0 Motörhead - "The Dave Edmunds Tracks" (Excerpt from "On Parole" Reissue, 1997 - EMI)

This is not an official release. I borrowed these Dave Edmunds produced tunes from the 1997’s re-issue of “On Parole”.

But let’s take things from the start. Almost all Motörhead fans agreed to the fact that the best ever line-up was Mk2. The one that had Lemmy, “Fast” Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor. I was surprised when I finally came to conclusion that MANY of the fans had a blur on this and think of the aforementioned personnel as the original… If you are one of these, let me tell you this – WRONG!

The original line-up of Motörhead had except of course for Lemmy, the psychedelic punk legend of the Pink Fairies, Larry Wallis on guitars and Lucas Fox on the traps. “On Parole” was actually the first Motörhead recording and it was planned to be released by United Artists. For many reasons (chickened?) the company put it on naphthalene and after band’s success in the late 70s, hit the streets in 1979 just to cash in.

What it had inside its grooves, were all the known debut’s tracks but on a different approach. And that’s the interesting part of the story! I’m sure you all know about Rockfield Studios on Wales and the man behind them, Dave Edmunds.

Dave Edmunds except for a wide known roots rock n’ roll artist (perhaps the last true of an era) was also and excellent producer. He produced among others the Flamin Groovies, the Stray Cats and Ducks Deluxe, giving the original 50s or 60s touch all these bands needed. So what the hell happened with Motörhead?

Lemmy and co. picked him up and cut together four demos of the well known now “On Parole”, City Kids”, “Motörhead” plus Motown’s (!) classic “Leavin’ Here”.

Well, this is your only chance to catch up Motörhead stripped to the bone (more..?), steeped on rhythm & blues, much boozier than ever with an end result sounding like the BEST PUB ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD! Something like Ducks Deluxe on speed! The noise’s still here but you really need to hear this and understand what I’m trying to tell. Even if the tracks are already familiar and many times heard by you, here have something how shall i put it...? Original. You have the sense that Chuck Berry sew there and played all the licks! You think that this thing captured on Memphis Tennessee and SUN studios instead of the island. To these ears these 4 blasts, remain the best recordings of the wild beast under the sulfurous mark of Motörhead! A devastating session that deserves every bit of the legend around it!  
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The Dave Edmunds Tracks

Detail: Motörhead - "The Dave Edmunds Tracks" (Excerpt from "On Parole" Reissue, 1997 - EMI)

0 Lemmy & the Upsetters with Mick Green - "Blue Suede Shoes / Paradise" (Sunnyside Music - STYLE777 - 1990)

For ancient Greeks there was really only one purpose for a man in life, his “Fame after death”.

Even though most of the modern Greeks (we) are assholes (and actually we have not much in common with our ancestors) this thing seems to have survived in many cases. So, I strongly believe that a great man never really dies, and I’m not talking about ‘re-incarnation’ bullshits. I’m talking about deeds and actions. And that’s the main reason for why I don’t like obituaries.

Mick Green passed out a couple of months ago. Even though I wanted to do something for him, I didn’t. Maybe was the fact that so many comrades through their blogs and web spaces did excellent at times tributes dedicated to his life and most notably his works. From the early days of Johnny Kidd to the last with the Pirates. I always liked pirates (the real ones, those on radio, anywhere). I think that were rock & rollers in every sense. So a band with a name like this must be a hell of a band. And the Pirates were a hell of a band! They did so many cool songs and albums that it's not a necessity to expand on this. As I say often here, google a little.

The only other band that comes in every ones mind (as pirates) are surely, Motorhead. If you catch already the trailer of the recently released Lemmy movie, Alice Cooper says it better and with fluency. Lemmy often made guest appearances on the Pirates gigs and had a strong bond with Mick Green. At some time in the late 80s (the worst era for music and especially rock & roll...) Lemmy recorded and soon after put out a single with Mick Green & the Upsetters (no relation here to Little Richard's band although i suspect their name is a tribute to Him!). It had Elvis' (OK, Carl Perkins) "Blue Suede Shoes" (originally this cover recorded for an NME charity album) and the Lemmy/Green penned "Paradise". Motorhead again, some years earlier and on their filthy monument and now legendary "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" (EP) along with Girlschool, covered Johnny Kidd & the Pirates classic "Please Don't Touch" the way supposed to and from this day the tune stays untouchable for anyone who came to rock & roll just for money, fame or chicks. A tribute from White Trash Soul to a hero that's gone forever and also to a hero who still refuses to let rock & roll in squares people's hands!  
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Well it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat, go!  

R.I.P.

Detail: Lemmy & the Upsetters with Mick Green - "Blue Suede Shoes / Paradise" (Sunnyside Music - STYLE777 - 1990)