”Make My Day: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Story of FAST EDDIE CLARKE” celebrates the late Motorhead / Fastway guitarist with a deluxe 4-CD career retrospective and book written by veteran rock journalist Kris Needs with Clarke’s widow Mariko Fujiwara, giving you a glimpse into the life and times of a proper rock ‘n’ roll great.
The set features unearthed / vault music from FAST EDDIE CLARKE early bands, Motorhead & Fastway rarities / unreleased, and his solo work including re-recordings and alternate versions.
CD1 is titled ‘The Early Years’, featuring tracks from Zeus, Continuous Performance, and the Muggers (who Eddie and Philthy “Animal” Taylor played with in 1978), rare early material remastered.
CD2 is ‘Motorhead Era’, highlighting hits like ‘Ace Of Spades,’ unreleased demos, rare Clarke takes on lead vocals, and his work with Girlschool,
CD3 ‘Fastway’ the band’s evolution with demos, remixes, plust the best hits, then CD4 is ‘The Solo Years’, focusing on his solo albums and collaborations.
Stories of a rock n’ roll warrior don’t come much more comprehensive than this. R.I.P. Eddie, and thanks for your rick legacy.
Clarke is mostly recognized as a forerunner of proto-speed metal, laying the groundwork for bands like Venom and Metallica with his groundbreaking riffs during his time with Motörhead.
However, his early years were deeply rooted in the blues-inspired hard and progressive rock of the 1970s, and that is well covered in the first CD of this compilation, featuring tracks from his time with Curtis Knight’s progressive rock band Zeus, and later with Continuous Performance, a project with Be-Bop Deluxe bassist Charlie Tumahai. Cuts like “Cloud” and “In The Morning” reflect the rich, expansive sound that became the framework of bands like Uriah Heep and UFO, with Clarke demonstrating a fluid and expressive guitar style.
The CD concludes with a raw, three-song set from Clarke’s late ’70s legendary project The Muggers (who Eddie and Philthy “Animal” Taylor played with in 1978 along with ‘Speedy’ Keen and Heartbreakers bassist Billy Rath), offering a more familiar taste for those who primarily associate him with Motörhead’s heavier sound.
The second CD takes listeners into the classic Motörhead lineup, known as the “Three Amigos,” from their 1977 debut through 1982’s Iron Fist. This period includes essential tracks like “Overkill,” “Ace of Spades,” and “Iron Fist,” but the real treasures lie in the deeper cuts.
Rare, previously unreleased demos from the Bomber album, such as “Lawman” and “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” provide a raw, unpolished glimpse into Motörhead’s early sound, capturing the band’s gritty energy as if performed in a small, intimate venue.
Clarke’s contributions as a vocalist on tracks like “Step Down” and an alternate version of “Stone Dead Forever” also bring a fresh dimension to the band’s music, with his voice adding a distinct, rock-influenced texture.
The third CD explores Clarke’s post-Motörhead career, focusing on his work with Fastway, the hard rock band he founded in the ’80s. Despite the early departure of bassist Pete Way, which prevented him from recording with the band, demo tracks like “All I Need Is Your Love” and “Feel Me Touch Me” set the stage, with the former evoking the hard-hitting style of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker,” and showcasing the then-unknown Dave King’s vocal prowess.
Remixed versions of cuts like “Deliver Me” and “Lovin’ Fool” channel Clarke’s ’70s rock influences in a strong fashion, while a 2007 live performance of “Easy Livin’” underscores his enduring talent.
More polished tracks like “Trick Of Treat” and “Change Of Heart” highlight some of his best post-Motörhead guitar work, leaning into the more melodic, AOR-driven sound of the era.
In Clarke’s later years, a sense of rock n’ roll roots permeated his music, as evidenced by the solo material featured on the fourth CD. Re-recorded versions of tracks like “Snakebite” and “Laugh At The Devil” revisit the classic Motörhead sound, with “Snakebite” channeling the high-octane energy of “Ace of Spades,” while “Laugh At The Devil” cranks up the intensity, with Lemmy providing vocals to add even more edge.
Clarke’s guitar work stands out on bluesy tracks like “All Over Bar The Shouting” and the swaggering “No Satisfaction,” offering a definitive glimpse of his talents both as a guitarist and as a vocalist.
The CD closes with tracks that nod to Clarke’s pre-Motörhead progressive era, featuring keyboardist Bill Sharpe, but with a heavier, more modern twist.
Offering a detailed look into “Fast Eddie” Clarke’s career, this posthumous collection, serves up an expansive look into his vast contributions to both rock and metal, ones that truly deserve a broader appreciation.
While his music might seem firmly rooted in classic hard rock, this 46-track release paints a fuller picture of a guitarist who influenced significant change while staying true to his roots, supported by the talented musicians with whom he collaborated.
Above all, it captures the human side of Clarke, highlighted by a recorded message from him at the start of the musical content, offering a final word of encouragement from beyond.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
CD1 – The Early Years
01． Intro / Fast Eddie Clarke
02． Cloud / Curtis Knight Zeus
03． The Confession – Curtis Knight Zeus
04． People Places And Things / Curtis Knight Zeus
05． Takin’ It Easy / Continuous Performance
06． In The Morning / Continuous Performance
07． White Lightning / The Muggers
08． (Just A) Nightmare / The Muggers
09． Summertime Blues / The Muggers
CD2 – Motörhead
01． Ace Of Spades
02． Step Down (Eddie vocals)
03． Lawman (Bomber demo) [previously unreleased]
04． Alligator (Bomber demo) [previously unreleased]
05． Dead Men Tell No Tales (Bomber demo) [prev unreleased]
06． Emergency (Eddie vocals)
07． Motörhead (Live)
08． Stone Dead Forever (Eddie vocals)
09． Iron Fist
10． Bomber
11． The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
12． The Hammer
13． Overkill
CD3 – Fastway
01． All I Need Is Your Love (Pete Way Demo)
02． Say What You Will
03． Feel Me, Touch Me (Pete Way Demo)
04． Easy Livin’ (Live, Loudpark 07)
05． Trick Or Treat
06． Heft
07． All Fired Up
08． Change Of Heart
09． Deliver Me (Remix)
10． Fade Out (Remix)
11． Leave The Light On (Remix)
12． Lovin’ Fool (Remix)
13． Sick As A Dog (Remix)
CD4 – The Solo Years
01． Snakebite (New Version)
02． Laugh At The Devil (New Version)
03． All Over Bar The Shouting
04． No Satisfaction
05． Make My Day (feat Bill Sharpe)
06． Heavy Load (feat Bill Sharpe)
07． Walking Too Slow (feat Bill Sharpe)
08． Ethereal Blue (feat Bill Sharpe)
09． Mountains To The Sea (feat Bill Sharpe)
10． My New Life (feat Bill Sharpe)
11． Over And Out
12． 21st Century (Alternative Mix) / Black Electric