THE A&R GUY

Howard Thompson, who signed Motörhead to Bronze Records, talks early days, Hells Angels and PG Wodehouse.

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"When I was a scout at Island Records, I got a letter from somebody called Frank Kennington. So I called him, and he said: 'We're rehearsing this week at Manticore.' So I arrived at this old cinema, and went through the side door along a long corridor into complete and total darkness, apart from the red lights on the amplifiers. Suddenly there was this incredible roaring noise, these motorbike headlights switched on and two Hells Angels started revving around the cinema, which was seatless.

Motörhead started playing while these Angels were going in circles around the auditorium. As loud as they were, all I could hear was the roar of the bikes. You couldn't tell what the fuck was going on. After about ten minutes of this, I left and called up Frank, saying: "Thank you but I'm not interested.'