Life on the road isn’t all glamour and rock’n’roll excess and Motörhead's punishing tour schedule in 1981 took them all over the globe as they rode high on the success of Ace Of Spades.

One integral part of the daily grind on the road is the sound check, although very little of it is ever seen or documented in the public domain. Fortunately during the Short Sharp Pain In The Neck tour of March 1981, Motörhead had a mobile recording studio in tow as they recorded their thunderous, #1 live album, No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith, now celebrating its 40th year. This rare recording of them performing “Stay Clean” as they warmed up for the night at Newcastle on March 30 is accompanied by a video containing behind the scenes montages of the backbone of the Motörhead live show; the legendary road crew!

Back in the summer of 1981, Motörhead got louder, dirtier and more universal, and you’re getting an invitation to relive this most glorious of achievements once again…

Following on from 2020’s year-long celebration of Motörhead’s iconic Ace Of Spades album comes the live album to end all live albums, the undisputed definitive live record of all time: No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this number one album, it is being presented in new deluxe editions. There will be hardback book-packs in two CD and triple LP formats, featuring a new venue demolishing remaster of the original album, bonus tracks and the previously unreleased - in its entirety - concert from Newcastle City Hall, March 30, 1981, the story of the album and many previously unseen photos. Also, the album will be released as a four CD box set of all three concerts recorded for the album released here in their entirety for the very first time and primed to gleefully shatter what’s left of your grateful eardrums.

Upon that original June 27th ’81 release, Lemmy is quoted as saying of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith after it crashed into number one in the UK charts, “I knew it’d be the live one that went best, because we’re really a live band. You can’t listen to a record and find out what we’re about. You’ve got to see us.” No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith was Motörhead’s first and only number one record in the UK and is still the most necessary live album of all time.

The No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith CD box set contains:

- The No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith album, remastered from the original master tapes, featuring extra bonus tracks and newly unearthed, previously unreleased sound check recordings.
- The three full recordings of the concerts that made up No Sleep, never before released in their entirety.
- The story of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith told through previously unpublished and new interviews with the people that were on the road at the time.
- Never before seen photos and rare memorabilia.
- Double sided, A3 concert posters from 1981.
- Reproduction USA ’81 tour pass.
- Motörhead ‘England’ plectrum.
- 1981 European tour badge.
- Reproduction Newcastle City Hall ticket.
- Port Vale gig flyer post card.

Unboxing video:

Motörhead in 1981 was a band of extremes; a flammable mix of non-stop celebration over their rising success and punishing graft, underscored by an inter-band powder-keg dynamic. After recording Ace Of Spades, it had shot to number four in the UK; the killer breakthrough after Overkill and Bomber had done essential groundwork, late 1980s Ace Up Your Sleeve UK tour was a triumphant lap of honour that spilled into the recording of No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith. The album took its title from an inscription painted on one of the trucks, referencing the 32 gigs they were playing with only two days off. The track listing ended up featuring three tracks from Ace Of Spades, five from Overkill, Bomber’s title track and two from their self-titled debut.

Pre-orders and exclusive merch bundles here. Watch a new video for a previously unreleased, live version of “The Hammer” below.

CD Box Set tracklisting:

No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith

"Ace of Spades"
"Stay Clean"
"Metropolis"
"The Hammer"
"Iron Horse"
"No Class"
"Overkill"
"(We Are) The Roadcrew"
"Capricorn"
"Bomber"
"Motörhead"
"Over The Top"
"Train Kept A Rollin'"
"Stay Clean" (soundcheck)
"Limb From Limb" (soundcheck)
"Iron Horse" (Soundcheck)

Live At Newcastle City Hall 30/3/1981

"Ace Of Spades"
"Stay Clean"
"Over The Top"
"Metropolis"
"Shoot You In The Back"
"The Hammer"
"Jailbait"
"Leaving Here"
"Iron Horse"
"Fire Fire"
"Capricorn"
"Too Late Too Late"
"No Class"
("We Are) The Road Crew"
"Bite The Bullet"
"The Chase Is Better Than The Catch"
"Overkill"
"Bomber"
"Motörhead"

Live At Newcastle City Hall 29/3/1981

"Ace Of Spades"
"Stay Clean"
"Over The Top"
"Metropolis"
"Shoot You In The Back"
"The Hammer"
"Jailbait"
"Leaving Here"
"Fire Fire"
"Capricorn"
"Too Late Too Late"
"No Class"
"(We Are) The Road Crew"
"Bite The Bullet"
"The Chase Is Better Than The Catch"
"Overkill"
"Bomber"
"Motörhead"

Live At Leeds Queens Hall - 28/3/1981

"Ace Of Spades"
"Stay Clean"       
"Over The Top"  
"Metropolis"      
"Shoot You In The Back"
"The Hammer"   
"Jailbait"
"Leaving Here"  
"Fire Fire"          
"Capricorn"        
"Too Late Too Late"       
"No Class"         
"(We Are) The Road Crew"        
"Bite The Bullet"
"The Chase Is Better Than The Catch"     
"Overkill"          
"Bomber"
"Motörhead"

"The Hammer" (Live in Newcastle 1981) video:

(Photo - Rick Saunders)