It's not easy to impress the legendary Lemmy from Motorhead. The great, grizzled old road warrior has seen all, snorted all and guzzled all before him before meeting himself coming back over the years and once famously remarked that "if Motorhead moved in next door to you your lawn would die." Yes, somehow I think my Mum would enjoy tea and cucumber sandwiches with the great man of a Sunday afternoon.
So the fact The Lemster's loins can still be juiced by the sound of a seriously kick-ass young buncha reprobates is undoubtedly a good thing, which is where Austin, Texas' s YOUNG HEART ATTACK come in. YHA supported Motorhead on their UK tour prior to Xmas and Lemmy was so impressed he flew out to duet and play bass on "Get It Hot", one of the 2 B-sides here. Ironically it's probably the weakest track, though you certainly wouldn't kick it out of bed on a cold morning, and it's bastard AC/DCs-style boogie is endearing enough.
"Tommy Shots" itself, though, is the real killer. Coming on like a glorious ramraiding competition between AC/DC and The New Christs with singers Jennifer Stephens and Chris Hodge hollering call'n'response style like prime time Bon Scott and Joan Jett and the band rocking like they've all just trodden on rattlesnakes in the studio. Venomous, in a word.
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A further ironic twist involving Lemmy (at least in spirit) befalls YHA when we come to the single's final track "Sunset Sinner" because the song's intro initially recalls "Tear Ya Down" from ver 'Head's ace "Overkill" album before scorching its' ass and rip-roaring off into the ether. It's crunchy, no-nonsense, entirely old skool and basically I'll have some of what they're on, thanks very much.
All this and a cracking debut album as well, eh? Bloody hell: Rawkenfrikkenroll!! Only one thing - where did the Lemmy-assisted cover of X's "We're Desperate" that was supposed to be a B-side go to?
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