No Class

"No Class" is a song by the British heavy metal band Motörhead. It was released in 1979 in 7" vinyl pressings. The song first appeared on the 1979 album Overkill, and became one of the "cornerstones" of the classic 1981 live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith.[1] It is one of the band's "anthems".[2]

For the racehorse, see No Class (horse).

"Motörhead - No Class"
Single by Motörhead
from the album Overkill
B-side	"Like a Nightmare"
Released	30 June 1979
Recorded	December 1978 – January 1979 Roundhouse Studios Sound Development Studios
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	2:39
Label	Bronze Records/EMI
Songwriter(s)	Eddie Clarke Ian Kilmister Phil Taylor
Producer(s)	Jimmy Miller
Motörhead singles chronology
"Overkill" (1979) "Motörhead - No Class" (1979) "Bomber" (1979)

Release

It was available in three different covers, with either a picture of Lemmy, "Fast" Eddie Clarke or Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. The single also contains the B-side "Like a Nightmare", which can be found on the reissued versions of Overkill.[3] The song was already a live track before it was recorded for Overkill.[4]

Style and influences

Stylistically, the song is described as "get-down rock boogie".[5] Critics have noted the similarities at the time between Motörhead's music and ZZ Top's, and the guitar riff in "No Class" is said to be "stolen" from ZZ Top's "Tush."[6]

On Motörhead's 1999 live album Everything Louder than Everyone Else, before playing "No Class" Lemmy dedicated the song to long-time friend Wendy O. Williams, who had committed suicide the previous month.[7]

Notable covers

• The Plasmatics covered the song in 1982, as part of the Stand by Your Man EP collaboration with Motörhead.[8][9]
• In 1990 the Argentine Thrash metal band Hermética recorded "No Class" for Intérpretes, a cover album; it is the only English track ever recorded by the band.
• In 2010, the sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow covered the song on their album Behind the Blackest Tears.[10]
• In 2012, founding thrash metal band Megadeth covered the song on their Gigantour after Motörhead had to pull out of the last 4 shows. Lemmy had a combination of a viral upper respiratory infection and a voice strain.[11]

Single track listing

1. "No Class" (Eddie Clarke, Ian Kilmister, Phil Taylor)
2. "Like a Nightmare" (Kilmister, Clarke, Taylor)

Personnel

• "Fast" Eddie Clarke – Guitars, vocals
• Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor – Drums
• Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) – Bass, lead vocals

References

1. Prato, Greg (2001). "Overkill". In Vladimir Bogdanov (ed.). All music guide: the definitive guide to popular music. Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Hal Leonard. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-87930-627-4.
2. Diehl, Matt (April 2009). "The Spin Interview: Lemmy". Spin. pp. 68–70. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
3. Burridge, Alan Illustrated Collector's Guide to Motörhead Published: 1995, Collector's Guide Publishing ISBN 0-9695736-2-6.
4. Kilmister, Lemmy; Garza, Janiss (2004). White Line Fever. Citadel. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-8065-2590-7.
5. Taylor, Steve (2006). A to X of Alternative Music. Continuum. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-8264-8217-4.
6. Peter Buckley, ed. (2003). The rough guide to rock. Rough Guides. p. 699. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
7. Bolton, R. Scott (27 August 2002). "Lemmy Describes Motörhead's Everything Louder Than Everyone Else". Rough Edge. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
8. Cimarc, George (2005). Punk diary: the ultimate trainspotter's guide to underground rock, 1970-1982. Hal Leonard. p. 650. ISBN 978-0-87930-848-3.
9. Kilmister, Lemmy; Garza, Janiss (2004). White Line Fever. Citadel. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-8065-2590-7.
10. Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Zonda. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-9582684-0-0.
11. "Megadeth - No Class (Motörhead cover) - (2012 SxSW Austin)". YouTube. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2016.