Motörhead will mark half a century since their first studio sessions with a massive 4 disc 50th anniversary On Parole Sessions boxset featuring a Steven Wilson remix.
by Paul Cashmere
MOTÖRHEAD are digging deep into their archives to celebrate a landmark half-century since their very first studio recordings. The legendary British rock outfit has announced the upcoming release of the On Parole Sessions, a comprehensive 4 disc boxset scheduled for 17 April, documenting the fledgling steps of a band that would eventually redefine the boundaries of heavy music.
The collection is anchored by a brand new remix of the original On Parole album by Steven Wilson, a man renowned for his meticulous approach to spatial audio and heritage rock catalogues. For those seeking the ultimate immersive experience, the set includes a Blu-ray featuring an Atmos remix, a 5.1 mix, and a flat transfer of the original LP.
On Parole holds a unique place in the MOTÖRHEAD canon. Recorded in 1975, it was intended to be the band’s debut album, featuring the only studio recordings of the original line-up: LEMMY KILMISTER on bass and vocals, LARRY WALLIS on guitar, and LUCAS FOX on drums. During the sessions, PHIL “PHILTHY ANIMAL” TAYLOR replaced Fox, overdubbing most of the drum tracks and cementing the first version of the “classic” era rhythm section.
Originally completed in 1976 for United Artists, the label famously got cold feet. Unconvinced by the raw, aggressive sound, they shelved the recordings. It wasn’t until 1979, after the band had found massive commercial success with Overkill and Bomber on other labels, that United Artists cashed in and released the material. By then, it had become the band’s fourth released album.
The sessions capture a pivotal moment in music history. LEMMY, having recently been sacked from the space-rock giants HAWKWIND, was looking to create something shorter, sharper, and significantly louder. The result was a bridging point between traditional rock and roll, the burgeoning heavy metal scene, and the explosive energy of punk.
While the band initially distanced themselves from the 1979 release, LEMMY later acknowledged its importance, noting in 1981 that it was “the first evidence of anything called Motörhead.” He famously remarked that while some songs were later perfected on the self-titled Motörhead album in 1977, On Parole remained an essential part of the story.
The 50th anniversary set offers an unprecedented look at these sessions, including two discs of extensive outtakes, instrumental jams, and studio dialogue mixed by Richard Digby Smith. This includes a massive 19 minute instrumental jam of the title track and various takes of “Motörhead”, “City Kids”, and “Lost Johnny”, providing a fly-on-the-wall perspective of a band finding its uncompromising voice.
The impact of these recordings cannot be overstated. At a time of economic crisis and “rock royalty” excess, MOTÖRHEAD provided a “fuck you” to the establishment. Their look, the Snaggletooth logo, and LEMMY’S no-prisoners attitude would go on to influence everyone from Metallica and Dave Grohl to The Damned and Billy Idol.
The On Parole Sessions 50th anniversary boxset is available for pre-order now and will be officially released on 17 April.
Motörhead: On Parole Sessions Tracklisting
CD1: ON PAROLE – 50TH ANNIVERSARY REMIX
Motorhead
On Parole
Vibrator
Iron Horse / Born To Lose
City Kids
Fools
The Watcher
Leaving Here
Lost Johnny
CD2: ON PAROLE SESSIONS (part 1)
Motorhead (Instrumental Take 1)
Studio Dialogue 1
City Kids (Take 1)
City Kids (Instrumental Outtake 1)
City Kids (Instrumental Outtake 2)
Studio Dialogue 2
City Kids (Instrumental Outtake 3)
Motorhead (Album Take – Without Bike Intro)
Motorhead (Album Take – Backing Track)
Motorhead (Album Take)
Motorhead (Instrumental Take 2)
Drum Solo
Studio Dialogue 3
Fools (Take 1 – Demo Version)
City Kids (Album Take)
City Kids (Album Take – With Piano)
Studio Dialogue 4
Motorhead (Take 5 – Backing Track)
Motorhead (Take 5 – Without Vocal Overdubs)
Motorhead (Take 5)
Lost Johnny (Album Take)
Leaving Here (Instrumental Take 1)
Leaving Here (Album Take)
Studio Dialogue 5
On Parole (Instrumental Take 1)
On Parole (Instrumental Take 2 With False-Start)
Iron Horse – Born To Lose (Album Take)
CD3: ON PAROLE SESSIONS (part 2)
Jam / On Parole (Instrumental Jam)
Iron Horse – Born To Lose (Take 4 – Vocal 2)
On Parole (Album Take – Extended Version)
Studio Dialogue 6
The Watcher (Album Take)
Vibrator (Album Take – Without Vibrator)
Vibrator (Album Take – With Vibrator)
Iron Horse – Born To Lose (Instrumental Jam)
Studio Dialogue 7
Iron Horse Born To Lose (Instrumental)
Studio Dialogue 8
Fools (Instrumental Jam)
Fools (Album Take – Extended Version)
Studio Dialogue 9
Motorhead (Instrumental Guitar Riff)
BLU-RAY: ON PAROLE ATMOS REMIX
Motorhead
On Parole
Vibrator
Iron Horse – Born To Lose
City Kids
Fools
The Watcher
Leaving Here
Lost Johnny
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