#408 Motörhead, 'Ace of Spades' (1980)

New Entry

Once again, the new list vindicates itself with the inclusion of this record. ‘Ace Of Spades’ is one of the most iconic and influential rock ‘n roll/metal records of all time. It’s raw, loud and confrontational. Fronted by Lemmy Kilmister, a former roadie for Jimi Hendrix, the band would go on to inspire everyone from Metallica to Megadeth to Foo Fighters. And this was THE album.

The album opens with the title track, a track that would become synonymous with the band. Lemmy once admitted that he was sick to death of the song after two decades of screaming it at crowds. “I sang 'The eight of spades' for two years and nobody noticed," he once said. The album is more than just that song. ‘Jailbait,’ ‘(We Are) The Roadcrew,’ & ‘Shoot You In The Back’ are all just as good. Lemmy’s voice is not pretty to listen to, but literally no one else in the world could sing these songs the way they needed to be sung. A few months after Lemmy’s death in late 2015, I went to the Rainbow Bar & Grill in L.A. for the first time, a place that he frequently daily when not on tour. I sat in clear view of his favourite chair by the poker machine at the end of the bar, drinking a Jack Daniels, his drink of choice. This album will always remind me of that.

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