In August and September of 1980 the band entered the studio to record their fourth album. Vic Maile, who had worked with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and the Who, and had crossed paths with Lemmy when he was a member of Hawkwind, was brought in as producer. Whereas the band had been involved with the mixing previously, Maile took over all roles, and encouraged the band to work harder and create better in the studio. The result of this, according to Clarke, was the ‘you can finally hear everything that is going on’, according to Lemmy ‘Vic got me to start singing instead of shouting all the time’ and according to Taylor ‘he got me playing more solid’. Maile’s aim was to be able to record in the studio the huge sound the band had on stage, and make a live performance sound in the studio. And when you first hear the album in its entirety, it is easy to say that he absolutely succeeded.
When it comes to bringing together a bunch of songs that are rooted in rock and roll, have a variety of punk influences, noting a touch of hard core about them, and still having the centrality of heavy metal within their mix, this album is right up there with the absolute best of them. And the best part about this album is that it has some songs that are the most renown of the band’s career, and that the remainder of the track list is the solid backbone of the album. They mightn’t be songs that the band played often after the tour to support the album, but they hold all of the characteristics of the songs around them. They all have a great rhythm provided by Taylor on drums and Lemmy on bass, and the guitar work from Fast Eddie seals that deal in blood. Motorhead were accused on occasions of playing the same song, the same riffs, and just singing something different over the top. The fact that you could perhaps argue that that is the case on “Ace of Spades” only stretches as far as you would want to listen to the entire album and notice where the changes occur.
The album opens with the song that literally every person in the world knows – and if they don’t, they should be rounded up - “Ace of Spades”. Classic rhythm, opening at that fabulous clip and Lemmy spitting his vocals out with venom. Writing the lyrics by putting together every poker reference he could think of, this has become an all time classic, topped off by Fast Eddie’s ripping guitar riff and solos in the middle and the end of the track, it’s still just brilliant to listen to. And yes, you could imagine that the band must have gotten sick of having to play this song at each live performance from 1980 onwards, which Lemmy has admitted in many interviews – and then in others admitted that if there was a song that the fans would remember the band for, at least it was a good one!
“Love Me Like a Reptile” is another great rhythm riff, great fast paced song, with Lemmy lecherously leering over his vocal delivery in a way only Lemmy can, opening with “Knew I had to bite you, baby, When I first laid eyes on you, That moment turned me on, I can't believe it's true”. Lyrically it is similar to several of the songs on the album that directly reference women and sex, and its catchy riff that has you moving along with the music. “Shoot You in the Back” comes with its own western theme, lyrically telling the story of just about every western film ever made. When interviewed about the song Lemmy was quoted as: “We were into cowboy movies big time. ‘Shoot You in the Back’ was like being a bad guy in a John Wayne film. No standing in the street at high noon — just bang, you’re dead before you even know it. That’s more real to me. Fair fights are for suckers”. Fast Eddie’s solo spread through the middle of the track ads to the drama and the great foundation of the song.
“Live to Win” segues off this, with a ripping opening guitar riff and building back to the fast tempo out of the midrange tempo of the previous track. Great lyrics from Lemmy and an upbeat riffing give this a positive feeling throughout, lifted by Eddie’s solo work again which is a highlight, in particular the longer version that plays out the track. Lemmy had a tattoo on his arm that said “Born to lose, Live to win” which is inspired from the song. “Fast and Loose”, which sounds suspiciously like “Bashed and Bruised” if you aren’t listening closely enough, returns to one of the band’s favourite topics. The rhythm ties the song together throughout, while the oft-repeated song title does get overplayed towards the end of the song. Closing out the A side of the album is “We Are the Road Crew”, the anthem written by the band in celebration of their own road crew at the time, which all three members of the band lauded in every interview, and would always signal out for praise. Lemmy said on the Classic Albums episode that dealt with this album that he wrote the song "in ten minutes" and that when roadie Ian "Eagle" Dobbie heard the song "he had a tear in his eye". It ends the first side of the album on a high.
“Fire Fire” reignites as you turn the vinyl over, back to the topic that the band enjoys the most, but it is the music itself here that make the track, and that guitar solo that again plays out the song from Eddie which is the best part of it. “Jailbait” follows the same path lyrically, as I’m sure you can imagine from the title, but the song itself is a beauty. Yes, it’s not an easy song to sing along to at the age I have now arrived at, and it brings up images of Kiss and Motley Crue lyrically, but it is a catchy riff they have attached to those lyrics, and you cannot help but fall into line and bounce along with it.
