Search - Motorhead :: Best of Motorhead

Joe D.

Joseph A. Donahue | chicago | 05/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dave Leon what are you smokin!!! Guys like you don't even know who the greats are. This is an excellent CD. It's missing few songs that belong here. They do this so you buythe whole catalog. It's a great first CD For New Lemmy listeners. Lemmy Kilmister is the greatest living Rock n Roll living legend today. Dave Grohl has it right trust him. The best thing about the Motortrain is that it keeps on rolling every year with massive tour dates. Saw them in Chi-town in March on the Inferno tour "Wow". Plus they put out great new material every other year. If Lemmy,Phil and Mickey had it there way they would do a new CD every six months and it would be great. Dave Leon don't put Tool on the same planet as Motorhead. Dave do you don't know who John Sykes, Gary Moore or Glenn Hughes are? Probably not. Long Live Motorheead."

Fantastic compilation from a very underrated band

Michael Vanier | Pasadena, CA | 09/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This compilation is the first Motorhead CD I've bought, although I've always enjoyed their songs when I heard them (which wasn't often). I think the reason Motorhead aren't more popular is because their music, although very distinctive, doesn't fit neatly into the standard rock categories. It's much like a cross between heavy metal and punk, but it's too fast for metal and too heavy for punk. To me, they're like a much heavier version of AC/DC; in other words, a great rock band through and through. There are lots of great songs here, and quite a few classics ("Ace of Spades", "Eat the Rich", and "Orgasmatron" among them). The lyrics are often funny and sometimes surprisingly poetic. The playing is fast, intense, and tight, and Lemmy's screeching vocals are a perfect complement to the intensity of the songs. The only criticism I have is that the quality of some of the recordings (particularly the earlier ones) occasionally leaves something to be desired. If you're just getting into Motorhead, you couldn't do better than this compilation."

Comprehensive enough but don't we have enough of these?

Jeremy Ulrey | Austin, TX | 02/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I suppose if OJ can get away with murder a case could be made that Motorhead need another hits package. However, lacking the wily smarts of Johnnie Cochran, I believe I'll have to side with the prosecution on this one. When Lemmy stands before the jury and slides on that fingerless biker glove, I think the court will have to concur that it does indeed fit. But in all fairness, we'd better hear from the defendants as well. In this case that would be Metal-Is, a subsidiary of Sanctuary Records. The label regrets the lack of a solid anthology that includes their latter day work in addition to such classics as "Ace of Spades" and "Overkill." To mend that crack in the heavy metal canon they've released this two disc set, replete with not only the above-mentioned standards but also such modern charmers as "Snake Bite Love" and "Sacrifice." In addition, four unreleased live recordings have been unearthed for our collective awe. Dollar for dollar, Metal-Is aim to give the best 'Head. Alas, "Best Of" falls into that common anthology trap of trying to cover every single release, even when the material doesn't stack up as the band's best. A less adventurous song selection could scarcely be imagined: three of the last four albums are represented solely by their title tracks. What's more, in a frightening act of editorial negligence, the inclusion of not one but three of the band's collaborations with Girlschool made it past the drawing board and onto the finished product. Disgraceful. Aside from the bargain bin assortment of tracks, there is little else to salvage this rusty heap of "remastered" tunes ("Overkill" seems to bleed a venomous tape hiss), and the live bonuses are mere exercises in superfluity. Granted, Motorhead are a renowned concert draw, but every dirt bag metal merchant under the sun has released at least one live album, which makes the inclusion of yet another concert recording of "Bite the Bullet," for example, a rather dull enterprise. So whereas the defendants acted with intentions that are admittedly sympathetic, the end result is more or less just plain pathetic. Sure, the fancy slipcase and extensive liner notes add luster to an essentially glamour-less product, but it's like putting a two-dollar whore in a ten-dollar dress. Counsel advises you keep the dress and find yourself a new girl. Case closed."