IF it’s too loud you’re too old! Motorhead play their rock music loud and proud, and next month they will blast our socks off in Swindon.

The ‘loudest band in the world’ is led by Ian Fraser Kilmister, aka Lemmy, lead singer and bass guitarist, who set up the band back in 1975.

“Rock ‘n’ roll should be sacred. It is to me, so I don’t see why it should not be for everybody else,’’ he is reported as saying.

The singer/songwriter was part of prog rock giants Hawkwind until their tour of Canada, when he was arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine when they were stopped at the border.

This led to the cancellation of some gigs. Lemmy left the band declaring: “Doing the wrong drugs”.’ But he remained pals with the Hawkwind musicians and in 1977, when he had formed Motorhead, he toured the UK with them.

The name Motorhead came from the final number Lemmy wrote for Hawkwind.

His first UK hit single came in 1978 with Louie Louie. The band made its debut on the BBC’s Top of the Pops that year.

Motorhead turn out iconic rock anthems, including Bomber, inspired by the Len Deighton novel of the same name, St Valentine’s Day Massacre and Ace of Spades.

In 1984 the band re-recorded Ace of Spades for the Bambi episode in the cult BritishTV series The Young Ones.

Tromeo and Juliet, the ‘no holds Bard’ British film, that was a mickey take of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, used the Motorhead single, Sacrifice, on the soundtrack, and Lemmy was the narrator.

The band spent some time recording and performing in Hollywood, including gigs with Metallica at the Coliseum, and recording the March Or Die album in 1992, during the time of the Los Angeles riots.

Motorhead has its 40th anniversary this year, having played all over the world and even at the Royal Opera House, London.

The current trio is Lemmy, guitarist Phil Campbell (joined 1984) and Mikkey Dee on drums (joined 1992).

To mark their anniversary the band have produced the album, Bad Magic, with a guest appearance by Queen’s Brian May on The Devil.

They will play at Swindon’s Oasis Leisure Centre on Wednesday, January 27, from 7.30pm, as part of their world tour. Also on the bill will be Saxon and Girlschool.

Tickets are on sale now at £36.50 from 01793 507110 or visit http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/oasis-leisure-centre-swindon/page/232 - Flicky Harrison