Members

Select a Motörhead band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

About

Motörhead is an iconic English rock band that emerged from the heavy metal scene in 1975. The group was founded by Lemmy Kilmister (vocals, bass) after his departure from Hawkwind, and became known for their aggressive blend of heavy metal and punk rock. The classic lineup included "Fast" Eddie Clarke (guitar) and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor (drums), contributing to their raw, fast-paced sound. Motörhead is often credited with pioneering the speed metal and thrash metal subgenres, and they played a significant role in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement. Their music is characterized by its high energy, loudness, and relentless drive, with hits like "Ace of Spades" cementing their status in rock history.

How to Sound Like Motörhead

Motörhead's sound is defined by its gritty, aggressive nature, a sonic assault that is both raw and powerful. The bass-driven attack, courtesy of Lemmy's use of the Rickenbacker 4001, provides a distorted and thunderous low end that is more akin to a rhythm guitar than traditional bass playing. This unique characteristic is complemented by the searing guitar riffs from Eddie Clarke, often played on a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe through a Marshall JVM210H 100-Watt Tube Amplifier Head, delivering a sharp, biting tone. The relentless drumming of Phil Taylor completes the trio's onslaught, favoring speed and precision to match the band's high-octane energy. To emulate Motörhead's unmistakable sound, a musician should focus on capturing the raw, unrefined power and speed that defines their music, with an emphasis on overdriven bass tones and sharp, punchy guitar riffs.

Discography

Motorhead album cover

Motorhead

1977

Motörhead (40th Anniversary Edition) album cover

Motörhead (40th Anniversary Edition)

1977

On Parole album cover

On Parole

1979

Bomber album cover

Bomber

1979

Ace of Spades album cover

Ace of Spades

1980

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live - Expanded Edition) album cover

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live - Expanded Edition)

1981

Iron Fist album cover

Iron Fist

1982

What's Words Worth (Live) album cover

What's Words Worth (Live)

1983

Another Perfect Day album cover

Another Perfect Day

1983

Orgasmatron (Expanded Edition) album cover

Orgasmatron (Expanded Edition)

1986

Live at Brixton '87 album cover

Live at Brixton '87

1987

Rock 'n' Roll album cover

Rock 'n' Roll

1987

Rock N' Roll (Expanded Edition) album cover

Rock N' Roll (Expanded Edition)

1987

Blitzkrieg on Birmingham '77 album cover

Blitzkrieg on Birmingham '77

1989

1916 album cover

1916

1991

March Or Die album cover

March Or Die

1992

Bastards album cover

Bastards

1993

No Sleep At All (Bonus Track Edition) album cover

No Sleep At All (Bonus Track Edition)

1993

Sacrifice album cover

Sacrifice

1995

Overnight Sensation album cover

Overnight Sensation

1996

Snake Bite Love album cover

Snake Bite Love

1998

Everything Louder Than Everyone Else (Live Hamburg Germany 1998) album cover

Everything Louder Than Everyone Else (Live Hamburg Germany 1998)

1999

Keep Us on the Road - Live 1977 album cover

Keep Us on the Road - Live 1977

2000

We Are Motörhead album cover

We Are Motörhead

2000

Hammered album cover

Hammered

2002

Live at Brixton Academy album cover

Live at Brixton Academy

2003

Inferno album cover

Inferno

2004

BBC Live & In-Session album cover

BBC Live & In-Session

2005

Kiss of Death album cover

Kiss of Death

2006

Live At The Roundhouse - February 18, 1978 album cover

Live At The Roundhouse - February 18, 1978

2007

Better Motörhead Than Dead (Live at Hammersmith) album cover

Better Motörhead Than Dead (Live at Hammersmith)

2007

Motörizer album cover

Motörizer

2008

The World Is Yours album cover

The World Is Yours

2010

The World Is Ours - Vol 2 - Anyplace Crazy As Anywhere Else album cover

The World Is Ours - Vol 2 - Anyplace Crazy As Anywhere Else

2011

The Wörld Is Ours - Vol 1 Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else album cover

The Wörld Is Ours - Vol 1 Everywhere Further Than Everyplace Else

2012

Aftershock album cover

Aftershock

2013

Bad Magic album cover

Bad Magic

2015

England 1978 (Live) album cover

England 1978 (Live)

2015

Clean Your Clock (Live In Munich 2015) album cover

Clean Your Clock (Live In Munich 2015)

2016

Under Cöver album cover

Under Cöver

2017

Louder Than Noise… Live in Berlin album cover

Louder Than Noise… Live in Berlin

2021

The Löst Tapes Vol. 1 (Live in Madrid 1995) album cover

The Löst Tapes Vol. 1 (Live in Madrid 1995)

2021

The Löst Tapes Vol. 2 (Live in Norwich, 1998) album cover

The Löst Tapes Vol. 2 (Live in Norwich, 1998)

2021

The Löst Tapes Vol. 3 (Live in Malmö 2000) album cover

The Löst Tapes Vol. 3 (Live in Malmö 2000)

2022

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 4 (Live in Heilbronn 1984) album cover

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 4 (Live in Heilbronn 1984)

2022

Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC album cover

Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC

2023

Live at Montreux Jazz Festival '07 album cover

Live at Montreux Jazz Festival '07

2023

The Boys Of Ladbroke Grove album cover

The Boys Of Ladbroke Grove

2023

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 5 (Live at Download Festival, Donington, England, June 13, 2008) album cover

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 5 (Live at Download Festival, Donington, England, June 13, 2008)

2023

The Löst Tapes - The Collection (Vol. 1-5) album cover

The Löst Tapes - The Collection (Vol. 1-5)

2024

Remorse? No! album cover

Remorse? No!

2024

We Take No Prisoners (The Singles 1995 - 2006) album cover

We Take No Prisoners (The Singles 1995 - 2006)

2024

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 6 (Live at Eissporthalle, Berlin, 14th Dec, 1992) album cover

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 6 (Live at Eissporthalle, Berlin, 14th Dec, 1992)

2024

The Manticore Tapes album cover

The Manticore Tapes

2025

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 7 (Lemmy's 50th Birthday, Live in West Hollywood, 1995) album cover

The Löst Tapes, Vol. 7 (Lemmy's 50th Birthday, Live in West Hollywood, 1995)

2025

Get the Motörhead Sound

Want to sound like Motörhead? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.

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