Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977

by Greg Prato Few bands in the history of heavy metal are as road-tested as Motörhead. Since the mid-'70s, Lemmy Kilmister and whoever else was man enough to join the band's ranks have been tearing it up on the road, and are responsible for one of rock's greatest live albums of all time, 1981's No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith. As its title states, the double-disc set Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977 captures Motörhead early on -- including their classic lineup of singer/bassist Kilmister, guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke, and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. And while it's not as awe-inspiring as the aforementioned Hammersmith set, it does include quite a few down 'n' dirty treats ("Motörhead," "Iron Horse," "White Line Fever," and "I'll Be Your Sister"), as well as a handful of covers ("Leaving Here," "Train Kept A-Rollin'," and "Louie, Louie"). The sound quality is a bit rough and many of the songs are included twice, but for fans curious to hear what Motörhead sounded like on-stage early on, Keep Us on the Road: Live 1977 is a worthy document.