UGLY KID JOE's WHITFIELD CRANE Says Record Company Politics Almost Prevented His Participation In This MOTÖRHEAD Classic

October 28, 2022, 2 years ago

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UGLY KID JOE's WHITFIELD CRANE Says Record Company Politics Almost Prevented His Participation In This MOTÖRHEAD Classic

Whitfield Crane has revealed that record company interference attempted to prevent his involvement in the recording of Motörhead’s "Born To Raise Hell" in 1994. The Ugly Kid Joe singer said that his record company warned him, “do not do this”, in a brand new interview with eonmusic about new album, Rad Wings Of Destiny.

Talking about how he came to be involved with the song, which featured on the soundtrack to the 1994 movie Airheads, Crane said; “That was a really interesting experience. The true story of that, which I don’t know if I’ve ever communicated was, that was right when grunge was overtaking the world, and Lonn Friend [American journalist and author] organized - do you remember that movie The Three Musketeers? It had like, I forget who it was, there was three of them; Bryan Adams and Sting and…”

“Rod Stewart?”

“Right on, and Lonn Friend’s answer to this via the Airheads movie [soundtrack] was me, Motörhead and Ice-T."

With grunge and alternative reigning, and traditional rock and metal in decline, Crane admitted that he was discouraged to take part in the song. “My label, Mercury Polygram pulled me aside and said, “do not do this”, even though it was already done”, he admitted. “And I said; “why?! It’s Motörhead! It’s fuckin’ awesome!”, and they said, “do not do it. It’s not good for you, it’s not good for your career.” And I said, “it’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me, I’m doing it 100%. Are you out of your fucking minds?!”

Going on to talk about his memories of making the song and its video, Whitfield said, “What a cool happening. It was very surreal. It was a very surreal time in my life, and the Motörhead guys are such awesome dudes, so that was cool, and to hang out with Ice-T, and just having chats with them. The cool thing about it, it’s like, I’ve always thought about videos in general; the video is really beyond selling a song or whatever that is, its documenting a moment in time, so I’m so glad that it exists. I go; “wow, there’s me!” - and with humble intent I say this - “with Motörhead and fuckin’ Ice-T!” It’s really cool.”

Read the entire interview at eonmusic.

Rad Wings Of Destiny is available via Metalville Records. The ten-track album includes the singles "That Ain't Livin’", "Kill The Pain", and "Long Road". It features Whitfield Crane on vocals, Klaus Eichstadt and Dave Fortman on guitar, Cordell Crockett on bass, with drumming duties shared between Zac Morris and Shannon Larkin.

Rad Wings Of Destiny is available as CD digi, vinyl, and limited fan box. Order your copy here. Cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

"That Ain't Livin'"
"Not Like The Other"
"Everything’s Changing"
"Kill The Pain"
"Lola"
"Dead Friends Play"
"Up in the City"
"Drinkin' And Drivin'"
"Failur"
"Long Road"

"Lola" video:

"Long Road" video:

"Kill The Pain" video:

"That Ain't Livin'" video:

"Failure" video:


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