“Dance” is the exact kind of rock and roll song that Lemmy likes to write, with its basis back in the songs that he grew up with the 1950’s and 1960’s. “Dance” is exactly that, getting those in attendance to get down and dance, and the uptempo music track encourages the audience to do just that. It would be an unusual song both in music and structure for a heavy metal band, but this is Motorhead, and they play rock and roll! “Bite the Bullet” is short and sweet, a letter to end a relationship from Lemmy that he seems to have written many times before. and from the great segue we have “The Chase is Better Than the Catch”, which has a fabulous moody bass tone through the middle of the track, almost a breakdown that allows Lemmy and Philthy to take centre stage. The tempo of the song is perfectly designed to allow it to dictate the lyrics. And yes Lemmy has sung about these antics before, but these are more refined, and it is the music that makes this track. It is a terrific song, one that has stood the test of time, and is one that truly offers a different side of the band when it comes to the mood of the what they have offered. Which, is then obliterated by the arrival of “The Hammer", arguably the fastest and loudest song on the album. The brilliant opening riff from Fast Eddie dominates throughout, his soloing is fabulous. Lemmy’s return after it with his low voice starting the verse, rising to the powerful last sentence being forced out with anger at the top of his voice. It is a terrific song, an underrated song, one that not all fans know, and that should be considered one of the album and band’s best.
There would be a fair majority of people who have listened to Motörhead that would cite “Ace of Spades” as their introduction to the band. Not just the album, but no doubt the title track. This is pretty much true for myself. My first taste of Motorhead was of the band playing this song of the “Bambi” episode of the irreverent British comedy “The Young Ones” back in the mid-1980’s. That raucous and amusing two and a half minutes eventually led to me seeking out for more of the band and with it eventually this album itself.
Like many bands there is a period where you need to become acquainted with the music that they produce, a timeframe to get used to the style and the nuances of the music. Motörhead are no different, and this album for me was one where I came in too amped up and initially left disappointed. I wanted everything to be a repeat of “Ace of Spades”, to be high octane and breathlessly easy to jump around to, and not everything here is like that. So I would listen to it for awhile and then put it away and forget about it. It wasn’t until I had left it for a couple of years and gravitated back that I came to realise just how good an album it really is. Because it’s not a heavy metal album in the classic sense of either a Black Sabbath poise or an Iron Maiden machine gunning. It’s a rock album, but it is a heavier and probably punkier version of that without pushing itself into that easily defined category of ‘metal’. And for me that’s what really gives it the extra kick.
Away from the utter glory that still revolves around “Ace of Spades”, there is so much more here to catch your ear. “Love Me Like a Reptile” has a great groove and pace about it and is the perfect follow up song to the opening track. I love Eddie’s riff in this song, it comes across as guttural in places, and is followed by his perfect foil of a solo. “Shoot You in the Back” slots into a perfect tempo and rocks along jauntily. The pace and tempo jumps up enthusiastically with “Live to Win” which is one of my all-time favourite Motörhead songs with a great riff from Eddie and Lemmy’s vocals. “(We Are) The Road Crew” is a classic, a great tribute to the band’s roadies and to roadie’s everywhere. “Jailbait” is driven by a great drum fill from Phil and solid riffing from Eddie again. “The Chase is Better Than the Catch” slugs along on a constant momentum while Lemmy croons over the top, and the album ends with the fury of “The Hammer” that fires all the way to its conclusion.
The three members are at the top of their form. Lemmy’s rumbling bass and grating vocals never sounded better than they do here. Phil’s drumming is terrific, and even when he sounds like he is just playing along and keeping the band in time he is doing it with a style and a presence. Eddie guitaring is street core, mixing the great rhythm riffs with fast paced and high energy solos that cut through the middle of the songs. Such is the sound the band creates on this album it is hard at times to believe that it is just a three piece.
As is my duty to you all, I have had this album out again this week. Actually, it has been closer to three weeks. Though I have the CD, a friend of mine gifted me a vinyl copy of the album some years ago, and it is this copy I have been spinning in the Metal Cavern so often again. Full disclosure here, it is rare for this album to be away very long before I bring it out for another listen, such is my love of this album. And it has been turned up loud, because there simply isn't any other way to listen to a Motorhead album than as loud as you can get it. And I just can’t get enough of it. Lemmy’s vocals are fantastic, as is his bass guitar, that nenganeng nenganeng that immediately signifies that Lemmy is playing bass guitar became the defining sound of the band. Phil Taylor’s drumming again is just terrific, a joy to listen to. And Fast Eddie Clarke... he is the man. His guitaring on every Motorhead album he is a part of is simply wonderful, and that goes double for ‘Ace of Spades’. The Three Amigos here reign supreme.
I’m not sure the band wanted people to cite this as their favourite Motörhead album. In many ways it changed people’s opinions of the albums that were to come throughout the rest of the decade, in that they were constantly compared to this one. It’s a tough call as this is a hard act to follow. It might seem like I climbed aboard the bandwagon myself when I say this is what I consider Motörhead’s finest album, but for overall strength of songs and their arrangement on the album, and the fantastic production which brings every element of the band out in front of the mix and not hiding in the background, this is the one where it all comes together the best. “Overkill” perhaps has a better tracklist, but the sound of the band here tips the vote just in its favour.
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