We Are Motörhead Drum Setup: Mikkey Dee's Gear on Motörhead's 2000 Album | MetalForge
Mikkey Dee recorded We Are Motörhead (2000) on a Tama Starclassic (transitional configuration) kit with a Tama Starclassic Steel Snare snare.
Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Mikkey Dee used on Motörhead's We Are Motörhead (2000) — recorded across two continents with a new production ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drums did Mikkey Dee use on We Are Motörhead?
On *We Are Motörhead* (2000), Mikkey Dee transitioned to an early configuration of the Tama Starclassic line, moving away from the Artstar II/Swingstar kit he'd used since [*Bastards*](/articles/bastards-drum-setup) (1993). The core dimensions stayed the same — a 22" bass drum, 10"/12"/13" rack toms, and 16"/18" floor toms — but the Starclassic's maple/birch hybrid shells gave the kit a punchier, more contemporary tone that would fully define his sound by [*Inferno*](/articles/inferno-drum-setup) (2004). See the [Mikkey Dee drummer profile](/drummer/mikkey-dee) for his complete gear evolution.
Why did Motörhead record We Are Motörhead in two different countries?
*We Are Motörhead* was tracked at Karo Studios in Brackel, Germany, during 1999, with overdubs completed months later at American Recorders in Calabasas, California, in early 2000. This was the band's first self-produced album since Mikkey Dee joined, made alongside Bob Kulick, Bruce Bouillet, and Duane Baron, and the extended, multi-location schedule reflected the more collaborative production approach they were taking after four straight albums with Howard Benson.
Did Mikkey Dee change his cymbal setup on We Are Motörhead?
Yes. *We Are Motörhead* is the album where Dee retired the Paiste Giant Beat 15" hi-hats he had used since his first-ever Motörhead session, 1992's "Hellraiser," replacing them with Paiste 2002 Sound Edge 15" hi-hats. The rest of his cymbal setup — the 22" ride, 18"/20" crashes, and 18" China — carried over unchanged from [*Snake Bite Love*](/articles/snake-bite-love-drum-setup).
What is the Sex Pistols cover on We Are Motörhead?
*We Are Motörhead* includes a cover of the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen," for which the band filmed a promo video atop an open-top double-decker bus in London. Mikkey Dee's newly adopted Paiste 2002 Sound Edge hi-hats gave the track's driving pattern a tighter, more controlled edge than his earlier Giant Beat setup.