Motörhead: Iron Fist (1982)

Motörhead released "Iron Fist" on April 17, 1982. The album was recorded at Ramport Studios and Morgan Studios in London, with Will "Evil Red Neck" Reid and "Fast" Eddie Clarke as producers. Lemmy wasn't happy.

By Martin Johannessen

The intention was to have Vic Maile as a producer on this album as well. They actually started at Maile's studio in Rickmansworth. However, for one reason or another, the collaboration fell through.

Motörhead took a break from the studio and played several concerts, including with Tank. And "Fast" Eddie produced their debut album, "Filth Hounds of Hades" (1982).

The guitarist was said to be dissatisfied with the time spent in Maile's studio. While Lemmy would have preferred to keep him: "It's a shame to have lost Vic in a way because I thought it was successful.”

Clarke also claims that Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor refused to work with Maile because the drum sound was terrible. Taylor suggested that Clarke should take on the producer job: “And then one day Phil turned to me and said, 'Listen Eddie, why don't you do it?' And I said, 'Man, I don't wanna do it, I'm playing on the record'... I swear to God, I was reluctant as fuck."

Lemmy wasn't very happy: “Having Eddie produce it was a mistake that even he would now probably admit to... we weren't ready to do another album, I don't care what anybody says.” (...) “I was pissed off 'cause we let Eddie produce it. I wasn't at the time, though. Fair play. But it became obvious after it was released - I sort of sobered up and realized it was garbage, most of it.”

Good, but not great

Calling the album garbage might be a bit harsh. "Good, but not great" probably sums up this album just as well. The title track is killer. So is "Go to Hell". Both songs was relased as singles.

The "Iron Fist" single is b/w "Remember Me, I'm Gone". In Spain, the title track was put on the B-side of "Go to Hell" and was issued with a picture sleeve of the band dressed as warriors in skull masks.

This is the last single featuring the classic Motörhead line-up as Clarke left following the recording of the "Stand By Your Man EP".

It did well and reached no. 29 in England. Consequently, they made an appearance on Top of the Pops as well.

What's Up With the Swords?

"America" and "Loser" are brimming with cool riffs from Clarke. "(Don't Need) Religion" is a gritty classic. The closing track "Bang to Rights" is also awesome.

Nevertheless, the album was a hit in England, reaching np. 6. In the USA, it only managed a modest 174th place.

A promotional film was made of the band dressed in studded leather armour and wielding broadswords, described by Lemmy as "all dressed up as idiots, prancing about in a wood in South Mimms as opposed to prancing about in South Mimms dressed as cowboy idiots."

Clarke adding that they looked "like a bunch of fairies prancing about with armour on... It's very hard not to."

The film that was to be used to open the shows on the Iron Fist Tour in 1982.

Goodbye Eddie!
After a series of solid landmarks in rock history, "Iron Fist" marked the end of the classic lineup. "Fast" Eddie left after a concert at the Palladium in New York on May 14, 1982. Lemmy explained:

"Actually, Eddie used to leave the band about every two months, but this time it just so happened that we didn't ask him back. We didn't try to persuade him, which is why he stayed away - that surprised him a bit. But we were just tired of him because he was always freaking out and he was drinking a lot back then."

He was replaced by Brian Robertson from Thin Lizzy, who was on stage with Motörhead just a week later.

Here's the band in full flow in Toronto just a couple of days earlier: