Motörhead

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Motörhead were an English rock band. The band was started in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister. They are thought to be one of the bands that started the new wave of British heavy metal in the late 1970s.[1] The word motorhead is a name for someone who likes cars, but in British slang it’s a name for a meth addict/speed freak.

Motörhead
Motorhead-03.jpg
Left to right: Campbell, Dee, and Lemmy in 2005
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active1975–2015
Labels
Associated acts
Websiteimotorhead.com
Past membersIan "Lemmy" Kilmister
Larry Wallis
Lucas Fox
Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor
"Fast" Eddie Clarke
Brian "Robbo" Robertson
Phil "Wizzö" Campbell
Michael "Würzel" Burston
Pete Gill
Mikkey Dee

Motörhead played heavy metal music very fast. This was different from how other bands played it at the time. Many listeners call them the first speed metal or thrash metal band. Motörhead are a main influence on other bands that play those styles.[2] Lemmy did not like his band being called anything other than just a rock and roll band.[3] Fans of punk music and metal music liked Motörhead. Their songs have words about war, drug abuse, and sex.[4][5] They also sing about gambling in their most popular song, "Ace of Spades".[5]

Motörhead are famous to fans of professional wrestling for making wrestler Triple H's theme song. He started using Motörhead's music in 2000. The song is called "The Game". The band has played the song live at two WrestleMania events.

Motörhead was listed at number 26 on VH1's "The 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" TV show.[6]

The band broke up in 2015 when Lemmy died of cancer on December 28, only four days after his 70th birthday.[7][8]

The band was added into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

Discography

Albums

Motörhead Media

Notes

  1. "New Wave of British Heavy Metal". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  2. Erlewine, Stephen. "Motörhead Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 December 2008. Motörhead wasn't punk rock... but they were the first metal band to harness that energy and, in the process, they created speed metal and thrash metal.
  3. "An Interview with Lemmy Kilmister". Classic Rock Revisited article. Archived from the original on 2008-02-02. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  4. "Lemmy: 'Apparently I am still indestructible'". the Guardian. 2015-08-13. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Interview with Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". web.archive.org. 2016-05-20. Archived from the original on 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2022-10-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "VH1: 100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists: 1-50". Rock On The Net. 22 Feb 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
  7. "Motorhead Drummer: 'Motorhead Is Over, Of Course'". Rolling Stone. 29 December 2015. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/motorhead-drummer-motorhead-is-over-of-course-20151229. Retrieved 29 December 2015. 
  8. "Mikkey Dee: 'Motörhead Is Over'". Blabbermouth.net. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.