Motörhead was formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister after leaving Hawkwind, and the classic Three Amigos lineup played faster and louder than just about anyone — the root of speed and thrash metal. Ace of Spades (1980) and the live No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (1981) are non-negotiable. Explore Motörhead vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Motörhead formed in London in June 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister (born Ian Fraser Kilmister, 1945-2015) after his departure from Hawkwind. The band's name was taken from the last song Lemmy had written for Hawkwind (Motorhead is American slang for amphetamine user). The classic Three Amigos lineup of Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke, and Phil Philthy Animal Taylor solidified in 1976 and produced the foundational albums of the late 1970s and early 1980s - particularly Overkill (1979), Bomber (1979), Ace of Spades (1980), and the live landmark No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (1981, the first Motörhead album to reach the UK #1 chart position). They are widely cited as one of the foundational acts of speed metal and direct influences on thrash metal, hardcore punk, and broader heavy underground music. Lemmy was the only constant member across the band's 40-year history with lineup rotation. He died on December 28, 2015 in Los Angeles at age 70 from cancer, four days after his diagnosis, ending the band. Phil Taylor died on November 11, 2015. Fast Eddie Clarke died on January 10, 2018, leaving none of the Three Amigos surviving by 2018.
Motörhead's sound is foundational to speed metal - combining heavy metal, speed metal, hard rock, rock and roll, hardcore punk, and thrash metal with Lemmy's distinctive growled vocal delivery, his foundational fast-and-loud bass approach, and arrangements drawing on classic rock and roll and biker rock alongside extreme tempo aggression. Their foundational influence on speed metal, thrash metal, and broader heavy underground music is widely documented.
Original Bronze Records pressings of the late-1970s and early-1980s Motörhead catalog are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions, audiophile reissues, and the comprehensive Sanctuary/BMG and Mercury/UMC reissue programs have been released.
Listeners new to Motörhead typically start with Ace of Spades (1980) or No Sleep 'til Hammersmith (1981).
