R.I.P. LEMMY

R.I.P. Lemmy

I’ve always liked Motorhead.  For most of my life (well approximately 2/3’s of it anyway, and the last 30 odd years) I’ve listened to Motorhead.  

I first heard and saw them playing “Iron Fist” one night on the “Rock Arena”  music program in 1982. I loved it, thought it was the best thing my 14 year old ears had heard. I went and found it (on cassette tape!) in the local music shop the next day. I liked stuff like Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast”, but this was better, harder,  and faster! I still like Iron Fist – it’s got a real punk edge to it, and it’s their last with “Fast Eddie”. I traded that cassette, but I “upgraded” to a vinyl copy a few years later. I got into the “Another perfect Day” album after Iron Fist, and I still like that one as well.

Motorhead are the band I’ve continuously liked for most of my life. Sure there’s been periods where I haven’t listened to them much, or at all, like when I wanted to mainly listen to punk or hardcore, or something else. But they have always been there.  There’s been other stuff that I got into in my later teens and early twenties that while I still own it, doesn’t resonate with me so much anymore. But  Motorhead  of course does, and  will continue to do so.

Since the late 90’s, something clicked back, and they have been a staple on the stereo. My Motorhead collection is far from complete, and I still look for certain albums. Some (horror of horrors, haha) I got on CD because I couldn’t find ‘em on vinyl.

My biggest regret for a while was that I didn’t see Motorhead when they first came to Australia in the 90’s. I can’t even remember the reason. When I read Lemmy’s autobiography and he said that he wouldn’t tour Australia again, I despaired. But wonder of wonders, they came out with fuckin’ Motley Crue in 2005. So I paid for the Crue JUST to see Moorhead’s support set. Which was amazing. I couldn’t understand why Motorhead were supporting Motley Crue. (I was going to leave before the Crue’s set, but was talked into staying. It was one of the crappiest gigs I’ve ever seen). But then Motorhead came back again with a headline tour in 2007 with the excellent  “Kiss of Death” album.

I’ve been playing loads of Motorhead for the past year. I think I kinda knew something. I dunno. And then started to hear stuff about his ill health, and cancelling shows.And I recently got a vinyl copy of “Bomber” – ‘cos I only had a burn of it, and wanted to complete my early Motorhead vinyl collection.  And just got a new Motorhead T-shirt ‘cos the old one is full of holes.

So thanks Lemmy for all the great punk 'n roll you gave us.

Love the new album, “Black Magic”.

I’ll still be listening to Motorhead when I’m 70.................