rhythmaning | White Line Fever.

I finally cracked. I decided I had to play the first Motorhead LP, which I bought when it came out in 1977 when I was a long haired heavy metal fan.

I had seen Motorhead play several times, including their first London gig, at the Roundhouse (where they managed to clear the auditorium apart from six people, of which I was one. They were very loud). I remember the LP's black sleeve with the snarling logo.

Except I can't find it. This isn't wholly surprising, since I doubt I have played it since 1980. But I have most of my vinyl from back then. It could be that my brother has it, or it could be I lent it to someone (though I doubt that), or maybe I have just lost it.

Still, I did find the first single, Leavin Here/White Line Fever. I wasn't going to play it, because I didn't remember it being very good, but curiosity got the better of me. See, it's MH001.

It was ok. I remember White Line Fever - I knew the riff and I could even remember some of the words - though Leavin Here, an old rock and roll standard (Holland/Dozier/Holland) left me a bit cold.

Curiously, the label on the disc says "Motor Head", two words, though the cover has the concatenated version.

The words of White Line Fever include "...it's a slow death". I guess it took him nearly forty years.