Ace of Spades is the fourth studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in October 1980 via Bronze Records.

[5] By 1979, Motörhead had released two extremely successful classic albums, Overkill and Bomber, and had gained a loyal fan following by constant touring and television appearances.

Their ferocious, loud proto-thrash playing style appealed equally to punks and heavy metal fans, but in 1979 Sounds writer Geoff Barton coined the term "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (NWOBHM) to classify a slew of newer bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and Saxon.

In fact, United Artists decided to finally release the band's "lost" first album at this time under the title On Parole, which had originally been recorded in 1976 but shelved because it was deemed commercially unviable.

Next, the Big Beat label, which had taken over Chiswick's catalogue, released Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, packaging four extra tracks that the band had laid down for their debut album.

The bassist recalls in his 2002 memoir White Line Fever: He used to own a mobile studio – Hawkwind hired it out to do Space Ritual and he came with it... Vic was a great man and a great producer, really brilliant... Those were good times; we were winning, we were younger, and we believed it.As Steffan Chirazi observes in the liner notes to the 1996 reissue of Ace of Spades: Vic Maille at the production helm used an expert ear to translate the monstrous live sound and feel of the band to vinyl.Maille, who was affectionately nicknamed "Turtle" by the band (for his resemblance to the reptile), was critical in giving Motörhead a sleeker sound on record without sacrificing its raw power.

So we had to listen to him.Whereas the band had previously had an input at the mixing stage, Maile took sole responsibility here, Clarke explaining that the result was "you can finally hear everything that's going on.

For myself, I've had enough of that song.In 2011, Lemmy admitted to James McNair of Mojo: I'm glad we got famous for that rather than for some turkey, but I sang 'The eight of spades' for two years and nobody noticed.The song "(We Are) the Road Crew" was written as a tribute to the band's roadies.

Motörhead appeared on Top of the Pops twice in October to promote the single "Ace of Spades", and were guests on the ITV children's morning show Tiswas on 8 November.

After the Belfast show on 2 December, hijinks resulted in Taylor breaking his neck forcing him to wear a neck-brace and curtailing any further band activity.

Like the song "Shoot You in the Back", the Ace of Spades artwork employs a classic wild west motif.

[18][failed verification] Robert Christgau stated: "Punks have never bought his leather jacket and indie connections because Lemmy Kilmister's grizzled-biker-born-to-rock is metal without the heavy—no preening solos or blow-dried bullshit.

Sid Smith of BBC Music enthused in 2007: When Lemmy sings the lyrics to '(We Are) The Road Crew' it's the sound of a grizzled veteran who has been there, done that and gone back for second helpings...

Unrepentant and full of hell, there's not one note out of place.Despite the band always referring to their music as rock 'n' roll,[19] the album, and particularly its title track, have been considered amongst the most influential in the development of thrash metal.

All tracks are written by Kilmister, Clarke, TaylorOn 30 October 2020, BMG released a deluxe box set of the album, which includes seven 12" LPs, one 10" EP and a DVD.

Pre-orders from the official shop of the band were able to receive a Dutch replica of the Ace Of Spades single, with the instrumental of the song on the b-side.