Category: In case you haven’t heard, Lemmy isn’t doing so well health-wise. The band has been cutting short their shows, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to be around much longer.
Lemmy Kilmister Motörhead was my *first* interview. It was a Sunday afternoon in late 1986. They were playing with Cro-Mags & Malice. I was an 18-year old college kid, with a bad Boston accent. I arrived at the Channel at about 2:30 in the afternoon with my friends Mike & Buji. It was exactly like something out of “Almost Famous.” I knocked on the back door of the club, and a roadie opened the door. “Whaddaya want?” “I’m here for the inta-view” “Bus is over there!” SLAM!
So…I walk nervously to the bus, knock twice…the door opens, and I’m greeted by Michael “Wurzel” Burston (R.I.P.). He asks what I need. So polite. It was really disarming. I told him I was there to interview the band. He opens the door wide and says “C’mon.” So, I followed him, and shut the door behind me.
On the bus…the acrid aroma of sweat, and filth. I sat in the seat at the little table, which contained a plate of donuts…presumably from sometime in the past week or so. Wurzel goes behind the curtain for a second, and returns with Lemmy.
They sit, and we proceed to talk about the band’s latest album, “Orgasmatron,” and all that comes with it. During the conversation, a roadie walks on the bus with a 30-gallon rubber barrel. Which he proceeded to fill with ice…and Foster’s “oil cans.” Lemmy asks if I want a beer. I say “no” (because we’re recording), and nod “yes.”
At one point, Lemmy gets up to go to the back of the bus, and Wurzel says to me, “Don’ tell anyone…but I’m leavin’ the band.”
I just stared.
Then, he said it again. Told me he was quitting the band. And nobody else knew it. (Side note: he would stay in Motorhead until 1995). Said he was making a solo record, and was leaving after the tour. I was being given secret information. And I couldn’t tell anyone. Long story short, I spent the rest of the afternoon drinking with Motorhead. They were the coolest guys I’d ever met. Just salt-of-the-earth dudes.
My firmest recollections of the actual show are;
Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell used to go to the bar with a Mr. Spock doll. So he could order *two* drinks at once. One for him. One for Mr. Spock. He would then hang the Mr. Spock doll from his amplifier during the show.
And…
Some skinhead kid, spit at Lemmy. This, was a bad decision on his part. Lemmy, took off his Rickenbacker bass, and clocked that kid in the skull.
It was awesome!
That night, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
If you were to ask me my favorite bands of all-time, Motorhead wouldn’t be my first response. However, they are certainly responsible for my career. That experience, was the first of many that I can thank Lemmy for. He was the right guy, at the right time. My only wish for him…is to be able to be happy doing what he does. He’s a legend in every sense of the word. And music is better because of his contributions.
If it means he calls it a day, he’s earned it.
It it means he presses on, and the sad day comes when it all ends on the road, that’s his destiny. He chose it. He deserves whatever he wants.
Thank You Lemmy! For everything.
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