It’s been almost ten years since Lemmy passed away and it’s no coincidence that everything has gone to shit ever since, his passing obviously meant Motörhead was no more, and in a world where there are bands still touring without the member, or members, who were the heart & soul of a band this was a rare moment, and an acknowledgement that without Lemmy the band could not exist. Sadly this meant no new Motörhead material, it hasn’t stopped the usual live recordings, remasters and compilations being issued on a fairly regular basis, but that doesn’t fill the void. Which brings us nicely onto the other staple of much revered bands, the tribute album, in the case Killed By Deaf, which is a Punk tribute to Motörhead, 

For those who think Motörhead where a Metal or Rock band, you’re wrong, I’m not debating anyone on this, you’re just wrong, Motörhead were a Rock ’n Roll band who straddled boundaries and genres like few others have. Especially beloved of Metalheads and Punks alike, you could even argue that Motörhead were one of the forces that bought these formerly warring tribes together. This is not the first Punk tribute to Motorhead, they were in existence whilst Motörhead were still perpetually on tour with 1999’s Built For Speed being the first I recall seeing, but this one feels kinda definitive and maybe a bit slicker with some heavy hitters from past and present adding their own decibel driven takes on a selection of Motörhead classics.

We all know that tribute album’s are never perfect, covering someone else’s songs is subjective and can be a minefield, and we’ve all squawked in indignation at a bad cover of a song we love at some point. However, if you’re going to kick an album like this off then Pennywise’s take on Ace of Spades is a cover that should satisfy Metalheads and Punks alike, similarly Rancid do their thing on Sex & Death, The Bronx keep faithfully to the spirit of the original Over The Top, and Lagwagon bring a surprisingly full tilt version of Rock & Roll to the party. At this point we head into the heavier territory with Fear taking on The Chase Is Better Than Than The Catch, which unexpectedly takes the song into AC/DC territory, and UK82 veterans GBH delivering a stripped back and frantic take on Bomber.

Murphy’s Law deliver a comparatively restrained take on Stay Clean, relative newcomers Slaughterhouse are one the the few that truly up the ante, whilst keeping true to the spirit of Love Me Like A Reptile they inject an appropriately speedy vibe into the classic track. The Casualties deliver a full tilt take on The Hammer and UK veterans Anti-Nowhere League take on Born To Raise Hell, which unexpectedly channels a more throaty rock and roll feel more akin to Motörhead’s early days than the 90’s incarnation of the band released and Love Canal deliver a faithful take on Voices In The Sky. Of course someone was going to take on Overkill, and it’s Soldiers of Destruction who take on this vintage classic track and put their own stamp on it, at least vocally. Wisdom In Chains deliver the final Motörhead cover with a clenched Iron Fist.

The album’s finale is not a Motörhead cover, it’s The Damned and Motörhead joining forces once more. There’s a long history between these two bands, going way back to the late 70’s when Lemmy briefly joined The Damned, when they were briefly known as The Doomed, after they reformed in 1978 after their first, but not their last, split. They recorded together shortly afterwards and toured together numerous times over the decades. What we get here is the two veteran bands teaming up on a version of The Damned’s 1977 single Neat Neat Neat, which, aside from the slightly annoying and unnecessary keyboards on the chorus, is a fine full blooded version. 

What struck me is that the relatively straight up nature takes on this selection of classics from the Motörhead canon, maybe it’s a mark of respect, maybe it’s just not wanting to try and fix something if it ain’t broken. Do I love everything on here? The short answer is no of course not, it’s a tribute album and covers can be difficult to pull off, especially if you’re covering what are regarded as classic tracks. But for me this is a worthy tribute to a unique force of nature in the Punk and Metal scenes. If I had to pick highlights then Pennywise, The Bronx, Lagwagon and Slaughterhouse would be my recommendations, you’ll probably find your own favourites. If you miss Motörhead then then Killed By Deaf is well worth exploring, it ain’t perfect and it’s not a substitute for the real thing, but it does capture the spirit of Motörhead, and that’s something.

Killed By Deaf: A Punk Tribute To Motorhead will be released on Halloween via BMG Records

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