Lemmy Was Right About Venom

[Dino Velvet]

They suck. Venom might have inspired some great Metal but I can't listen to them.

When interviewer Sam Dunn tells Lemmy that he himself was "blown away" by Venom back when he was twelve, Lemmy responds, "Anything will blow you away when you're twelve. A day at the beach will blow you away when you are twelve."



http://www.metalthrone.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3568

[Norma]

I like both, but Venom edges out Motorhead. IMO

Lemmy is drunk or high , or both during interviews and talks out of his ass alot. He's even talked shit about Deep Purple and Black Sabbath...

The one area where Motorhead edges out Venom , is in the live performance (compared to Venom's 80's era), because Venom were out there trying to be an arena band, and did not even have a proper monitor system and had incompetent sound guys and promoters, to hear what they could play. Any musician, playing in a live venue, recognizes the importance of a good sound system, good monitor system, and capable sound mixer i.e. sound guy.

Add this to the fact that Venom was always moving around,being high or drunk themselves, headbanging and playing way more intricate riffs, which in turn added to the sloppiness in their live show.

The Motorhead guys basically just stand in place playing very simple riffs and in Lemmy's case, ridiculously easy bass lines.

I think people confuse bad production and engineering in the case of Venom's early albums, with 'bad musicianship'. If you dissect venom's early songs , take away the bad production, you actually wind up with very intricate and complicated musicianship.

The more recent Venom, 2000-to present, is actually quite tight.

For once, I don't agree with you Dino, still love ya though.

Btw, Emperor wipes the floor with venom and motorheard combined. Emperor are actually very accomplished musicians and not just beer swigging drunks and potheads like Venom/Motorhead.

[Dino Velvet]

I can understand defending Venom. But saying they're better than Motorhead?

[Norma]

Not defending them or saying they're better, just telling it like it is. Lemmy basically dismissed them as some sort of talentless act, and Motorhead's music is actually LESS complicated than Venom's, from a musical arrangement/complexity standpoint.

Sometimes , to some people, 'easier on the ears' equates to 'better'.Venom has a harsher , underproduced sound, but that by no means means they are less skilled musicians than motorhead and vice versa.

Some people like Venom , some like Motorhead, some like both, some like neither.

That's why the Megadeth vs Metallica debates never end. Some people swear Metallica or Megadeth is better than the other, and they're not, it's just a case of different strokes for different folks.

Now if you compare Metallica or Megadeth to a garage band that can't even tune their instruments, then, yea, Metallica/Megadeth is better. lol

Motorhead and Venom are in the same league when it comes to musical talent. Regardless of who is more 'popular' or has sold more records, or has influenced more musicians.

[Dino Velvet]

I totally respect and appreciate your opinion but what about the songs? Motorhead has endless good stuff to play and listen to.

To be perfectly honest, I am more familiar with the Welcome To Hell/Black Metal Venom. I will give the newer material a listen. Can you recommend me some newer Venom to listen to? Don't hold back as I want a good look so I can judge fairly.

[russtafa]

I always like Status Quo I thought they were a great band

[hard4janira]

Gotta weigh in here.... Venom is mostly bollocks. They were notoriously AWFUL musicians, especially in the early days. To say that they are better than Motorhead is blasphemy. Motorhead has a catalog of music that absolutely blows Venom into smithereens. Venoms contribution is paltry and borderline unmemorable by comparison. Motorhead sit at the TOP of the heavy throne. They are the keepers of the keys, the guardians of the gate. If you pass, its only because Lemmy says you can.

Venom can be considered to be one of the earliest speed-metal bands and perhaps one of the earliest practicioners of what would eventually become black metal. Others included Hellhammer (later Celtic Frost), very early Sodom, and Bathory. Bathory and Celtic Frost would have much bigger impacts on the black metal genre than Venom (who could never really shake the cartoonish image or Spinal-tap like comparisons). Bands like Exodus, Slayer, Metallica, Artillery, Testament, and Anthrax would come along and shape the Thrash movement while new arrivals Sepltura and Death would start to shape the Death Metal genre. Black Metal and Death Metal would both diverge and cultivate loyal but distinct followings, neither genre however would cite Venom as a significant influence or meaningful contributor

[Dino Velvet]

Gotta weigh in here.... Venom is mostly bollocks. They were notoriously AWFUL musicians, especially in the early days. To say that they are better than Motorhead is blasphemy. Motorhead has a catalog of music that absolutely blows Venom into smithereens. Venoms contribution is paltry and borderline unmemorable by comparison. Motorhead sit at the TOP of the heavy throne. They are the keepers of the keys, the guardians of the gate. If you pass, its only because Lemmy says you can.

Venom can be considered to be one of the earliest speed-metal bands and perhaps one of the earliest practicioners of what would eventually become black metal. Others included Hellhammer (later Celtic Frost), very early Sodom, and Bathory. Bathory and Celtic Frost would have much bigger impacts on the black metal genre than Venom (who could never really shake the cartoonish image or Spinal-tap like comparisons). Bands like Exodus, Slayer, Metallica, Artillery, Testament, and Anthrax would come along and shape the Thrash movement while new arrivals Sepltura and Death would start to shape the Death Metal genre. Black Metal and Death Metal would both diverge and cultivate loyal but distinct followings, neither genre however would cite Venom as a significant influence or meaningful contributor

Great post.

[russtafa]

the Cult were a great band

[Dino Velvet]

Russ, what's your favorite Aussie band?