“Motörhead, remember me now, Motörhead, alright!”

Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers is the first book to celebrate the classic-era Motörhead lineup of Lemmy Kilmister, “Fast” Eddie Clarke, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor. Through interviews with all of the principal troublemakers, Martin Popoff celebrates the formation of the band and the records that made them legends: Motörhead, Overkill, Bomber, Ace of Spades, No Sleep ’til Hammersmith, and Iron Fist. An in-depth coda brings the story up to date with the shocking recent deaths of Taylor and Kilmister.

Motörhead comes to life in this book as bad-luck bad boys — doused in drink and drugs, most notably speed — incapable of running their lives right, save for Fast Eddie, who is charged with holding things together. Popoff also examines the heady climate of music through the band’s rise to prominence during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, with detailed reflection on Motörhead’s unique position in the scene as both originators and embattled survivors who carried on the renegade spirit of those times.

Martin Popoff's profile page

• Short-listed, ARSC Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research

With 54 books on heavy metal, hard rock, and record collecting, and with more than 7,900 record reviews, Martin Popoff has been called “heavy metal’s most widely recognized journalist.” In addition to writing for Goldmine, BraveWords.com, and record companies, Martin works for Banger Productions, having conducted research and consulted on Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, Metal Evolution, Rock Icons, and the in-progress official documentary on ZZ Top. Martin lives in Toronto, Ontario; find him online at MartinPopoff.com.

“For 40 years Motörhead kicked your ass and made you deaf. They inspired an entire genre of music and the driving force was Lemmy. He was and always will be rock and roll.” — Triple H, WWE Superstar

“As a musician and band guy, this is the kind of book I want to read about Motörhead. I mean, all the sex, drugs, and rock’n’ roll stuff is already legendary, as is the Live life on 10 attitude of Lemmy and the band. This book really captures what it was like to be in a band with these legendary idols. Even to this day, this book encompasses band-room banter that the inner circle of any gathering of musicians would truly appreciate and understand.” — David Ellefson, Megadeth

“Popoff's book was such an entertaining read . . . Martin Popoff and ECW Press have a must-read book for metal fans in Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, whether or not the reader is a Motörhead fan.” — LanceWrites blog

“As is usually the case when it comes to books by Popoff, the wealth of research, details, anecdotes, and stories are impressive and simply begging to be devoured by all you ferocious readers out there. . . Whether you are a hardcore fan of the band or more of a casual fan of those filthy fucks, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers is well-worth investing in and a great addition to the timeless Motörhead phenomenon.” — Eternal Terror Webzine

“The result is an entertaining and informative read that sheds no little light into the often-enigmatic Lemmy K. and his life's work, Motörhead, documenting the early years of one of rock music's most beloved and underrated outfits. The Rev highly recommends Beer Drinker and Hell Raisers for both hardcore Motörhead fans (duh) as well as anybody who lives and breathes rock ‘n’ roll. Grade: A+.” — That Devil Music Blog