head”
hotfox63 just did a nice little piece on ‘Ace Of Spades’. he did a nice job of summing up their sound for me. Check it out HMO
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The Gov’t has ruled that many 70’s through to current albums have toxic substances in them.
If you want to send me any sealed albums you have, I can test them for you since I have a proper Thorens tester out here.
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Bop. I managed to collect a pile of records not because I was any kind of collector but because I was of that time and really dug music. The whole sealed thing is a mystery.
Your Gov’t warning scared the hell out of me so I turned it over to the authorities for disposal. They not only said it was toxic but it also had some bad messages in the music. Thanks for that heads up. One of the Gov guys is coming by later to remove anything else that might be a hazard. Real nice fella.
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That guy seems nice, but he may actually be a devil in disguise
However, myself and my friend Tipper Gore will properly dispose of those albums with all of the gosh darns and fudges.
Send them to
666 Beelzebub Lane
Ball’s Falls Ontario
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I’m going to stop now because that was funny.
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