Motörhead

 Today in 2005 Motörhead released the Live album BBC Live & In-Session

London, England Heavy/Speed Metal, Hard Rock

Status:Split Up

Years active: 1975 (as Bastard), 1975-2015

Led by one of metal's most iconic figures in Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead formed in 1975 and really never let up for an amazing 40 years, dishing out their brand of dirty speed/rock metal with surprising regularity. Lemmy himself got his start as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix, later played in the seminal space rock band Hawkwind, and after being fired from that band for doing drugs (!), he struck out on his own with Motorhead, and the rest is history. Of course there's the seminal early period of the band, when the Kilmister/Clarke/Taylor lineup released a string of albums such as Bomber, Overkill, and the unmatchable Ace Of Spades, but unlike many bands, Motorhead managed to scarcely alter their style from one album to the next and yet released quality albums late in their career, culminating with 2015's Bad Magic.

Sadly, all things do come to an end. With Lemmy in failing health, the band completed a European tour in late 2015, and a late cancer diagnosis resulted in Lemmy's passing away in December, officially putting to rest one of heavy metal's most enduring bands.

Postscript: drummer Mikkey Dee hooked up with Scorpions of all bands, while Phil Campbell recruited three of his own sons and has put an EP under the title Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons.

BBC

Lemmy Kilmister (R.I.P. 2015) Bass, Vocals

Fast Eddie Clarke Guitars(R.I.P. 2018) (tracks 1-12, CD 1; 1-5, CD 2)

Phil Campbell Guitars (tracks 6-9, CD 2)

Würzel (R.I.P. 2011) Guitars (tracks 6-9, CD 2)

Philthy Animal (R.I.P. 2015) Drums (on tracks 1-12, CD 1; 1-5, CD 2)

Pete Gill Drums (tracks 6-9, CD 2)

1. Keep Us On the Road (Bbc John Peel Session 1978)

2. Louie Louie (Bbc John Peel Session 1978)

3. I'll Be Your Sister (Bbc John Peel Session 1978)

4. Tear Ya Down (Bbc John Peel Session 1978)

5. Stay Clean (Bbc In Concert 1979)

6. No Class (Bbc In Concert 1979)

7. White Line Fever (Bbc In Concert 1979)

8. I'll Be Your Sister (Bbc In Concert 1979)

9. Too Late Too Late (Bbc In Concert 1979)

10. (I Won't) Pay Your Price (Bbc In Concert 1979)

11. Capricorn (Bbc In Concert 1979)

12. Limb From Limb (Bbc In Concert 1979)

1. Fast and Loose (Bbc Radio 1, David Jensen Session)

2. Live To Win (Bbc Radio 1, David Jensen Session)

3. White Line Fever (Bbc Radio 1, David Jensen Session)

4. Like a Nightmare (Bbc Radio 1, David Jensen Session)

5. Bite the Bullet/the Chase is Better Than the Catch (Bbc Radio 1, David Jensen Session)

6. Killed By Death (Bbc Radio 1, Friday Rock Show)

7. Orgasmatron (Bbc Radio 1, Friday Rock Show)

8. Doctor Rock (Bbc Radio 1, Friday Rock Show)

9. Deaf Forever (Bbc Radio 1, Friday Rock Show)

10. Orgasmatron (Bbc Radio 1, Friday Rock Show - Spoken Word)

As part of its 2005 Motörhead reissue campaign, Sanctuary Records compiled and released a collection of BBC Radio 1 recordings featuring the band. This double-disc, 22-song release includes a series of four shows: a 1978 John Peel session, a 1979 In-Concert session from London, a 1981 David Jensen session, and a 1986 Friday Rock Show session. There's nothing particularly revelatory here, especially when you consider the bonus discs of such material that accompanied Sanctuary's concurrent Motörhead reissues. However, collectors will be happy to have these sessions readily available in such a format, and ultimately, that's who this release will most interest, collectors and only collectors. ~ Jason Birchmeier