I Ain’t No Nice Guy: Motorhead’s Wildest Guest Track
I ain’t no nice guy is the line Lemmy Kilmister snarls on Motorhead’s strangest hit single, a 1992 team-up with Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
Motorhead released it as track five on the March or Die album on 27 July 1992.
Ozzy Osbourne trades verses with Lemmy while Slash of Guns N Roses tears through the guitar solo.
It should have been a smash, but record label politics buried it before most fans ever heard it on the radio.
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⚡ Key Takeaways
- I Ain’t No Nice Guy is track five on Motorhead’s tenth studio album, March or Die, released 27 July 1992 through WTG Records.
- Ozzy Osbourne sings guest vocals and Slash of Guns N Roses plays the lead guitar solo on the track.
- Phil Taylor played drums on this song only, his final studio recording with Motorhead before he was fired during the album sessions.
- Tommy Aldridge, Ozzy Osbourne’s own touring drummer, recorded every other track on March or Die except this song and Hellraiser.
- The single reached number 10 on the radio charts according to Lemmy’s memoir White Line Fever, despite receiving almost no label promotion.
Why Is I Ain’t No Nice Guy Famous?
I ain’t no nice guy is famous because it paired Motorhead with two of rock’s biggest names on a single track.
Ozzy Osbourne, fresh off his own solo career peak, traded lines with Lemmy on the verses.
Slash, already a superstar from Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction, played the entire guitar solo.
No other Motorhead song from this era carries that kind of guest star weight.
Who Plays on I Ain’t No Nice Guy?
Lemmy Kilmister wrote and sang lead vocals and played bass, with Phil Campbell and Michael Wurzel Burston on guitars.
Ozzy Osbourne provided guest vocals for the duet sections, trading lines back and forth with Lemmy.
Slash played the guitar solo, a favor between friends rather than a formal band credit.
Peter Solley produced the track and the rest of the March or Die album.
Why Did Phil Taylor Leave During Recording?
Phil Taylor left Motorhead during the March or Die sessions after his abilities and commitment came into question in the studio.
I Ain’t No Nice Guy became his last ever studio recording with the band he had drummed for on and off since 1975.
Tommy Aldridge, who was touring with Ozzy Osbourne at the time, stepped in to record every other track on the album except this one and Hellraiser.
Mikkey Dee, who would become Motorhead’s permanent drummer for the next 23 years, recorded only Hellraiser before taking over the kit full time.
Phil Philthy Animal Taylor’s drum track on I Ain’t No Nice Guy was his last studio recording with Motorhead.
Image Credit: Photo by Andrew King, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What Album Is I Ain’t No Nice Guy From?
I Ain’t No Nice Guy comes from March or Die, Motorhead’s tenth studio album, recorded at Music Grinder Studios in Los Angeles in 1991 and 1992.
WTG Records, a Sony affiliated label, released the album on 27 July 1992.
The record reached number 60 on the UK Albums Chart, a modest showing given the star power on the lead track.
Slash also added extra guitar to the album track You Better Run, making two appearances on the record in total.
How Did the Music Video Get Made?
Motorhead financed the I Ain’t No Nice Guy music video themselves after the label showed little interest.
The band spent roughly 8,000 dollars of their own money to shoot the clip.
Director Michael Brillantes filmed both Ozzy Osbourne and Slash performing alongside Lemmy for the final cut.
The low budget did not stop the video from becoming a fan favorite thanks to the star cameos.
Why Did Sony Bury the Single?
Sony buried the single because the label reportedly viewed WTG Records as a tax write off rather than a real commercial priority.
Lemmy wrote in his memoir White Line Fever that the song still climbed to number 10 in the radio charts despite this lack of support.
A proper promotional push might have turned the Ozzy and Slash pairing into a genuine crossover hit.
Instead, the song became a cult favorite that fans had to discover for themselves.
How Is I Ain’t No Nice Guy Remembered Today?
I Ain’t No Nice Guy is remembered today as one of Motorhead’s most star studded collaborations.
It stands as a snapshot of the messy, revolving door lineup that defined the March or Die sessions.
Fans of Lemmy Kilmister still point to the track as proof of how many rock legends respected him personally.
The song also marks the moment Phil Campbell settled in as a permanent fixture in the Motorhead guitar lineup.
Explore more of Motorhead’s studio catalog in Overkill, Ace of Spades, and Orgasmatron.
The same restless Phil Taylor era also produced Going to Brazil, recorded on the 1916 album the year before.
As of 2026, read the complete lineup history of the members of Motorhead across four decades of the band.
People Also Ask
Who sings on I Ain’t No Nice Guy?
Lemmy Kilmister and Ozzy Osbourne trade lead vocals on I Ain’t No Nice Guy, a 1992 Motorhead track from the March or Die album, with Slash of Guns N Roses playing the guitar solo.
The pairing made it one of the most guest heavy tracks Motorhead ever recorded.
What album is I Ain’t No Nice Guy on?
I Ain’t No Nice Guy is track five on March or Die, Motorhead’s tenth studio album, released through WTG Records on 27 July 1992 and recorded in Los Angeles.
The album peaked at number 60 on the UK Albums Chart.
Who played drums on I Ain’t No Nice Guy?
Phil Philthy Animal Taylor played drums on I Ain’t No Nice Guy, his final studio recording with Motorhead before he was fired during the March or Die sessions.
Tommy Aldridge and Mikkey Dee split the drumming duties on the rest of the album.
Did I Ain’t No Nice Guy chart?
I Ain’t No Nice Guy was not released as a formal chart single, but Lemmy Kilmister wrote in his memoir White Line Fever that it reached number 10 in the radio charts.
Sony gave the track little promotional support despite its Ozzy Osbourne and Slash guest appearances.
Watch the I Ain’t No Nice Guy Video and Shop Motorhead Albums
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March or Die
1992
The album that paired Motorhead with Ozzy Osbourne and Slash.
Tommy Aldridge and Mikkey Dee split drum duties across the record.
Ace of Spades
1980, 50th Anniversary 2 CD Edition
The album that made Motorhead legends.
Expanded with bonus tracks and remastered sound.
Overkill
1979
Twin bass drums and pure speed from the classic lineup.
The sound that built the band’s reputation.
Orgasmatron
1986, Deluxe Import
The first album from the four piece twin guitar lineup.
Lemmy’s darkest, most political lyrics.
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Jailbait Motorhead: The Most Controversial Ace of Spades Cut
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Motorhead Song: How Lemmy Named the Band After a Riff
The song that started it all, decades before Ozzy and Slash joined Lemmy on record.
I ain’t no nice guy stands as proof that even a buried single can become a legend among fans who found it.
Ozzy Osbourne and Slash gave Motorhead a rare moment of mainstream star power, even if the label refused to capitalize on it.
As of 2026, I ain’t no nice guy remains one of the most talked about deep cuts in the entire Motorhead catalog.
Last updated: July 15, 2026