Ace of Spades (album)
Encyclopedia
Ace of Spades is the fourth album
by the British
band Motörhead. Released on 8 November 1980, it peaked at #4 on the UK
album charts and reached Gold status by March 1981. It was preceded by the release of the title track
as a single on 27 October, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #15 in early November.
at his Jackson's Studio in Rickmansworth
. This is the first of what would be a series of projects with Maile, and members of the band commented at the time about finding the right producer. Whereas the band had previously had an input at the mixing stage, Maile took sole responsibility here, Clarke explaining that the result was that "you can finally hear everything that's going on".
Of the performances, Lemmy claimed that "Vic got me singing instead of just shouting all the time", while Taylor added "and he got me playing more solid".
s. The 'Arizona desert-style' pictures used on the album sleeve and tour programme were taken during a photo session at a sandpit
in Barnet
.
twice in October to promote the single "Ace of Spades", and were guests on the ITV
children's morning show Tiswas
on 8 November.
The band undertook a UK tour from 22 October through to 2 December under the banner Ace Up Your Sleeve, with support from Girlschool
and Vardis
. After the Belfast
show on 2 December, high jinx resulted in Taylor breaking his neck forcing him to wear a neck-brace and curtailing any further band activity. The other members of the band took the opportunity to collaborate with Girlschool for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP.
. The title track is, for many, the definitive Motörhead anthem
. The album is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
.
series) was released on DVD by Eagle Vision
. The in-depth look at the making of
the album includes interviews with and performances by Lemmy, Phil Taylor and Eddie Clarke.
.
The 2CD version does not include the Girlschool St. Valentine's Day Massacre tracks that are on the single-disc remaster.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
band Motörhead. Released on 8 November 1980, it peaked at #4 on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
album charts and reached Gold status by March 1981. It was preceded by the release of the title track
Ace of Spades (song)
"Ace of Spades" is a song by the English band Motörhead, released in 1980 as a single and the title track to the album Ace of Spades. The song spent 12 weeks in the United Kingdom Singles Chart, peaking at #15.-Overview:...
as a single on 27 October, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #15 in early November.
History
The album was recorded in August and September 1980, produced by Vic MaileVic Maile
Vic Maile was a British record producer. After starting his career as sound engineer with Pye mobile studios for The Animals on their song, "We Gotta Get out of This Place", Maile worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, The...
at his Jackson's Studio in Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
. This is the first of what would be a series of projects with Maile, and members of the band commented at the time about finding the right producer. Whereas the band had previously had an input at the mixing stage, Maile took sole responsibility here, Clarke explaining that the result was that "you can finally hear everything that's going on".
Of the performances, Lemmy claimed that "Vic got me singing instead of just shouting all the time", while Taylor added "and he got me playing more solid".
Sleeve
It was the first of the band's albums to feature a photograph of them on the cover, dressed as cowboyCowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s. The 'Arizona desert-style' pictures used on the album sleeve and tour programme were taken during a photo session at a sandpit
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
in Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
.
Promotion and tour
Motörhead appeared on Top of the PopsTop of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
twice in October to promote the single "Ace of Spades", and were guests on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
children's morning show Tiswas
Tiswas
Tiswas was a Saturday morning children's British television series which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV Network Limited....
on 8 November.
The band undertook a UK tour from 22 October through to 2 December under the banner Ace Up Your Sleeve, with support from Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
and Vardis
Vardis
Vardis were an influential three-piece heavy metal band from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who enjoyed hits between 1978 and 1986.They formed a prominent part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, then prevalent in the United Kingdom. They consisted of frontman Steve Zodiac on guitar and lead...
. After the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
show on 2 December, high jinx resulted in Taylor breaking his neck forcing him to wear a neck-brace and curtailing any further band activity. The other members of the band took the opportunity to collaborate with Girlschool for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP.
Critical reception
The album has been described as "one of the best metal albums by any band, ever" and has become a significantly influential 'hard rock classic'. Despite the band always referring to their music as rock 'n roll, the album, and particularly its title track have been considered amongst the most influential in the development of thrash metalThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
. The title track is, for many, the definitive Motörhead anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
. The album is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
.
Classic albums documentary
On 28 March 2005 the documentary about the album (a part of the Classic AlbumsClassic Albums
Classic Albums is a documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music.-Format:...
series) was released on DVD by Eagle Vision
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, high-definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones,...
