Customer Reviews

Better Motörhead Than Dead - Live at Hammersmith

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own a lot of live albums, and I own a lot of Motorhead, but this is something you need on your shelf. First, it's a band at the top of its game; as the 2004 release "Inferno", indicated, you really can get both older and better--"like cheese", as Lemmy observes. Second, this is pretty much the whole show, warts and all (not much of a pun intended)--however much people rightly applaud "No Sleep" as seminal Motorhead, they do tend to overlook the fact that it was cobbled together from several different gigs. Third, this is really well recorded, and it just sounds good.
The set is pretty much the standard gig on offer since "Inferno" and with three differences is the same as the live show from Germany on offer on the "Stage Fright" DVD from a few months earlier. The anniversary show contains "Love for Sale', `Bomber' and `Road Crew', and while two of these are standards, the first is new to my collection.
If I was going to buy only one thing, I'd get the "Stage Fright" DVD. First, of course, you get sound *and* visuals. Second, the larger hall and more enthusiastic crowd seemed to generate a better gig. To support that assertion--I wasn't at either, unfortunately--I'd point to the fact that you can hear Lemmy getting a little truculent with the crowd on this disc on a couple of occasions ["I don't come and throw drinks at you when you're working"]. The energy is high but not as it is on the DVD--and if you've seen any of the *other* DVD [stay with me now--that's the DVD of half a dozen of the tracks from this show available on the special UK anniversary edition of "Inferno"], you can see that the London gig is just too crowded, too hot and by the end, Phil Campbell looks as though he is going to pass out.
But this is Motorhead and you aren't just going to buy one thing, right, So get the DVD AND this, watch one on the TV and listen to the other in the car [or wherever you indulge your Motorhead needs]. This is a ***** purchase, especially at this price--the sleeve is nicely done, and the inserts are excellent. Here's to....forty years?!

Superb 2-CD Motorhead live release that was recorded on June 11, 2005 at the Hammersmith Apollo. Total of twenty-three blistering *ss-kicking tracks from the band's lengthy repertoire. In fact, 'Better Motorhead...' was put out to celebrate Motorhead's 30th anniversary since Lemmy was sacked from Hawkwind to form the ground-breaking ensemble. A couple of lesser-known cuts show up like "Shoot You In The Back" (off the 'Ace Of Spades' lp) and "Dancing On Your Grave" (from 'Another Perfect Day'). As for the highlights, you know they're here - in full force such as "Dr. Rock", "Love Me Like A Reptile", the vintage "Metropolis", the anthem-like "No Class", one of my favorite metal tunes (of all time), the awesome "Just 'Cos You Got The Right", "Killed By Death", "Bomber", the much appreciated encore of "Ace Of Spades" and "Overkill". Clocking in right at the 100-minute mark. Sound quality is great, but then again I am a live album nut. Comes housed in a nicely-assembled three-way digi-pack fold-out, along with a handy sixteen-page full color CD booklet. Sort of like a mini-program. Essential.

The attraction here isn't "Ace Of Spades," "Killed By Death," "Metropolis," or any number of other tracks that have appeared on previous live albums. It's great to hear them, but the real reason to purchase "Better Motorhead Than Dead" is the mix of newer tracks and previous "forgotten classics."

I wasn't a Motorhead fan in 1983, so I can't back up Lemmy's claim that Another Perfect Day was universally despised. I know that ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson was a fish out of water in this band (how can you be the guitarist in Motorhead and say that you won't play any of the old songs in concert is beyond my comprehension), but the two songs chosen from that album ("I Got Mine" and "Dancing On Your Grave") fit in comfortably with the other 21 tracks in the set.

"Better Motorhead Than Dead" serves as both a good career overview for the new or casual Motorhead fan and another great live set for the faithful.

This two disc live Motorhead release is everything a fan could want from them at this stage of their career. They're still loud, raw, fast...all with great live sound (waaay better than the likes of "Live At Brixton '87" or even any of the live releases by Kiss) and first class packaging. The set list makes a valiant attempt at covering a broad cross section of their extensive back catalogue by including favorites old and new and even some relatively rare deeper cuts.

My only quibble with this set is that I would've preferred a few more of their newer songs (i.e. there's nothing here from "Hammered") but that's just my personal preference. However, for what is here, this is absolutely a five star keeper!

I didn't even know this was out and stumbled across it in a brick and mortar this afternoon. It was well worth the price at $19.99 and it's a steal for the $14.99 it's currently listed for here on Amazon.

Excellent product - my money was well spent. Buy it!

In a time when rocks bands lack of a great sound live, Motorhead is just simple the exception of the rule, Lemmy and company deliver raw in your face pure rock and roll in this memorable show in this legendary venue the Hammersmith apollo in england, on the band 30th anniversay on june 16 2005.

is a 2 cd set, full of classics, and also 3 songs for the masterpiece inferno(killers, in the name of tragedy and whorehouse blues), the rest of the set is very diverse with the opening track "dr rock" , what a start from "i got mine" to "love me like a reptile" among others....

the very amazing thing, back by popular demand the song "(we are) the road crew", on the song list again, the drum solo in the song "sacrifice" what a great drummer mikkey dee is, and mr campbell solo in "just cos you got the power" incredible, great guitar player, and lemmy as usual with that powerful voice.

there is also an acoustic set for the song "whorehouse blues", just getting ready for the amazing final songs of the show in this order (bomber, ace of spades and overkill). simply out of this world.

also the booklet inside of the cds is pack with cool pictures, love it!!!!!

a must have for any motorhead fan...........

Having been a fan from the word GO this album is an absolute great addition for the old "head" because of the quality and great song selection and the energy of the on stage performance as well as the new "banger" for the same reasons.Lemmy's interaction with the audience is just another bonus.If you haven't listened to Motorhead in a while or never at all and you want to get back or lear about real Heavy Metal take a listen and be awed. Bombers,Iron Fists and Ace of Spades will roar through your speakers like never before.

Impresionante concierto de la mítica banda Motorhead. Imprescindible para todos los fans de la banda. Es un concierto que no te cansas de escuchar. ¡Como suena el inconfundible bajo de Lemmy!

awsome ! motorhead makes it loud and proud , great selection of songs , from the first song to the last this album will make your ears BLEED!

I've seen a lot of reviews on this album and the most negative responses are all let to be back to 1 thing: sound quality. That's ok, if you don't know what's Motorhead is about. This 3 gentlemen know what it takes to peform a good show and though this an official release, in my opinion they wanted to sound the way a real concert sounds. That sound isn't perfect and it never will be!! So here you are, a 2 disc Motorhead album, LIVE as it sounds when you're there!!PLAY IT LOUD, and you'll know what I mean.

I just did not get the sound quality on this set. Poor Phil sounds like he's getting recorded from outside the venue - yech. I really like "Everything Louder Than Everyone Else", and of course the "Stagefright" video is incredible. But I was disappointed in the sonic quality of this one.