With
34 years under their belt Motörhead has earned their place in rock as
one of the most recognizable and irreverent power trios to ever bust an
eardrum. Formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy, who
has remained the sole constant member the band somehow got tagged in
the new wave of British heavy metal- perhaps because no one knew
exactly where to put them and went with the they're loud and have long
hair -- yes let's call them metal.
However, regardless
of the moniker, Motörhead still had significant success in the early
1980s with several UK Top 40 singles. Albums such as Overkill, Bomber,
Ace of Spades and No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith, helped to put Motorhead
solidly front and center as one of Britain's foremost rock bands ever.
Standing in the midst of it all is Ian Kilmister, or as the world knows
him, Lemmy.
And if there ever was a living legend in
our time, Lemmy emerges as a front runner. Bucking against labels, the
establishment, and forging his own way without any excuses or
apologies, he has become a bit of what you fancy when it comes to hard
hitting front men. Once quoted as saying, "I’m playing Rock n’ Roll and
I think Rock n’ Roll should be sacred – it is to me. I don’t see why it
should not be for everybody else." one can see that Lemmy is indeed
serious about Motorhead's music. More serious than you may initially
give him credit for...
His
signature look, unusual voice, and unwavering stance on music and the
business it supports has made Lemmy a cult figure. He's had a fairly
prolific tv and movie career, action figures made after him, a movie in
the making about his life and yet, at the end of the day, he's simply
Lemmy- minus the affectation that most in his position would have.
Motorhead’s
credo, everything louder than everything else is not just a tee shirt
slogan, it's not even a directive about where his amps are turned... it
sums up Lemmy, the man , the musician, the icon... larger than life,
louder than a scream, leader of the rest.
So what can one expect when you get the opportunity to meet and interview the man himself?
It all started the evening of 9/11 in Charlotte, NC.
Around
5:45 I'm outside The Fillmore in Charlotte and I am frantically trying
to figure out where my press packet is as my interview is set for 6pm.
My partner in crime, Jon, was scheming for ways for me to get backstage
as the summer heat beat down on us.
Gazing at the door,
a line is forming already hours before the legendary Motorhead is set
to hit the stage. One glance over the crowd and I could tell
immediately this is no ordinary queue... These are hard core fans, who
have traveled to see one of the most notorious bands and most
emblematic lead singers of our time. The venue recognized the same
thing I did apparently and started putting up barricades and pushing
the line back. I guess comfortable distance seemed to be needed.
As
I walked back and forth, camera bag in tow and trying to track down the
tour manager Dan, my eyes were constantly drawn to the ever growing
line...After too many concerts to count I have seen lines before but
these fans were different- each wore a look on their face as if this
was the seminal moment in their life, year, maybe their week...but
either way these weren't your typical fans- these were followers. Rock
n Roll Pilgrams at the Mecca of Motorhead.
An hour
later, we were escorted backstage and asked to wait a bit outside the
dressing room as Lemmy had friends with him and was catching up on old
times. Finally, we were invited into the inner sanctum... and there he
sat, one of Rock's most legendary front men... surrounded by a few
opened bags of chips, a drink, a paperback and a pack of smokes.
I
don't know what I expected? Perhaps a gilded throne with silver tipped
horns, but instead it felt like I had managed to catch Lemmy at the
local bar or pub for a nice chat. Jon sat down and handed me the
recorder and Lemmy commented on the technology and noticed we were both
wearing hats..."oh I've got one of those too"..and he promptly put on
his while advising Jon to adjust his lest he look “too Brad Pitt.”
And
it was at that moment I realized, legends are few and far between---and
here I was sitting in front of one of the most notorious; surprisingly
affable, accommodating , and vastly intelligent, I quickly realized
this was no ordinary rock star...
AAM: So, Lemmy, you have had a very long and successful career. At this point what keeps you motivated?
L:
Well, Rock and Roll is a pretty good motivator, isn’t it? Look at all
the bands that have been around, and have lasted. It’s great music.
Timeless. I mean think of what other job I could be doing? I’d probably
be in jail.
