Episode #11 - 1980

The Sadmen weren’t so much sad as they entered the studio (er, their three respective bedrooms) for Episode 11, more perplexed by what had happened in Episode 10, about as bizarre an affirmation as is possible of quite what a broad church we metalheads worship in.

In light of that and with scars yet unhealed, Mark, Richard and Steve went for a safety-first approach this time, blowing the dust off a trio of old British favourites from the same year.

That year in question was 1980 which is close enough to 1979 for Seventies throwback Mark to at least find a piece of work which had been conceived in the decade when he discovered Terry and June, even if it wasn’t actually released then. And he seemed happy enough.

So, with Union Jacks waving we bid a happy 40th to NWOBHM and celebrated with the sounds of Whitesnake, Diamond Head and Motorhead ringing in our ears.

Whitesnake – Ready an’ Willing (1980)

Steve ushered in the fun with Ready an’ Willing, an album that wins prizes galore for Whitesnake for the quality of its music but a night in the clink for Mr Coverdale for the lyrics. The dirty old sod!

Yes, the testosterone was clearly flowing as freely as the Watney’s Red Barrel when Dishy Dave started penning some words for this, the band’s third album, and 40 years on the seediness didn’t seem to have worn off. Why else would one of our jurors reveal that the first time he’d ever seen a breast was on Lovedrive.

And talking of tits, brace yourself for another right pair, none other than Chas and Dave, entering the conversation. It was going to be one of those nights.

Diamond Head – Lightning to the Nations (1980)

Any discussion over NWOBHM and Mark goes all myopic, declaring a love for one band above all others.

And having spent an hour in the company of Diamond Head’s legendary founder and guitarist – King Diamond, if you like – Brian Tatler, prior to kick-off, our man was fit to burst as he plonked the needle upon the outer rim of Lightning to the Nations.

(Our gas with Mr Tatler, incidentally, has become an Enter Sadmen Special podcast and is out there in all the usual places).

But Mark wasn’t the only one shooting his metaphorical load over the joys that are contained within the sleeve of the Head’s debut release, an album that would have been a triumph without Am I Evil but is a masterpiece with it.

Motorhead – Ace of Spades (1980)

And so, from King Diamond to Emperor Grumpy, aka Lemmy.

Motorhead put the tin lid on a fantastic year with Ace of Spades, an album that really should have spawned that year’s Christmas No.1. Instead, the title track peaked just a few weeks too early, hitting the dizzy heights in November when it found itself squeezed between UB40 and the Nolans in 15th spot in the charts. Lemmy squeezed between the Nolans – now there’s a thought. I daresay David Coverdale has written a song about just that.

In fact Mark hasn’t paid his TV licence since that infamous Thursday night when Ace of Spades was the week’s highest climber yet Lemmy and pals didn’t appear on Top of the Pops.

But this album, as Richard enthused, is far more than just that track, with a trio of 10 out of 10s despatched elsewhere proving the point. But which pieces of Lemmy majesty were worthy of such exaltation. Tune in and find out.