As I lay in bed this morning, having just awoken, my partner broke the news… Lemmy Kilmister had passed away at the age of 70.
Lemmy wasn’t supposed to die, Lemmy was supposed to be immortal, or at least after all the drink and drugs that have passed through his body it wasn’t supposed to be the evil that is cancer that got him in the end. If anything Lemmy was supposed to keel over on stage, die on the road with his bass around his neck and a glass of JD in hand…
So as I sit here with Motorhead blasting out the stereo it’s difficult to put into words what it means to finally be saying farewell to Mr Rock n Roll himself. The music has meant so much to me on a personal level and of course if you’re reading this, the chances are you already know the guy is and always will be a true legend – warts n all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH8nfp5sD_s
I couldn’t tell you the first time I heard his rumbling bass and gravelly vocals. The chances are like most people it would of course have been “Ace of Spades”, but Motorhead have always been far more than that one song. Although a classic track, it doesn’t even begin to touch the surface as to the bands unique sound.
Lemmy’s musical background however started way ahead of forming the foundations for heavy metal. He would start out in the more traditional 60’s rock n roll band the Rockin’ Vickers before going on to roadie for Jimi Hendrix, which would see Lemmy’s lifestyle become somewhat notorious.
By the time of joining Hawkwind he was already living outside the conventional rulebook. Despite the bands success with “Silver Machine” the drug intake had become too much and consequently saw Lemmy fired, which given the amount passing round the rest of the band was pretty impressive (albeit for the wrong reasons!).
It did however open the gates for one of the greatest rock n roll bands to form. With Lemmy as the constant member over their forty year career it would be 2015’s “Bad Magic” that would unknowingly become the bands farewell, Motorhead’s 22nd studio album.
The album ends with a cover of the Rolling Stones “Sympathy for the Devil” and it’s this sort of song that has made me appreciate Motorhead and indeed Lemmy more and more over the years. Yes “Ace of Spades” will always be remembered but it’s the more unusual tracks that are just as important.
They could always turn someone else’s song into their own, from the Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen” to “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen or “Rosalie” in tribute to Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy. It was also those of their own tracks, such as the slow and thought provoking “Don’t let Daddy Kiss me” from the 1993 album “Bastards” and the acoustics of “Whorehouse Blues” on 2004’s “Inferno” that would show there to be far more to Motorhead. Other than being one of the heaviest bands in the world.
It was however live that Motorhead excelled. An experience like no other and indeed one of the loudest you’re likely to ever attend. For me it’s been well into double figures and although I’ve only ever seen the same line-up (Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Mickey Dee) not one show has been a disappointment.
The first was that of the “Overnight Sensation” tour back in the mid nighties, I recall the light system monitoring the noise control wasn’t supposed reach into the red. Needless to say it proudly shone four greens and two reds, even when an amp blew during the encore.
It then became a tradition, almost every November that followed a trip to see Motorhead would take place. Along with the odd summer festival appearance here and there, as well as the chance to see Lemmy guest onstage with old friends Hawkwind. There was also the honour to have witnessed the rare outing of Lemmy’s rockabilly project the Head Cat (with Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats and Danny B Harvey).
In the last couple of years however Lemmy’s health had started to decline, tours have been cancelled and postponed and Lemmy having to leave partway through a show was an indication that things may not be the same. Lemmy wasn’t a quitter, he rocked until the very end. As we raise a glass and wish you farewell, all that’s left to say is thank you Mr Kilmister it’s been a pleasure.
Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister RIP – Born to Raise Hell 1945, Killed by Death 2015
(Photo by Sam Taylor – Motorhead @ Hyde Park 4th July 2014)
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