Motorhead’s first album was recorded in 1977 as the band were about to call it a day; ex-Pink Fairies guitarist Larry Wallis had jumped ship without explanation after their first rehearsal as a four piece with Eddie Clark, their debut LP had been rejected by UA (which didn’t stop EMI releasing it as a cheesy cash-in once they were chart regulars a few years later), their appearances supporting acts from the fag-end of prog rock like Greenslade had earned them the dubious epithet of “worst band in the world”. Then, a “farewell concert” recording mutated into a session for a 45, which turned into a thrash through the artefact I have in my hand. 

The album kicks of with a version of “Motorhead” (previously a Hawkwind album track and B‑side), that must have traumatised a few stray Hawkwind camp followers — no violins or saxes here! Lemmy’s original choice for a band name, “Bastard”, sums up the amount of raw aggression and ill feeling channelled into the grooves on this one. More psychotic than psychedelic and consequently a much more apt setting for the amphetamine woes of the lyrics. “Vibrator” (a Larry Wallis/Des Brown song from the aborted first album) keeps up the pace with the band sounding more like a beat/punk hybrid than the pre-thrash metal that made their name. Then it’s a stomp through “Lost Johnny”, a tune some might remember from HW’s “Hall of the Mountain Grill” album. Stripped down to its bare essentials, Lemmy and Mick Farren’s lyrics are bayed out over layers of guitar and bass sludge. Lemmy’s singing on this album is much more reminiscent of his time with Hawkwind than the full-on shouting of “Ace of Spades” or somesuch, and the production is totally “lo fi” in a bad way, rather than a “post rock” way. Serious grunge, distortion and fuzz, more like Kyuss than Metallica.

“Iron Horse/Born to Lose” is one of the few songs of the album that stuck in the bands long-time live set and it’s easy to see why; the relentless stomping rhythm, Fast Eddie’s blistering leads and the doom-laden lyrics psycho biker lyrics (written by drummer Philthy, Des Brown and “Tramp”, founder of the UK Hell’s Angels) — 90’s stoner rock before it’s time. “Wasted forever, on speed bikes and booze”, “…loaded forever, and righteously stoned…” 

“White Line Fever”, an early single, is less memorable but the intricate bass figure saves it from the mire. Notice a lyrical theme emerging? Maybe it was a concept album and nobody noticed. The following cut “Keep Us on the Road” is maybe the best on the whole thing, a tale of groupies and motorway madness set to a slow, grinding mess of overdriven guitars, bass and clattering drums. As the chorus says, “dropped another handful, kept us on the road”. Then a version of Lemmy’s tranquil, acoustic “The Watcher” from Do Re Mi, rocked up to the max with squealing leads and Lem growling in his best “Silver Machine” voice. The funny thing is, the song sounds like it was always meant to be done this way. Stick a VCS3 over the top and it could be some dodgy festival recording from 1972. A high speed bluesy stomp through Tiny Bradshaw’s R & B standard “Train Kept a Rollin’ ” is a nod to the band’s later style before the Fairies’ “City Kids” is finally given the rough treatment it deserves. (Anyone else think “Kings of Oblivion” sounded a bit weedy compared to their first few? I’ll take “The Snake” any day, as the actress said etc. etc.)

Anhoo, if you don’t own this album, you suck. It really is as simple as that.