1068. Motörhead / Rock 'n' Roll. 1987. 2.5/5

Ten years on form their eponymous debut album and Motörhead had seen the highs and they had seen the lows. Whereas the first five years after that debut release had been filled with big crowds and high adrenaline songs that forced their way into the public perception, the following five years had been dominated by band changes, genre changes and perhaps the feeling that the younger bands in the market were starting to go past them both musically and in popularity. Whether or not they needed to stay relevant was perhaps only a part of the question. Certainly the best way to regain any lost ground was to put out an album that recaptured the imagination of their fans and kept their music out there in amongst the growing torrents that included thrash metal and hair metal. To be honest, Rock 'n' Roll got swallowed in the stampede.

At a time when bands with as varied music selection such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and Bon Jovi were storming the charts and airwaves, Motörhead’s new album was lost in the tidal wave. In fact, the only way I had any idea that it was out in the market was from the single “Eat the Rich”, which had its video playing on the music video shows at the time of these other band’s videos. It actually became something of amusement for myself and my mates through the lyric:

“Come on baby, eat the rich,
Put the bite on the son of a bitch
Don't mess around, don't give me no switch,
C'mon baby eat the rich
C'mon baby eat the rich”

The problem being was that this created mirth and laughter rather than fist pumping and head banging. And once I heard the album, this is what it lacked all the way through. The album is titled Rock 'n' Roll but did it contain anything that was really exciting for the punters out there wanting to listen? When I first got it, I was comparing it to Master of Puppets, Somewhere in Time, Hysteria, Slippery When Wet, Girls, Girls, Girls and Dream Evil. All very different albums of different genres of metal and hard rock, but each of them lapped this album, and left it fumbling in their wake.

30 years later, and though I can now listen to it without having to compare it to the other albums I was listening to at the same time, it still hasn’t grown on me any more since. The up-tempo vibe is a positive, but there is very little in the way of a hook or a grab to drag you into the album and give you a counterpoint to use to find real enjoyment. “Eat the Rich” is the only song I can really say stands out for me on the album, and that is only because of that video and that lyric from all those years ago. Thankfully it wasn’t the end for the band, because there are still very worthwhile albums that followed this down the track, but this one has never been one of them for me.

Rating: “Crossed the ocean in a silver bird, flying into another world”. 2.5/5