Lemmy: five essential tracks from Motörhead’s heavy metal legend

In 1975, Hawkwind released Lemmy-penned track Motorhead as a b-side to Kings of Speed – and it would be the last song he wrote for them. He was fired from the band (he claimed for “doing the wrong kind of drugs”) that year, and used the song as a springboard for his new band Motörhead. The rest is history.

3) Motörhead - Ace of Spades (1980)

Motörhead’s biggest hit, and the one we all know and love. With a riff that rattles your bones from the opening rumble, it’s an all-out rock and roll classic. Don’t skimp on the air guitar.

4) Probot – Shake Your Blood (2004)

In 2004, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl unleashed his metal side-project Probot, an homage to the genre featuring famous vocalists from several classic bands. Shake Your Blood not only saw Lemmy take to the microphone but also write the lyrics for a loud and glorious Motörhead tribute.

5) Motörhead – Whiplash (2004)

Lemmy’s band stayed fast and furious until the end – and even won a Grammy in 2005 for their cover of Metallica’s Whiplash. They took the Best Metal Performance award, presumably for somehow making the song louder and meaner than it already was. Bravo, Lemmy.

Bonus: Foo Fighters – White Limo (2011, music video)

Lemmy and Dave Grohl must have got on well when recording their Probot track – the Motörhead frontman appeared in Foo Fighters’ 2011 video for White Limo as a hard-drinking, cigar-smoking, middle finger-flipping limo driver. No great acting stretch there, then.