# Bastards Drum Setup: Mikkey Dee's Gear on Motörhead's 1993 Album > Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Mikkey Dee used on Motörhead's Bastards (1993) — his studio debut with the band. Complete breakdown of the Tama kit, Paiste cymbals, and the Swedish powerhouse's debut Motörhead performance. **Type:** Album Drum Setup **Drummer(s):** [Mikkey Dee](/llms/drummers/mikkey-dee.md) **Band / Album:** Motörhead — *Bastards* (1993) **Genre:** Heavy Metal / Hard Rock ## Overview Released on November 1, 1993, *Bastards* marked a pivotal moment in Motörhead history — the first studio album to feature Mikkey Dee behind the kit. When Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor departed Motörhead for the second time in early 1992 due to health issues, the band faced a genuine crisis. Taylor had been one-third of the classic Motörhead lineup alongside Lemmy Kilmister and "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and his chaotic, thundering style was deeply embedded in the band's DNA. The decision to recruit Mikkey Dee — a Gothenburg-born Swede who had already impressed the metal world with King Diamond's *Abigail* (1987) and subsequent albums — was inspired. Where Taylor brought barely-controlled fury, Dee brought precision power: the ability to deliver devastating volume with technical discipline, maintaining pocket-locked grooves even at extreme tempos. Lemmy recognized immediately that Dee could not only replicate what Motörhead needed but elevate it. "Mikkey can do anything," Lemmy once said. "He's the best drummer I ever played with." *Bastards* served as Mikkey Dee's audition tape to the world. The album showcased tracks like the relentless "Burner," the funk-metal experiment "Born to Raise Hell" (featuring Ice-T and Ugly Kid Joe vocalist Whitfield Crane), and the thundering "Death or Glory." What unified every track was a drum foundation that was simultaneously heavier and more controlled than anything in Motörhead's previous decade. This article examines the Tama drum kit, Paiste cymbals, and Tama Iron Cobra pedals that powered Dee's debut Motörhead studio performance — the gear behind rock's loudest band's most significant lineup transition. ## Gear Breakdown - **Drums:** Tama Tama Artstar II / Swingstar (Black finish) - **Snare:** Tama Tama Artstar II Steel Snare, 14" x 6.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste — Paiste Giant Beat / Paiste 2002 - **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra; Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Throne; Vic Firth 5B - **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant) - **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for crack and projection through high-volume mix ### Mikkey Dee's Tama Arsenal: Precision for the World's Loudest Band During the early Motörhead years, Mikkey Dee built his arsenal around Tama drums — specifically the Artstar II and Swingstar series, which were among the finest professional kits available in the early 1990s. Tama's Japanese engineering brought a level of consistency and durability that suited the punishing demands of Motörhead's touring and recording schedule. The 22" bass drum was the foundation of Dee's Tama setup on *Bastards*. Unlike the oversized bass drums popular among death and thrash metal drummers of the era, Dee kept to the classic 22" configuration. This choice delivered the focused, punchy low-end thump that Motörhead's hard rock approach demanded — a drum sound that locked with Lemmy's bass guitar without competing with it. The multi-tom setup provided Dee with the tonal range to navigate both Motörhead's straightforward rock tracks and more complex arrangements. Three rack toms (10", 12", 13") and dual floor toms (16", 18") gave him options for dramatic fills without overwhelming the song-focused arrangements that defined the *Bastards* material. Tama's Artstar II shells were prized for their even sustain and attack — qualities that worked in the studio environment of the *Bastards* sessions. Where Motörhead's rawness had sometimes masked kit limitations in earlier recordings, Dee's Tama setup delivered a drum sound with genuine definition and character. Every stroke registered. The transition from Taylor's setup to Dee's Tama arsenal represented a quiet revolution in Motörhead's drum sound — more controlled, more consistent, but no less powerful. ### The Snare That Launched Mikkey's Motörhead Era The snare sound on *Bastards* is one of the most immediately identifiable aspects of Mikkey Dee's early Motörhead work. Crisp, cutting, with a steel-shell brightness that sliced through Lemmy's legendarily massive stage and studio volume — the snare announced that something had changed in Motörhead's rhythm section. Dee's preference for steel-shell snares dated back to his King Diamond years. The steel construction delivers an attack and projection that aluminum and wood cannot match at high volumes. In the Motörhead context — where Lemmy's bass often occupied a "third guitar" frequency range — the snare needed to find its own sonic space and claim it emphatically. The 6.5" depth provided the body and sustain to fill the sonic picture, while the tight steel shell kept the high-frequency attack prominent. Dee tuned the drum on the higher side of medium — enough crack for live volumes without sacrificing the musicality that distinguishes his playing from simpler battering. On tracks like "Burner" and "Death or Glory," the snare's articulation is remarkable. Ghost notes emerge between primary hits, giving the groove a pocket that Taylor's more chaotic approach rarely provided. Dee brought a jazz-drummer's snare sensitivity to the hardest rock context imaginable. ### Paiste Power: Giant Beat and 2002 for the World's Loudest Band Mikkey Dee's cymbal setup during the *Bastards* era represented a transitional moment in his endorsement history — combining Paiste's Giant Beat line (a throwback to classic rock and jazz heritage) with the more aggressive Paiste 2002 series. Both share Paiste's signature CuSn8 bronze alloy, but the Giant Beat's warmer, darker character contrasts with the 2002's brighter, more cutting attack. The Giant Beat hi-hats — at 15" rather than the standard 14" — provided more body and volume. When you're playing next to Lemmy Kilmister's bass rig, a setup legendary engineers described as a physical assault on the eardrums, you need cymbals that can hold their own in the mix without simply becoming louder. The Giant Beat's fuller low-frequency response allowed the hi-hats to function as a musical element, not merely a high-frequency texture. The Paiste 2002 series handled crashes and ride duties. The 2002 has been a fixture in rock and heavy metal since the 1970s — Lars Ulrich used it on *Kill 'Em All* (1983), and Dave Lombardo on *Reign in Blood* (1986). Its combination of cutting attack and warm sustain made it ideal for Dee's role in Motörhead's mix: assertive enough to be heard, musical enough to serve the songs. The 18" China cymbal added the trashy, aggressive accent that Motörhead's heaviest moments demanded. Dee deployed it sparingly — a punctuation mark rather than a constant texture — giving each hit maximum impact. ## Key Facts - First Motörhead studio album featuring Mikkey Dee, released November 1, 1993 - Mikkey Dee joined Motörhead in early 1992, replacing Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor - "Born to Raise Hell" featured Ice-T and Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) — most commercially visible track - Dee's Tama/Paiste setup represented a significant tonal departure from Taylor's era - Tama Artstar II series used by Dee in his early Motörhead years — later transitioning to Yamaha - 22" bass drum: classic hard rock size, punchy and focused rather than overwhelming - Multi-tom configuration gave Dee options for the varied material on Bastards - Maple shells provided warm attack and even sustain suited to studio capture - Estimated kit value: $1,500–3,000 (1993) / $800–2,000 (vintage Tama today) - Estimated snare value: $250–450 (1993) **Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/bastards-drum-setup **More LLM resources:** [Site index](/llms.txt) · [Full database](/llms-full.txt) · [Master FAQ](/llms/faq.md) · [Drummer index](/llms/index.md) *Last updated: 2026-06-25 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*