Customer Reviews

1916

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember when this came out. It was a real "turning of the page" for Motorhead. The production was crisper. The songs were better. The guitars fuller. Of course, Lemmy's voice has never been great, but it wasn't as rough this outing.

Many metal-heads hate this album because it's not just in your face, screaming guitar-fare. This has more depth than that. Oh, there's are plenty of rockers here (I'll Sing the Blues and Going to Brazil are real standouts), but there's more. The Ramones tribute song (R.A.M.O.N.E.S) is fun and the best non-Ramones Romones song. And the title track is quite moving. Lemmy's normally offensive voice manages to lend more to the ballad here than detract from it, as if it helps to paint the brutal story of the song.

So, do yourself a favor and buy this one.

People can say what they want, but 1916 is a GREAT Motorhead album. It's all here, simple fast riffs, sense of humor, Lemmy's roaring and catchy tunes. "Voices in the Sky" has a great melody is very tight. Could you imagine for a moment flying on an airplane to the land of sex and sunshine? Check out "Going to Brazil" and you'll get the idea. The RAMONES tribute is awesome, I loved the fact that there was no guitar solo. The standout track though is the closing 1916. Rarely can 'beautiful' be used to describe a Motorhead track, but Lemmy nailed it. With just a drum and an oboe, he sings of the terrors of the 1916 'Great Offensive'. Years ago I thought this to be a very strange thing for Lemmy to do, but Lemmy knows best. This song has stood. I wonder if he ever had the balls to do it live.

Motorhead was big in Europe throughout the late 70's and 80's but did not make much of a dent here in the U.S. Even their seminal early 80's album "Ace Of Spades" never charted on this side of the pond. By the end of the decade though, Motorhead had developed a solid cult following in the States, and "1916" would prove to be the band's highest charting album up until their current resurgence in 2008. The single "I'm So Bad Baby I Don't Care" even managed to get some airplay on American rock radio. The album also features several songs that have become concert staples ("One To Sing The Blues", and "Going To Brazil") over the years. This is really kind of a unique album for Motorhead as they move out of their hard rock comfort zone here and there, dabbling in electronics and keyboards with "Nightmare / The Dreamtime", and of all things a ballad about a soldier in WWI with the title track "1916". In fact it is this track that really sets this album apart. Lemmy actually sings on this one, (instead of his usual growl) and it is a great little portrait of the horrors of war. Other highlights include "No Voices In The Sky", "Angel City" and "Love Me Forever" with a killer guitar solo from Phil Campbell. My only complaint about this album is the recording. Sonically this thing sounds like it was recorded in a tin can. There is very little bottom end and listening to this on a good stereo system can really be distracting. Other than that I think this is one of the band's best studio efforts. If you are a fan of Motorhead, this one should be in your collection, but it could use a good remastering.

While I remain loyal to the Eddie Clarke era of Motorhead, I must admit "1916" is as good as latter period Motorhead ever got.
The production is much better, with plenty of loud guitars and drums. If there is a weak spot, it would be that Wurzel and Co. are pretty generic players. The profiency is there, but not much originality exists.
To make up for that weakness, which has plagued all post-Clarke releases, with the exception of "Another Perfect Day", Lemmy throws in a keyboard heavy "Nighttime", an honest-to-God power ballad ("Love Me Forever"), a Ramones tribute, and most shocking of all, the title track and album closer, "1916".
Lemmy is a well-known war historian, definitely nobody's dummy, and here he laments a particularly horrible battle in WWI where 10,000 soldiers died before noon with neither side gaining an inch of ground. Set to a lonely mournful organ and a snare drum, Lemmy sings in a clear voice and by song's end, it's damn hard not to get a lump in your throat the first couple times you hear it, so surprising is the music, yet so perfect.
For this track and the stretching out of musical boundaries that Lemmy undertakes on "1916", it is an essential for Motorhead fans.

