Life on the road isn’t all glamour and rock ‘n’ roll excess, and MOTÖRHEAD‘s punishing tour schedule in 1981 took them all over the globe as they rode high on the success of “Ace Of Spades”. One integral part of the daily grind on the road is the soundcheck, although very little of it is ever seen or documented in the public domain. Fortunately, during the “Short Sharp Pain In The Neck” tour of March 1981, MOTÖRHEAD had a mobile recording studio in tow as they recorded their thunderous No. 1 live album “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”, now celebrating its 40th year. This rare recording of them performing “Stay Clean” as they warmed up for the night at Newcastle on March 30 is accompanied by a video containing behind-the-scenes montages of the backbone of the MOTÖRHEAD live show; the legendary road crew.
Following on from 2020’s year-long celebration of MOTÖRHEAD‘s iconic “Ace Of Spades” album comes the live album to end all live albums the undisputed definitive live record of all time, “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this number one album, it is being presented in new deluxe editions on June 25.
There will be hardback book-packs in two CD and triple LP formats, featuring a new venue demolishing remaster of the original album, bonus tracks and the previously unreleased — in its entirety — concert from Newcastle City Hall, March 30, 1981, the story of the album and many previously unseen photos. Also, the album will be released as a four-CD box set of all three concerts recorded for the album, released here in their entirety for the very first time and primed to gleefully shatter what’s left of your grateful eardrums.
Upon that original June 27, 1981 release, Lemmy is quoted as saying of “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith” after it crashed into number one in the U.K. chart: “I knew it’d be the live one that went best, because we’re really a live band. You can’t listen to a record and find out what we’re about. You’ve got to see us.” “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith” was MOTÖRHEAD‘s first and only number one record in the U.K. and is still the most necessary live album of all time.
The “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith” CD box set contains:
* The “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith” album, remastered from the original master tapes. Featuring extra bonus tracks and newly unearthed, previously unreleased sound check recordings.
* The three full recordings of the concerts that made up “No Sleep”, never before released in their entirety.
* The story of “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith” told through previously unpublished and new interviews with the people that were on the road at the time.
* Never-before-seen photos and rare memorabilia.
* Double-sided, A3 concert posters from 1981.
* Reproduction USA ’81 tour pass.
* MOTÖRHEAD “England” plectrum.
* 1981 European tour badge.
* Reproduction Newcastle City Hall ticket
* Port Vale gig flyer postcard
MOTÖRHEAD in 1981 was a band of extremes; a flammable mix of non-stop celebration over their rising success and punishing graft, underscored by an inter-band powder-keg dynamic. After recording “Ace Of Spades”, it had shot to No. 4 in the UK; the killer breakthrough after “Overkill” and “Bomber” had done essential groundwork, late 1980’s “Ace Up Your Sleeve” U.K. tour was a triumphant lap of honour that spilled into the recording of “No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”. The album took its title from an inscription painted on one of the trucks, referencing the 32 gigs they were playing with only two days off. The track listing ended up featuring three tracks from “Ace Of Spades”, five from “Overkill”, “Bomber”‘s title track and two from their self-titled debut.
CD box set track listing
“No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith”
01. Ace Of Spades
02. Stay Clean
03. Metropolis
04. The Hammer
05. Iron Horse
06. No Class
07. Overkill
08. (We Are) The Roadcrew
09. Capricorn
10. Bomber
11. Motörhead
12. Over The Top
13. Train Kept A Rollin’
14. Stay Clean (Soundcheck)
15. Limb From Limb (Soundcheck)
16. Iron Horse (Soundcheck)
Live At Newcastle City Hall March 30, 1981
01. Ace Of Spades
02. Stay Clean
03. Over The Top
04. Metropolis
05. Shoot You In The Back
06. The Hammer
07. Jailbait
08. Leaving Here
09. Iron Horse
10. Fire Fire
11. Capricorn
12. Too Late Too Late
13. No Class
14. (We Are) The Road Crew
15. Bite The Bullet
16. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
17. Overkill
18. Bomber
19. Motörhead
Live At Newcastle City Hall March 29, 1981
01. Ace Of Spades
02. Stay Clean
03. Over The Top
04. Metropolis
05. Shoot You In The Back
06. The Hammer
07. Jailbait
08. Leaving Here
09. Fire Fire
10. Capricorn
11. Too Late Too Late
12. No Class
13. (We Are) The Road Crew
14. Bite The Bullet
15. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
16. Overkill
17. Bomber
18. Motörhead
Live At Leeds Queens Hall March 28, 1981
01. Ace Of Spades
02. Stay Clean
03. Over The Top
04. Metropolis
05. Shoot You In The Back
06. The Hammer
07. Jailbait
08. Leaving Here
09. Fire Fire
10. Capricorn
11. Too Late Too Late
12. No Class
13. (We Are) The Road Crew
14. Bite The Bullet
15. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
16. Overkill
17. Bomber
18. Motörhead
Photo: Rick Saunders
