Ace of Spades Driving Power — Mikkey Dee (Motörhead) Drum Lick | MetalForge
VIDEO
Learn the Ace of Spades Driving Power drum lick by Mikkey Dee of Motörhead. From Ace of Spades (Ace of Spades (2008 re-recording)). "Ace of Spades" is the song that defines Motörhead, and although Phil Taylor played on the 1980 orig...
Gear Deep Dives & Articles
1. Mikkey Dee's Signature Licks — "Ace of Spades" is the song that defines Motörhead, and although Phil Taylor played on the 1980 original, Mikkey Dee — Motörhead's drummer from 1992 until Lemmy's passing in 2015 — re-recorded it in 2008 and powered it on stage night after night for over two decades. Mikkey's version is a clinic in relentless, high-octane rock-metal drumming: the tempo is brutal, but he drives it with a punishing, locked-in groove, heavy backbeat, and the explosive energy that made Motörhead a force of nature. His signature is raw power married to rock-solid time — he plays fast and hard without ever rushing, and his fills are aggressive bursts that propel the song rather than decorate it. Mikkey is also a celebrated double-bass and technical player, but on "Ace of Spades" he channels all of that ability into pure drive, proving that taste and intensity matter as much as chops. In the isolated drum track you can hear how disciplined the part is beneath the chaos: the groove never wavers, the backbeat is enormous, and every fill lands clean. For drummers, "Ace of Spades" is a study in high-tempo rock-metal stamina and feel: it develops fast, steady time, a powerful backbeat that holds up at speed, and the endurance to sustain full intensity for a whole song. The approach is to lock the groove to a metronome and build the tempo gradually, keep the body relaxed so the speed is sustainable, and play the fills as controlled bursts. It's a definitive example of how Mikkey Dee turned breakneck speed into an unstoppable groove.2. Mikkey Dee Profile — Lock a punishing, steady groove at breakneck tempo without rushing Anchor an enormous backbeat that holds up at speed Drive the song with aggressive fill bursts, not decoration Channel technical ability into pure drive and feel Build the tempo gradually and stay relaxed for stamina
Visit MetalForge →