Motorhead's "1916" is a little different than their older classics such as Bomber or Overkill. While you get the fast and hard-rocking numbers such as "The One to Sing the Blues" and "Make my Day," you'll also see some experimentation with songs like "Nightmare/The Dreamtime." This doesn't take anything away from it at all though, and this album rocks as hard as anything else they've ever done. Another thing I must note, is that the title track will leave you feeling a little sad, but in a good way. It is that amazing.

If you like Motorhead, and already own "Bomber," "Overkill," and/or "Ace of Spades," get this album. It's a pleasant surprise that deserves its place in any fan's collection.

My first recollection of Motorhead is watching the Headbanger's Ball on Mtv circa 1985. I had been a metal fan since I heard the first Maiden album, and to be honest, I didn't know what to make of this old man in leathers gasping into his upturned mic. And what were those things on his face? A novelty act to be sure. But then I saw Orgasmatron in the record bins for 4.99 and I scooped it up. My life has never been the same. I have been waving the bloody banner for these chums for over a decade now, often to the disgust of my wife and closest musical companions. You see, they don't understand that Motorhead plays Chuck Berry music -- albeit at high decibels -- and who doesn't like "Roll over Beethoven?" 1916 is the band's most obvious nod to their collective roots, the simple, catchy hooks and riffs of roots rock with a dose of British "Up yers!" thrown in. In the 70s the Ramones picked up and put out on the idea that to be "punk" was more than just being outrageous... it was about old movies and doo-wop and Bizarro Superman. Many punks never got the West Side Story of punkers like the Ramones and settled for a pink mohawk and razor scars. Metalheads, like punks, have their share of problems distinguishing good music from just METAL, man -- and bands like Motorhead suffer from critical neglect and narrow audiences. This album is one decent press of vinyl (in fact, I feel so strongly about my theory that this is ROOTS ROCK that I traded in my CD for a record, scratches and all), and is among my favorite albums for its sparse production and bouny quick-hitters. This is just plain ol' rock - a refreshing slice of musical simplicity in an otherwise overdone genre.

I heard 1916 performed by Better Dead Than Red and was deeply intrigued.When I found Motorhead was the author I sought it out.When I heard it I was blown away.I never heard Motorhead this way.Played the whole album.Excellent!!!Felt young again(Im 44)Driving,pounding,never going to die music.Not too far from Another Perfect Day,only more sure of themselves.A must for all those who love Motorhead and Lemmy.This is meat.

This was one of the first Motorhead albums I heard as a kid and while it is a tad different than most other raw hardcore Motorhead albums it still delivers big time. Ihave never understood why there was so much hate for this album at the time.

This release by motorhead is plenty of fuel and venom. This album is played with ferocious rhythm as typified by almost all tracks contained.
One more motorhead album that stands out in heavy metal world, this album is one of the greatest motorhead one.

This album carries on Fantastic songs with a range of paces but all strong. "I'm So Bad (Baby I Don't Care)" "No Voices In The Sky" "Going to Brazil"

That's a great job done by Lemmy and their guys. You should have it with your collection of fantastic heavy metal albums. A classical album I recommend to everybody.

Since Lemmy has been hauling this outfit known as Motorhead along now for over thirty years, I will have to call this 1991 album one of the bands, "mid-year" albums. This album is not in the same realm of brilliance as the original line-up, still it is not like the later era 'Head albums, the 'Time to play the game' type stuff that I think have more of a dark and sinister tone to them than any other albums before them. This album falls right in between, and it shows a few sides to Lemmys act that are not on any other of the bands discs. For that reason, this album holds up as one of the bands best and most unique albums.
Theres a good amount of hard rockers in the true Head spirit, but also some few very well polished tunes that still sound really good. I've always thought of Lemmy as the type of guy that can mold his act to whomever he plays with, only still always remaining true to the token theme he looks for in music (nasty, loud etc.) Here he does wonders with his new band, and some early nineties recording values, and comes up with 1916. An essential album in any Motorhead collection as far as i'm concerned. Less on the sinister though. And of course you should get Ace Of Spades, Overkill, Bomber and the self titled first. Some may say '88's Orgasmatron after those, but this is my next favorite. Although, they're all pretty good.