With this year marking of the fiftieth anniversary of the mighty MOTÖRHEAD, one should expect something special – something other, that is, than regular reissues, however beautifully expanded those might be – so it’s going to be a real treat for Lemmy connoisseurs to see the release of the British ensemble’s earliest recordings. Considered a long-lost album that preceded their official self-titled 1977 debut for a full year, but in fact documenting the trio of Ian Kilmister, Eddie Clarke and Phil Taylor, what was taped in August 1976 at ELP’s Manticore Studio in Fulham contained most of the pieces which would end up on the “Motörhead” LP – in different versions, of course. And this is what will be made available on June 27th.
Deliciously raw, if restored once recently found, it’s an important relic, and there’s a vinyl version of “The Manticore Tapes” that adds a disc with the trio’s concert from 1977 and a single with two more on-stage cuts. With no talk of these being included in CD variant, one may feel shortchanged, though.
The Manticore Tapes
CD:
1. Intro (Instrumental)
2. Leaving Here
3. Vibrator
4. Help Keep Us On The Road
5. The Watcher
6. Motörhead
7. Witch Doctor (instrumental)
8. Iron Horse / Born to Lose (instrumental)
9. Leaving Here (alt. take)
10. Vibrator (alt. take)
11. The Watcher (alt. take)
Deluxe Bookpack Vinyl:
LP 1 – The Manticore Tapes:
1-11 – as on CD
LP 2 – Live: Blitzkrieg On Birmingham ’77:
1. Motörhead
2. Vibrator
3. Keep Us On The Road
4. The Watcher
5. Iron Horse
6. Leaving Here
7. On Parole
8. I’m Your Witchdoctor
9. Train Kept A-Rollin’
10. City Kids
11. White Line Fever
7” – Live at Barbarella’s Birmingham ’77:
1. Motörhead
2. Keep Us On The Road
