Great Metal Albums of 1983: Motorhead- Another Perfect Day

It’s only right that I go out of sync a bit and write about Motorhead’s contribution to metal in 1983. I like to think that I am paying my small tribute to Lemmy and the contribution he made to music over the past four decades. I figure since I am exploring all the great albums of 1983, that I would post about Motorhead’s “Another Perfect Day” album, which came out in this year. It’s the least I could do in honouring the memory of this great man, who sadly left us this past week.

If you are looking for a big single like “Ace of Spades” on this album, there are none. There doesn’t need to be as I find that every song on “Another Perfect Day” just completely kicks ass. Things begin in true Motorhead fashion with the first two songs, loud, brash and in your face. Just how I like it with these guys. Then the third track, “Dancing on Your Grave,” has an intro that sounds like it was that of a song by Ratt or Twisted Sister. I listened with interest as this intro was nicely played but it lasts for a few seconds, then the song kicks in in true Motorhead style.

While I can’t say that there is one song that really stands out enough to be my favourite on the album as there is something to like on most of them, I do think the first half slightly outshines the second half of the album. I must stress the ‘slightly’ here because there’s not that much in it. “Another Perfect Day” is a great album!

My mistake here was to read the history behind the album. To quote Lemmy, he said “He fuckin’ hated it.” From what I read, this is down to the acquisition of Brian ‘Robbo’ Robertson on guitar who replaced Fast Eddie Clark. Robertson joined the band from Thin Lizzy and listening to “Another Perfect Day,” I would agree with the many comments that Robertson is a great technical guitarist. However, Lemmy claimed that Robertson would take seventeen hours to record one guitar track, thus making the recording of the album take much longer than normal. Then there his choice of clothing while on tour, which was not the standard denim and leather worn by Motorhead. Consequently, this led to Robertson and Taylor both leaving the band after the tour. For me, putting the behind the scenes stuff to one side, I can say that Robertson does lay down some really great guitar solos on here making me really love this album.

Track Listing:

1. Back to the Funny Farm
2. Shine
3. Dancing on Your Grave
4. Rock It
5. One Track Mind
6. Another Perfect Day
7. Marching Off to War
8. I Got Mine
9. Tales of Glory
10. Die You Bastard

Motorhead

Lemmy Kilmister- bass, vocals

Brian ‘Robbo’ Robertson- guitar

Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor- drums

Lemmy might have hated “Another Perfect Day” at the time but I love it. Saying that, he did include a few of the songs when he played live some ten years later. So my advice here is to listen to the album and completely enjoy it and don’t read about the history behind it. “Another Perfect Day” is yet another great Motorhead album.

Next post: Todd Rundgren- The Ever Popular Tortured Artists Effect

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