Würzel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Würzel | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Burston |
| Born | October 23, 1949 in Cheltenham, England |
| Genre(s) | Heavy metal Speed metal Hard rock Punk rock Ambient |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 1984—present |
| Associated acts | Motörhead, Fairport Convention, Splodgenessabounds |
Michael Burston (born October 23, 1949), commonly known by the stage name Würzel, is an English musician. Formerly a guitarist in the heavy metal band Motörhead, Würzel is currently a figure in British ambient music.
Burston was born in Cheltenham, England. Before joining Motörhead in 1984, Burston had been a corporal in the army Serving in Germany with the 1st Battalion the Gloucestershire regiment with best friends Carl "Gilly" Gillam and gordon "PTA" Avery. and had played in the bands Bastard and Warfare. Joining another relatively unknown guitarist, Phil Campbell, they played so well together at the rehearsal they were invited, both were taken on. The new, four-piece line-up made its debut recording a backing track for The Young Ones on February 14, 1984. He had acquired the nickname Wurzel whilst in the Army, due his scarecrow-style hair and bumpkin-like manner. (See Worzel Gummidge for an explanation of this nickname.) Lemmy demanded that Würzel add an umlaut to the 'U' in his name, for important dramatic Heavy Metal effect.
Burston saw a number of interesting changes to the line-up in the band, each involving the drummer, until he left in 1995. Although he played on Sacrifice, he left the band before the tour. He was not replaced and Motörhead remains a three-piece.
In 1998, quasi-inspired by psychedelically-informed experiences in Ghent, Belgium, Würzel recorded and released an ambient, improvised avant-garde album entitled Chill Out Or Die. He followed this up with a piece called Trippin' Me Nuts Off - Live and Wankered in Leuven.
[edit] Discography
- Warfare - Metal Anarchy - 1985
- Fairport Convention - "Quazi-Be-Goode / Where Would You Rather Be Tonight?" 7" single - August 1986
- Motörhead - Orgasmatron - August 9, 1986
- V.A. - "Where Would You Rather Be Tonight?" - October 1986 (All proceeds from this album went to Broadreach House, a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts and alcoholics)
- Würzel - Bess - 1987
- Motörhead - Rock 'n' Roll - September 5, 1987
- Atomgods - WOW! - 1988
- Motörhead - No Sleep at All - October 15, 1988
- Würzel - The Very Best of Würzel - 1990
- Motörhead - 1916 - February 21, 1991
- Motörhead - March ör Die - August 14, 1992
- Motörhead - Bastards - November 23, 1993
- Warhead - Warhead - 1995
- Motörhead - Sacrifice - 1995
- Disgust - A World Of No Beauty - 1996
- WVKEAF - "Jump/Maximism" - September 30, 1997
- WVKEAF - "Jump" - 1997
- Würzel - Chill Out Or Die (The Ambient Album) - 1998
- Splodgenessabounds - "Artful Splodger" - 2001
- Motörhead - BBC Live & In-Session
- Würzel - Trippin' Me Nuts Off - Live and Wankered in Leuven - 2006
[edit] DVD Interview
Wurzel is featured on Disc 2 of Motörhead Videobiography, in a 50 minute interview, his first since leaving the band; filmed in early 2007. Ragnarock Films (CRP2360) released June 2007.[1]
- Motorhead Overkill (Double DVD) Sandbeach Holdings Ltd; February 2008 (CRP2609).
[edit] References
- ^ Motörhead Videobiography (Double DVD with 48 page book) Edgehill Publishing Ltd., June 2007 ISBN 978-1-905954-38-4