AAM: You’ve moved from being a “star” or
“Celebrity” to being an icon. You’re on TV, you’re going to be on Jimmy
Kimmel, and then there are the action figures. How does this make you
feel..does it change anything?
L:
That’s funny, isn’t it? They actually have three action figures. Two
flesh colored ones with different guitars and a gold, silver and black
one. Me and the guitar are black. That’s a strange one. Anyway, being
an icon just means that people stop buying your albums.
AAM: Start or stop?
L: Stop. When you’re an “icon” or a “legend” people perceive that you’re finished.
AAM: But still.. you have had an impact on many people’s careers…
L: Sorry.(Laughs)
AAM:
At this point you could basically do a “greatest hits” set, and yet you
continue to add new music to your set, The acoustic version of
Whorehouse Blues for example, and people seem to respond to the newer
material as strongly as they do to older tunes like “Metropolis” or
“Ace of Spades.”..what does this say?
L:
Well, the last album made it into the top 100 here in the States. We’ve
never been in the top 100 here before. We made it to number 89 or
something, and we were weren’t there for long but we still did it.
AAM: Finally!
AAM:
Let’s talk about your influences. I did some research on you and
outside of the Beatles you don’t mention any influences from a bass
player perspective.
L: Well, I don’t
really get much from virtuosos you know? I like bands. I like to hear
the wall, not the bricks. I’m not interested in hearing everything
separated. I hate that, actually, because it distracts you from the
music. For example The Who were a great band, the Beatles were a great
band, Hendrix was a great band. But before the Beatles there really
weren’t bands, you had “So and So and the What Nots.” But before the
Beatles my biggest influence was Little Richard. Remember I was there
in the beginning. I remember Elvis’ first record coming out on a 78
(rpm vinyl record). They used to melt if you left them in the sun and
would break if you looked at them wrong (laughs).
AAM: That leads directly to my next question. What are you listening to now?
L:
Well for me the best record in the past ten years was Evanesence. I
really like them. Great production, great arrangements, in fact
fantastic arrangements. They remind me of the later Beatles stuff with
George Martin. I was very encouraged by that one. It’s too bad they got
labeled a “goth” band. What a silly pigeon hole.
AAM: Well, they say you’re a heavy metal icon, but Motorhead isn’t a heavy metal band.
L:
Well, they had to put us somewhere. I have long hair so I guess that
makes me metal (laughs). They could have focused on the boots and
labeled me country, like Merle Haggard. “Thank god I’m a country boy.”
AAM: Ok, that evokes an image! You’re well known as a prolific reader. What are you currently reading?
L:
(holds up Clive Cussler paperback) Another story of adventure and
violence, you know, Clive Cussler. It’s wallpaper, really. The problem
is that we always seem to get into town after all the book shops have
closed.
AAM: Well, make us a list and we’ll send you a care package.
L: The problem is that you don’t know what you want until you see it.
AAM: True- one of the frustrations of being on the road, I suppose…
AAM: So, tell us about some of your side projects, Headcat with Slim Jim Phantom for example.
L:
My side projects are just a break from Motorhead. People seem surprised
that the side project stuff isn’t like Motrhead, but if it was like
Motorhead it wouldn’t be a break, would it? Plus I love playing that
old stuff, it’s a lot of fun. The Headcat album was a lot of fun to
make, trying to recreate the Buddy Holly stuff, which I think we did a
pretty good job on. I did have to do all the backing vocals, though,
which is a total pain in the ass. Buddy Holly was so far ahead of his
time back then, but they dismissed him in America the same way the
dismissed the Ramones. One hit or two hits and then into the trash can.
Then you become “great” after you’ve died. It’s like Randy Rhodes. He
became a much better guitarist after he died.
AAM:
That’s funny. We were discussing this very subject on our way here.
Randy Rhodes was a kid who had so much potential, but that was all. Who
knows where he would have gone had he lived.
L:
Exactly. He became a legendary guitarist after he died. He was a much
better guitarist than you’ve heard. I remember seeing him backstage
playing classical.
AAM: And yet many of the guitarists over the years claim him as an influence.