. The in-depth look at the making of
Making-of
In cinema, a making-of, also known as behind-the-scenes, is a documentary film that features the production of a film or television program...
the album includes interviews with and performances by Lemmy, Phil Taylor and Eddie Clarke.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Ian Kilmister, Phil Taylor, Eddie ClarkeEddie Clarke
Edward Allan Clarke better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is a guitarist who was a member of British heavy metal bands Fastway and Motörhead.-Early days:...
.
Side A
Side B
CD bonus tracks
- "Dirty Love" – 2:57
- Originally released as the B-side of the Ace of Spades single
- "Please Don't TouchPlease Don't Touch (song)Please Don't Touch is the debut single by English rock and roll group Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, released in 1959 reaching number 25 on the UK singles charts.-Personnel:*Johnny Kidd – vocals*Mike West, Tom Brown – backing vocals*Alan Caddy – lead guitar...
" (Johnny Kidd, Guy Robinson) – 2:49 - "Emergency" (Kim McAuliffe, Kelly Johnson, Enid Williams, Denise Dufort) – 3:00
- Tracks 14 and 15 were originally released on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP in 1981.
Deluxe Edition: Disc 2
- "Dirty Love" – 2:55
- "Ace of Spades" (alternate version) – 3:03
- "Love Me Like a Reptile" (alternate version) – 4:16
- "Love Me Like a Reptile" (alternate version) – 3:31
- "Shoot You in the Back" (alternate version) – 3:11
- "Fast and Loose" (alternate version) – 3:06
- "(We Are) The Roadcrew" (alternate version) – 3:24
- "Fire Fire" (alternate version) – 2:41
- "Jailbait" (alternate version) – 3:33
- "The Hammer" (alternate version) – 3:11
- "Dirty Love" (alternate version) – 1:02
- "Dirty Love" (alternate version) – 3:51
- "Fast and Loose" (BBC Session) – 4:18
- "Live to Win" (BBC Session) – 3:33
- "Bite the Bullet/The Chase Is Better Than the Catch" (BBC Session) – 6:05
The 2CD version does not include the Girlschool St. Valentine's Day Massacre tracks that are on the single-disc remaster.
Credits
- Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, lead vocals - "Fast" Eddie ClarkeEddie ClarkeEdward Allan Clarke better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is a guitarist who was a member of British heavy metal bands Fastway and Motörhead.-Early days:...
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, lead vocals on "Emergency" - Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Recorded 4 August – 15 September 1980 at Jackson's Studios, WorkmanshipWorkmanshipWorkmanship is an EP by Joy Electric released exclusively as a 7" vinyl record album through Republic of Texas Recordings. Workmanship was completely written and recorded by Ronnie Martin on a Minimoog Voyager synthesizer...
, UK - Produced by Vic Mile
- Sleeve photography by Alan Ballard
- Design by Martin Poole
Release history and variations
| Date | Region | Label | Catalogue | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/Nov/1980 | UK | Bronze Bronze Records Bronze Records is an independent English record label set up in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron, and based in Chalk Farm, London.Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up this new label for future Uriah Heep releases, along with Juicy Lucy, Richard Barnes and Colosseum... |
BRON531 | vinyl | Peaked at #4 in the album chart |
| 8/Nov/1980 | UK | Bronze | BRONG531 | Gold vinyl | |
| 8/Nov/1980 | Italy | Bronze | BROL 34531 | vinyl | |
| 8/Nov/1980 | Germany | Bronze | 202 876-270 | vinyl | some mispressed with side 1 on both sides. |
| 8/Nov/1980 | US | Mercury Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
SRM-1-4011 | vinyl | Different track running order |
| 1986 | UK | GWR GWR Records GWR Records was a record label active in the UK from 1986 through to 1991.By 1984, Gerry Bron's Bronze Records were in financial difficulty leading to a hiatus in recording activity for Motörhead... |
GWLP6 | vinyl | |
| 1986 | UK | Legacy Records | LLMCD 3013 | CD | |
| 1988 | US | Profile Records | PCD-3243 | CD | |
| 1991 | UK | Castle Communications, Castle Classics | CLACD 240 | CD | Liner notes by Mörat from Kerrang! |
| 1996 | UK | Essential, Castle Music | ESM CD 312 | CD | 3 bonus tacks |
| 2003 | Italy | Earmark | 41003 | Red vinyl | |
| 28/Jan/2003 | UK | Silverline | 2881339 | DVD-Audio DVD-Audio DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos.... |
Surround Sound format |
| 2005 | US | Sanctuary | 06076-86408-2 | 2xCD |
- The labels on the 1986 GWR re-issue had the GWR logo and "A" on one side, and Side Two on the other. The tracks were also erroneously listed in the order of the North America release.