For decades, Phil Campbell helped power the relentless sound of Motörhead, delivering thunderous riffs alongside Lemmy Kilmister and becoming one of the band’s longest-serving members. In interviews later in his career, Campbell often reflected on the band’s massive catalog — and he always pointed to one record as the one he was most proud of: Bastards.
During a conversation with Noise11, Campbell was asked which Motörhead album from his time in the band meant the most to him. His answer came instantly: “Bastards.” He explained that although the record didn’t receive the promotion it deserved when it was released, he believed the album perfectly captured the band’s power and sound in the studio.
Released in October 1993, Bastards became the band’s eleventh studio album and a pivotal moment in Motörhead’s career. Produced by Howard Benson, the record delivered a raw and aggressive sound that many fans later came to view as one of the band’s strongest 1990s releases.
The album also marked an important lineup shift. It was the first full album to feature drummer Mikkey Dee, whose ferocious playing brought new energy to the group. Together with Lemmy, Campbell and guitarist Würzel, the band created a record that balanced speed, heaviness and attitude.
Songs like “Burner” and “I Am the Sword” showcased Motörhead at their most aggressive, while “On Your Feet or On Your Knees” took aim at social hypocrisy. The album also included the dark and controversial ballad “Don’t Let Daddy Kiss Me,” which addressed the subject of abuse in a way rarely heard in heavy metal at the time. Another standout, “Born to Raise Hell,” would later become one of the band’s most recognizable tracks.
Looking back on the album years later, Campbell remained deeply proud of it, saying the band had put everything they had into the recording. He praised the songwriting, musicianship and production, insisting there was “nothing wrong with that album at all” and describing it as packed with great songs.
Though Bastards didn’t initially chart in the UK due to limited promotion from the label, it gradually gained recognition among fans as one of Motörhead’s most underrated records. Many listeners now see it as a turning point that helped the band regain momentum in the 1990s and continue releasing albums for more than two decades afterward.
Campbell remained a central figure in Motörhead from 1984 until the band’s end in 2015, appearing on sixteen studio albums and helping shape their unmistakable sound.
After the death of Lemmy in 2015 brought Motörhead to a close, Campbell continued performing with his family-led band Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, keeping the spirit of Motörhead alive on stages around the world.
Following Campbell’s recent death at the age of 64, tributes from fans and musicians have poured in, remembering him as one of heavy metal’s most reliable guitarists and a musician who helped define Motörhead’s ferocious sound for more than three decades.
And among the many albums he helped create during that legendary run, Bastards remains the one he proudly held up as the definitive example of Motörhead’s power — a record that continues to roar long after the guitarist who loved it is gone.