L: Really? I wonder how that works?
AAM:
One of the columns I write for the magazine is called “Rock Rewind”
where I take an album from 10, 15 or 20 years ago and ask “is this
album really what people claim it is?” At the time it was good compared
to whatever else was also current, but does it stand the test of time?
L:
Well, there’s that thing that says you have to be there when it happens
to really appreciate what it was. You can’t really go back and say that
a record was as good as they say it was because if you weren’t there
you can’t really judge it. Like the Beatles were just huge, you know?
They just put out that vinyl box set and the Beatles now have 15 out of
the top 20 slots on Amazon. But the Beatles have been broken up for 40
years. 40 years. That’s ridiculous. Amazing, you know.
AAM:
Guitar World magazine has an article this month on the making of “Abby
Road.” It’s hard to believe that it was really 40 years ago!
L:
The techniques they were using and the experiments they were doing.
Wow! George Martin was absolutely the fifth Beatle. He was brilliant.
If it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t have been able to do a lot of the
things they did. McCartney came in one day and said he had seen some
Bach on telly the night before and he wanted trumpets. Trumpets! So
George Martin said “right. Bach and trumpets” and they recorded Penny
Lane. Martin was classically trained and knew every instrument. The
harmonium solo on “In My Life” was him as well. He played it half speed
and then sped it up to fit the song.
AAM: Quite a chore prior to Protools.
L:
Yea, it can spoil you I suppose, but it can save you a lot of time,
which ultimately saves money as well. Back in the old days you all had
to play the song perfectly, together.
AAM: That is
the question! What makes a great band, though? Like ZZ Top’s Rythymeen
for example, which was recorded live as a three piece. A Back to basics
thing for them after all the synth stuff on the three previous albums.
L: I like Tres Hombres as well. And Deguello. Great album. “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” is a great tune.
AAM: So, how is it working out with Matt Sorum? Mickey Dee is off doing a reality show and this is a big change…
L: It’s going pretty well so far. Tonight is only his third show.
AAM: Has that changed the dynamic of the band?
L:
I don’t know yet (laughs). Matt is trying to fill Mickey Dee’s shoes,
which is a pretty tough job, but he’s doing really well.
AAM: What made you decide to choose Matt Sorum?
L:
I don’t know. I didn’t ask him first, I asked Dave Grohl, but he was
busy so I asked Matt. I needed someone who had the power to fill in for
Mickey, and Matt definitely has that.
AAM: Mickey Dee is a phenomenal drummer, you’ve even been quoted as saying he’s the best drummer in world.
L: Yea, he is. That’s why he’s so hard to fill in for.
AAM:
We were talking about this earlier. When you have such a recognizable
image, or brand, like Motorhead, you end up with people, like Paris
Hilton, wearing Motorhead shirts or whatever, who probably have never
bought a Motorhead album. What do you think about that?
L:
I think it’s really about attitude, you know. People might not know the
music, but they recognize the attitude and that’s what they respond to.
They go “Yea! Ace of Spades, dude!” And you have to point out that that
was 1980, you know. 30 years ago.
AAM: So, for the kid sitting in Iowa wanting to be you one day, what do you tell them?
L:
well that would be better than wanting to be Slipknot, wouldn’t it?
Having to wear those masks all the time. It’s kind of sad, really. When
you go see them, how do you know it’s really them? It could be anybody
under those masks. It’s rubbish, really.
AAM: Like Mushroomhead. They replaced their lead vocalist and you couldn’t tell. Just another guy in a mask.
L:
(laughs) It’s really bad, isn’t it? They were at the Grammy’s you know,
we were in the same category. They had to sit there all day long
wearing those masks. All day long, pouring sweat, and they didn’t get
it after all.
AAM: So, what’s next for Motorhead?
L:
We’ll just keep on doing it. It seems to be working out pretty well so
why fuck with it? There isn’t anyone else like us. When we’re gone
there will be a hole there that you can’t fill.
AAM: Amen.
For more information on Motorhead go to
IMotorhead.com. Special thanks to Lemmy, Dan and Rhonda Saenz for all of their assistance.