January 30th, 2021 - Tweakers On Parole

Hello there rockers, rollers, and craft brew freaks!  The Meista here today pairing "On Parole," the 4th album released by Motörhead and a bold and beastly 2014 Tweak Annual Barrel Series Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout from Avery Brewing Company!  This paring goes out to my friend and fellow rocker Mike... cheers and thanks for the beer brother!!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Motörhead 
• Title: "On Parole"
• Recorded: September 1975 and December 1975 through February 1976 at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales
  Release date: December 8th, 1979 (4th album released by Motorhead, but actually their first recorded album)
• Record company: United Artists / Liberty Records / Parlophone (2020 re-release)
• Production: Dave Edmunds and Fritz Fryer
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Lucas Fox (drums on "Lost Johnny"), Lemmy Kilmister (lead vocals and bass), Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor (drums), and Larry Wallis (lead guitar, backing vocals, and lead vocals on "Vibrator" and "Fools")
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy blues rock, heavy metal, rock and roll 
• Sound: A little rough around the edges, bluesy, and not as fast and heavy as the band would become, this is still the one and only Motörhead!  It is aggressive, fun as hell, and totally rockin'! Wallis' guitar work is very different from Fast Eddie's.  It almost has a Neil Young vibe.  This is especially prominent on "Iron Horse".
• Major themes: Rock and roll, sex, drugs, crime, rebellion, life, etc.
• Notes: "On Parole" was recorded in 1975 and was intended to be the band's first full-length album.  However, the label refused to release it at the time and it was shelved until 1979.  Once the band had become popular, United Artists decided they wanted to cash in on Motörhead's fame.
• Tracks: 

1. "Motörhead" (Hawkwind cover)
2.  "On Parole"
3. "Vibrator"
4. "Iron Horse / Born To Lose"
5. "City Kids" (Pink Fairies cover)
6. "Fools"
7. "The Watcher" (Hawkwind cover)
8. "Leaving Here" (Eddie Holland cover)
9. "Lost Johnny" (Hawkwind cover)
10. "On Parole" (alternate take)
11. "City Kids" (alternate take)
12. "Iron Horse / Born To Lose" (alternate take)
13. "Motörhead" (alternate take)
14. "Leaving Here" (alternate take)
15. "Fools" (demo version)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Avery Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado)
• Website: http://averybrewing.com
• Brew: Tweak Tweak Annual Barrel Series Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout (2014)
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 17.8%
• Pour: The Tweak pours a very deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a creamy, dark mocha, 1-finger head with good retention with lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by roasty, malty, sweet, and boozy aromas.  There are big notes of dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, maple, light oak, rich bourbon, spiced rum, char, a little black cherry juice, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste is a wonderful blend of roasty, toasty, boozy, malty, and sweet flavors.  There are big notes of bourbon, dark roasted coffee, and dark chocolate along with more subtle notes of plum, cherries, toasted hearty bread, maple syrup, and sweet toffee/caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with very low carbonation, the Tweak is boozy, but velvety smooth and creamy with a dry, boozy, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: Like the Tweak from Avery Brewing Company, "On Parole" is an amazing and fantastically engaging work of very early Motörhead!  Those big , bold, boozy, rich, and roasty flavors work great with the overall heaviness of the album, while the sweeter and fruity notes go great with the more soulful and bluesy elements of the album!

Cheers!!  Hails!!