MÖTORHEAD – No Sleep ’til Hammersmith [40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]

MÖTORHEAD - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith [40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]
  • 9.5/10
    MÖTORHEAD - No Sleep 'til Hammersmith [40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] - 9.5/10
9.5/10

Summary

BMG
Release date: June 25, 2021

[spoiler title=’Metal Express Radio – Ratings Scale’ style=’default’ collapse_link=’true’]

10.0:         Cannot be improved! Perfect, instant classic! Essential in any record collection.
9.5 – 9.9:  Fantastic, spectacular and outstanding!
9.0 – 9.4:  Amazing release! It just lacks that little extra spice to make it perfect.
8.5 – 8.9:  Exceptional release! Will likely rank among top ten albums of the year.
8.0 – 8.4:  Great release! It has many different qualities.
7.5 – 7.9:  Above average! It is an enjoyable release.
7.0 – 7.4:  It is not brilliant, but has many strong points.
6.0 – 6.9:  It has its moments, but is not that strong.
5.0 – 5.9:  Slightly above average, does not stand out. Good outweighs bad by just a little.
4.0 – 4.9:  Just below average, bad outweighs good by just a little.
3.0 – 3.9:  Mediocre. There might be a song or a performance that is enjoyable, but that is it.
2.0 – 2.9:  Very weak! There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, too many flaws.
1.0 – 1.9:  This release gives the word “terrible” new meaning.
0.1 – 0.9:  Awful! Avoid at all cost. There is nothing good to say about this release.

[/spoiler]

Sending
User Review
0/10 (0 votes)

The Backstory

Motörhead’s first and finest live album No Sleep ’til Hammersmith is getting the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition treatment. It features the original album remastered, plus for the first time ever, all three shows that were recorded to put the original album together; Leeds Queens Hall (March 28, 1981) and New Castle City Hall (March 29 & 30, 1981).

In addition, you are getting three songs from Motörhead’s soundcheck. The 40th anniversary edition comes in multiple formats and configurations including 2CD, 4CDs, 3LPs, and various merch bundles. Included in each version is a book that tells the story of the album and shows.

The Album

The original recording has never sounded better. The clarity, the sound, and the energy is simply top notch. The 13 song set list comes at you hard and fast, and is chock-full of Motorhead classics such as “Ace of Spades,” “Stay Clean,” “Metropolis,” “No Class,” “Bomber” and “Motorhead.” These songs were still part of the band’s set list in their final years. New to this edition of the album are soundcheck versions of “Stay Clean,” “Limb From Limb,” and “Iron Horse.” All three are pretty impressive for three guys just messing around before the show.

Where the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition differs the most from previous deluxe editions is the inclusion of all three shows recorded for the final product. In previous editions you only got a song or two from each show, now you have it all. All three sets are identical, except the final night Motörhead adds “Iron Horse” to the set. The Newcastle & Leeds live sets are equally as impressive as the final track listing presented on the original album, but they are more raw and natural sounding. The mess ups, mic feedback, and other issues are present. They are more refreshing than distracting, because you are finally getting a more realistic presentation rather than a “produced version.”

It was interesting to see that quite a few songs were cut from the 3 nights of recording to get down to 13 songs. Of course back in 1981, getting 13 songs on an LP was rarity anyway. Songs that were cut from the original set are; “Shoot You In the Back,” “Jailbait,” “Leaving Here,” “Fire Fire,” “Too Late, Too Late,” “Bite the Bullet,” and “The Chase is Better Than the Catch.” The songs sound perfectly fine the way they were performed and anyone of them could have replaced the Aerosmith cover.

The Verdict

When it comes to anniversary editions the question is always the same; is this new version worth buying if you already own a previous version? No Sleep ’til Hammersmith [40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] goes way above and beyond its previous incarnations with the inclusion of all three shows that made up the original recording. The addition of 3 sound check recordings in a nice bonus, but even if they weren’t included, they wouldn’t be missed.

Lemmy always maintained that Motörhead was a live band, and No Sleep ’til Hammersmith solidifies that statement with its energy and Heavy Metal thunder. If you are a die-hard Motörhead fan, spring for the big box set, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a shame that a video doesn’t exist of this epic performance.

[Check out our review for Ace of Spades (40th Anniversary)]

Tracklist

NO SLEEP ‘TIL HAMMERSMITH

  1. Ace of Spades
  2. Stay Clean
  3. Metropolis
  4. The Hammer
  5. Iron Horse
  6. No Class
  7. Overkill
  8. (We Are) The Roadcrew
  9. 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 30/3/1981

  1. Ace Of Spades
  2. Stay Clean
  3. Over The Top
  4. Metropolis
  5. Shoot You In The Back
  6. The Hammer
  7. Jailbait
  8. Leaving Here
  9. 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 29/3/1981

  1. Ace Of Spades
  2. Stay Clean
  3. Over The Top
  4. Metropolis
  5. Shoot You In The Back
  6. The Hammer
  7. Jailbait
  8. Leaving Here
  9. 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 28/3/1981

  1. Ace Of Spades
  2. Stay Clean
  3. Over The Top
  4. Metropolis
  5. Shoot You In The Back
  6. The Hammer
  7. Jailbait
  8. Leaving Here
  9. 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

Motorhead 1981 was

Lemmy Kilmister – Vocals, Bass
“Fast” Eddie Clarke – Guitar
Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor – Drums

Author

  • George Dionne

    George was a contributor here at Metal Express Radio, reviewing albums and conducting interviews, out of Massachusetts, USA. George has contributed to numerous music related websites and blogs, and even managed his own from 2004-2009. George's first assignment was covering a live show by the mighty GWAR. By contrast his later assignments featured Judas Priest, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi. George was also the front man for the South Eastern Massachusetts cover band Sound Tower from 2009-2015.  Sound Tower played 300+ shows across MA and had two original songs on the Cape Cod radio station PIXY 103. George enjoys a good whiskey, scotch, and/or bourbon and fights crime in his spare time.

    View all posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.