Motorblog "Welcome To The Bear Trap": Lemmy spoke those words at Hammersmith Odeon sometime around 1988 to 1989 when I introduced a female friend and fairly new Motorhead fan. They were well chosen. Once you get into Motorhead you cannot get out, and who, indeed, would want to? "Not I, for sure."
Then, in 1990, Castle Communications, (now The Sanctuary Group), invited me choose some tracks for a Motorhead compilation album. They were my favourites at the time, and most, if not all, have stayed that way. But there are no Motorhead tracks I dislike, honestly; although I found 'Serial Killer' odd at the time of release I've grown to like it; and if it wasn't there and we knew about it we'd want to hear it, so it is, and we can, and that's great.
Castle liked the 'Bear Trap' title, but the sleeve artwork they came up with wasn't quite right somehow, but the comment by Lemmy had stuck and I had no other ideas at the time.
Recently, I found 2 reviews for the album; Kerrang! and RAW liked it, in fact some of the tracks taught the reviewer's something about Motorhead, and I'm pleased they had the balls to admit it. Over the weekend, Sarmad has added the reviews to this site. The copy from RAW is almost illegible, but were working on it, but my thanks to him posting them.
Later that same year, 'From The Vaults,' a 'rarities' compilation for Sequel Records, who were licensing the tracks from Castle, came along. It was easy to think of the 'From The Vaults' title with the tracks they needed for the album in mind, but with the miserable and uninspiring 'Bear Trap' sleeve art as a living nightmare, something better needed to happen for this one.
Aware of their artistic talents, I suggested Chris Harris and Neil Harvey, whom had both drawn for the Motorheadbangers' Fan Club in the early years, and the guy's were more than happy to get their 15 minutes by providing the sleeve artwork illustrations.
It turned out great, but it's not onsite just yet.
So if you happen to see either or both in a used record shop or on EBay, now you know story behind them; and I also had the honour of writing the sleeve notes.
Then, in 1990, Castle Communications, (now The Sanctuary Group), invited me choose some tracks for a Motorhead compilation album. They were my favourites at the time, and most, if not all, have stayed that way. But there are no Motorhead tracks I dislike, honestly; although I found 'Serial Killer' odd at the time of release I've grown to like it; and if it wasn't there and we knew about it we'd want to hear it, so it is, and we can, and that's great.
Castle liked the 'Bear Trap' title, but the sleeve artwork they came up with wasn't quite right somehow, but the comment by Lemmy had stuck and I had no other ideas at the time.
Recently, I found 2 reviews for the album; Kerrang! and RAW liked it, in fact some of the tracks taught the reviewer's something about Motorhead, and I'm pleased they had the balls to admit it. Over the weekend, Sarmad has added the reviews to this site. The copy from RAW is almost illegible, but were working on it, but my thanks to him posting them.
Later that same year, 'From The Vaults,' a 'rarities' compilation for Sequel Records, who were licensing the tracks from Castle, came along. It was easy to think of the 'From The Vaults' title with the tracks they needed for the album in mind, but with the miserable and uninspiring 'Bear Trap' sleeve art as a living nightmare, something better needed to happen for this one.
Aware of their artistic talents, I suggested Chris Harris and Neil Harvey, whom had both drawn for the Motorheadbangers' Fan Club in the early years, and the guy's were more than happy to get their 15 minutes by providing the sleeve artwork illustrations.
It turned out great, but it's not onsite just yet.
So if you happen to see either or both in a used record shop or on EBay, now you know story behind them; and I also had the honour of writing the sleeve notes.
posted by Alan Burridge at 4:48 AM
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