Recorded at ELP’s Manticore Studios, the latest release from the Motörhead camp comes in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the band. This is apparently the first recording of the classic trio – Clarke, Kilmister and Taylor. Brought to life by long-time Motörhead producer Cameron Webb, The Manticore Tapes is an intriguing, if ultimately unsatisfying, listen.
Motörhead – The Manticore Tapes
Release Date: 27 June 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
It is a joy to hear new music with those iconic vocals for sure. I, like many around the world, still miss Lemmy and Motörhead, and as we close in on the 10th anniversary of his passing, listening to him with Fast Eddie and Philthy is uplifting.
The playing on The Manticore Tapes is raw yet excellent in many ways, with all three musicians demonstrating, even in those early days, the quality that they possessed.
Lemmy’s playing is even more forward here than it was on some later Motörhead albums. Eddie’s guitar work is sublime at times, whilst Philthy’s drumming is superb as always. Throw in the main man’s vocals, which are a lot smoother than they became, and you have some scintillating work to listen to.
Unfortunately, the mix in places is awful. Iron Horse / Born To Lose is billed as an instrumental version, yet the vocals are clearly there, just echoing in the background and unintelligible in the main. It is disappointing.
Less faded is the version of Help Keep Us On The Road, but it is still a bit of chaos. Maybe I am missing the point and capturing it as it was is what this is all about.
Throughout the album, snippets of banter between Lemmy and the band are retained, which provide a little sound of life in the studio, even at this formative stage for the band. It is things like this that provide the real interest and make considering a purchase reasonable.
The track listing is unsurprising, given that five of the eight tracks, seven if you discount the instrumental Intro, ended up on the debut album Motörhead. Two of the tracks are The Watcher and Motörhead, both brought from Lemmy’s time at Hawkwind.
Of these two, I would say that The Watcher brings a bit more, with the interplay between the trio impressive, whilst Lemmy’s vocals are another highlight.
Motörhead is never a difficulty to listen to, but here the mix is all over the place again, with the vocals drifting in and out in frustrating manner. It is still good to hear that thunderous Rickenbacker, though.
Elsewhere, two versions of Vibrator and Leaving Here are probably interesting to the hardcore fan, with an instrumental version of Witch Doctor (vocals are definitely here once more but hidden in the mix) showing their class.
Whether the average Motörhead fan would be that bothered about them is open to debate. I would count myself closer to the hardcore and enjoyed this album greatly. However, eight tracks with three alternate takes of tracks already on the release, there is a somewhat unfinished feel to the release.
Does the world need another collection of Motörhead songs that sit in the ‘never before released’ section? Maybe, maybe not.
Available in a variety of packages, the deluxe package includes a live show, Blitzkrieg in Birmingham from 1977. At nearly £100, it is not one for the casual fan, but if you have the cash, the package looks good.
Although I am undecided, there is some great stuff tucked away here, and with repeated plays, never a chore, you do appreciate that Motörhead were heading for greatness, even in this early stage in their career.
