Phil Campbell

On This Day 23/09/1987 Motorhead

On this day, 23 September 1987, heavy rockers Motörhead played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on the group’s Rock ‘N’ Roll tour.

The band had recently released their eighth studio album Rock ‘N’ Roll, released in August 1987. It is their last album with the GWR label, as more legal issues embroiled the band with yet another label. Reaching only No. 34 in the UK Albums Chart, Rock 'n' Roll was, in that respect, the worst performing of all of Motörhead's top 40 chart hits.

It would see the return of 'classic line up' drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, albeit only for a few more years before being fired.

Also in 1987, Motörhead appeared in the Peter Richardson film Eat the Rich, which starred the regular cast of The Comic Strip and Motörhead frontman Lemmy himself in a small part as "Spider". The band supplied six songs for the soundtrack as well. As the band was about to film their cameo, however, drummer Pete Gill was fired and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor rejoined after having quit in 1984. In his autobiography White Line Fever, Lemmy states the sacking of Gill was a long time coming.

"Peter was his own worst enemy, he was another one who wouldn't just be content in the band. He went up against me on a couple of decisions, and he was making Phil and Wurzel upset too. I got tired of him moaning, so when he kept us waiting while he hung around in the lobby of his hotel for twenty minutes while he read the paper or something, that was the proverbial last straw. I know it sounds trivial, but most flare-ups in families are, aren't they? And a band is a family."

Rock 'n' Roll was produced by the band and Guy Bidmead at Master Rock Studios and Redwood Studios in London. In the Motörhead documentary The Guts and the Glory, guitarist Phil Campbell states, "I like it. It's not a great album but... there's things on there I like, a lot of good things I like."

Campbell adds that the studio manager informed them that the studio they were recording in was owned by Michael Palin, and Motörhead – who were all huge Monty Python fans – invited Palin to come down and do a recitation for the album. Palin showed up dressed in a 1940s cricketer outfit, with a V-necked sweater and his hair all brushed to one side. Lemmy remembers Palin walking in and saying, "Hello, what sort of thing are we going to do now, then?" and Lemmy answering "Well, you know in The Meaning of Life, there was this speech that began 'Oh Lord — .'" Palin replied "Ah! Give me some cathedral!" and went in and recorded the 'Oh Lord, look down upon these people from Motörhead' speech.

On This Day 22/12/2013 Straight Lines

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On this day, 22 December 2013, Pontypridd rock band Straight Lines played Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach alongside The Guns and The Portraits.

Straight Lines, is made up of guitarist Tom Jenkins, drummer Dane Campbell, his guitarist brother Todd Campbell and fellow guitarist James Pugh, and were touted for big things following the release of their debut album Persistence In This Game.

Straight Lines had supported bands such as Kids In Glass Houses, The Automatic and InME as well as providing lead support for Motorhead at Hammersmith Apollo. The band even found time to fit in a BBC Radio 1 Introducing live session at the seminal Maida Vale Studios.

Dane and Todd are currently playing in former Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell’s band, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons.

On This Day 09/08/2013 Phil Campbell's All Starr Band

On this day, 9 August 2013, Welsh rocker Phil Campbell and his All Starr Band played Bogiez night club in Cardiff.

Born 7 May 1961 Campbell is best known as the guitarist in Motörhead from 1984 to 2015. The band disbanded upon the death of founder and frontman Lemmy. He currently tours with his own band Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, featuring his three sons: Todd, Dane and Tyla.

Campbell was born in Pontypridd, and started playing guitar when he was 10 years old, inspired and influenced by guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Jan Akkerman, Michael Schenker and Todd Rundgren.

At the age of 12, Campbell met Lemmy after a Hawkwind gig and asked him for an autograph. By the age of 13, Campbell was playing semi-professionally with a cabaret band called Contrast. He later played with a pub-rock band called Roktopus (not to be confused with Rocktopus) at gigs in and around South Wales. He bought his first Les Paul in 1978 at a New Year's Day guitar sale at a shop on Ealing Broadway, London. The guitar was later stolen but returned.

In 1979, Campbell formed the heavy metal band, Persian Risk, playing on their 7" singles, "Calling For You" (1981) and "Ridin' High" (1983). Compilation albums have been issued which feature some of his work with Persian Risk.

On 8 February 1984, following the departure of Brian Robertson, Motörhead held auditions for a new guitarist, narrowing the candidates down to two guitarists: Michael "Würzel" Burston and Philip Campbell. Though Lemmy had first planned on hiring only one guitarist, he hired both Würzel and Campbell upon hearing them play together.

Setlist



Children of the Grave

(Black Sabbath cover)

Cat Scratch Fever

(Ted Nugent cover)

Dog-Face Boy

(Motörhead cover)

Killed by Death

(Motörhead cover)

Over the Top

(Motörhead cover)

Orgasmatron

(Motörhead cover)

Born to Raise Hell

(Motörhead cover)

Ace of Spades

(Motörhead cover)

Jumpin' Jack Flash

(The Rolling Stones cover)