In late 1978, now signed to Bronze Records, and with the latest tour completed, Motörhead could get down to two weeks of recording at Roundhouse Studios in London. Whereas Motörhead had been hammered out double-quick in a desperate bid to clinch an LP release with Chiswick Records, the album that became Overkill had a bigger budget and meant 'Fast' Eddie Clarke could take his time on his overdubs once the trio had recorded the basic tracks.
Producing was the legendary Jimmy Miller, who'd made his name at Island before helming the Rolling Stones' late-60s and early-70s 'purple patch'.
His dad had run a New Jersey club favoured by the Rat Pack, and brought Elvis to Las Vegas in 1969. Miller had trained in studio engineering as a protégé of Stanley Borden, the owner of US labels RKO, After Hours and Unique Jazz, who was Chris Blackwell's original backer in Island Records.
After Borden suggested bringing Miller over to the UK, he swiftly established himself producing hits for the Spencer Davis Group, including Gimme Some Lovin', and I'm A Man which he co-wrote with Steve Winwood. Miller went on to work on big late-60s albums by Spooky Tooth, Traffic, Blind Faith and Delaney & Bonnie before '68's Beggars Banquet marked the start of his studio relationship with the Stones, which continued with Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main St and Goats Head Soup.
Miller could also play percussion, and did the cowbell intro to Honky Tonk Women and played drums on several tracks when Charlie Watts was indisposed or demurred.
His close relationship with the Stones collapsed only after he became addicted to the heroin that was then around in abundance, and he had to be dismissed.
Charlie Roberts, one of 'Fast' Eddie's closest friends and confidantes, and who was there from the beginning of Motörhead, remembers the band's gig at High Wycombe Town Hall where Miller was checking out the band he was about to work with.
Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av Classic Rock.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 2024-utgaven av Classic Rock.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Joan Armatrading
The singer-songwriter on her new album, inspirations, being a 'band', what her key was about, meeting Nelson Mandela...
Meat Loaf: I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
It was the power ballad to end all power ballads, and 30 years later people still ponder what the it’ is that the singer wouldn't do.
Kris Kristofferson: June 22, 1936 - September 28, 2024
Kris Kristofferson, the iconic, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor who played a key role in advancing a strand of country music into a more raw and confessional direction now recognised as outlaw country, has died peacefully at his home in Maui, surrounded by family. He was 88 years old.
"I have come a very long way in the last two-and-a-bit years"
Back from the brink: the Thunder vocalist who survived major medical trauma returns.
EVER MEET LEMMY?
He's heard Lemmy's unreleased solo album, had dinner with Chris Holmes, told Paul McCartney to get a round in, been told gangster Reggie Kray wanted to have a word with him... He is Dogs D'Amour frontman Tyla 7 Pallas, and these are some of his stories.
"LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT HAVING FUN"
With their ninth studio album In Murmuration, Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers have replaced their erstwhile prog epics for a more honest approach to songwriting reflecting their personal lives.
IN THE BEGINNING
With previously unseen photographs from their early days as featured in the new Queen | Collector's Edition, Sir Brian May talks us through sights of the band in the early seventies.
BASS-IC INSTINCT
Plucked from obscurity in 1975 to be in David Bowie's band, then unceremoniously out of the picture five years later, bassist George Murray looks back on his time with the Thin White Duke.
High Rollers
When Ronnie Wood, the Stones and some A-list mates holed up at his house to help with his solo album, it sparked a days-long party, a Rolling Stones hit and the last album by arguably their finest line-up.
THE NAME OF THE GAM
When ABBA-mad Opeth leader Mikael Akerfeldt met one of their singers, he lost it”. She didn’t sing on their new concept album, but some other, perhaps unlikely, big names did.
