HW/MOTORHEAD

[Doug Pearson]

On Tue, 12 Jun 2001 14:27:08 -0400, Ductor, Dan [NEUUS]
<DDUCTOR at NEUUS.JNJ.COM> wrote:
>OK.  Back to Hawkwind related talk.

Yes, PLEASE!

>Just curious to see which version of the song "Motorhead" people like.
>The HW version w/Dave singing, with Lemmy, the original
>Lemmy/Larry Wallis version etc.  And why?

Oh man, that's a tough one!  EVERY version of that song that Lemmy's on has
some redeeming factor that other versions don't have ...

* The original "Kings of Speed" B-side (that was also on the US
Griffin 'Warrior' CD) has the original Lemmy vocals, and great swirling
sax/violin lines that would seem to be out-of-place on the song that was
sort of the "blueprint" for Motorhead (the band), but still sound amazingly
cool, and unmistkably Hawkwind.

* The Flicknife/Dave-sung version has the fantastic tweeter-popping synth
noises (Korg MS-20?) that none of the other versions benefit from (and a
synth solo that sounds almost like a direct transcription of the guitar
solo Eddie Clarke would play on the song).  Also undeniably Hawkwind-
sounding.

* The 'On Parole' (Wallis) version has the best beginning (the revving
motorcycle engine leading into the band breaking loose), and Larry
contributes the best backing/co-vocals of any of Lemmy's collaborators.

* And finally, the live 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith' (Clarke) version shreds
more than any previous version, and really shows off the song's potential
as one of the great HEAVY METAL anthems.

So count me as "undecided".  But I think I have even more versions of "City
Kids" in my music library ...

    -Doug
     jasret at mindspring.com