1983 Bronze/Mercury
Motorhead frontman Lemmy is just the epitome of enduring, self-effacing cool. If you’ve ever seen an interview with the guy, you’ve seen first hand how brutally honest he is about everything…including himself.
In the documentary “Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years” he’s asked the question “What do you think about all of the pretty rock and rollers?” Lemmy’s reply: “Good luck to ’em if they’re pretty…wish I was.” Later he’s asked how he feels about bands who may have copied his style and he quickly says “Good luck to ’em. Maybe they’ll do something we can copy later.” You just can’t argue with that.
Like their more commercially successful contemporaries AC/DC, Motorhead has their “thang”…their uncompromising style that is distinctly their own and they rarely deviate from it. To critics it all just sounds the same, but to fans it just means that you can count on them to consistently deliver the sound you love them for.
Motorhead’s “thang” is a sound that has led to them being called the godfathers of speed metal, although a closer listen beyond the almost hilarious levels of distortion reveals a groove and rockability that has more in common with old-time rock n roll like Chuck Berry than anything else. Chuck Berry turned up to 11 with a voice that is the product of smoking a pack a day and gargling with sandpaper. You either love it or you don’t.
I love Motorhead.
“One Track Mind” is probably the best known track on this disc, which was reviled by many due to ex-Thin Lizzy guitar wiz Brian Robertson joining the fold and totally clashing style-wise with his new band. His style was way too melodic and tuneful for Motorhead’s music, but on this one album it worked a twisted, agonizing magic.
“I Got Mine,” “Shine” and “Dancing On Your Grave” are three cool highlights on this disc full of loudness but also full of heart. Lemmy has always paid tribute to soldiers (“Marching Off To War”) to the joy of rock n roll (“Rock It”) and has always displayed an undeniable sense of humor (“Back At The Funny Farm”): “…I really like this jacket, but the sleeves are much too long. Stay calm, don’t be alarmed, it’s just a holiday back at the funny farm.”
Sounds like a party to me. ‘Another Perfect Day’ is simply another near-perfect Motorhead album.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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It’s definitely my favorite album by them. I like it so much that I have the album cover tattooed on my back!
RAGING, man! Best Motorhead cover of alltime, too. There’s just something really cool that Robbo brought to the band for that album. I mean, the melodic single note picking on intros like “I Got Mine” and “Dancing on Your Grave”…would that have happened with Fast Eddie? I like FE (I thought Fastway’s first album was killer), but Robbo definitely left his stamp on these songs. Again, great to hear from a kindred spirit