LEMMY
Lemmy in NYC, 2011; photo by John Gullo
Interview by Jason Gross
(February 2016)
When I spoke to the legendary growler in February 2011, it was a good time to be a 'Head fan- the doc on Lemmy had just come out ( Lemmy: 49% Motherf***er, 51% Son of a Bitch) and the band had just put out its 20th album The World Is Yours on top of a U.S. tour, which I was interrogating him about for Time Out preview (of their then-upcoming NYC show), where I only had room to pull one or two quotes from the interview below for my preview there. The L man spoke of his thoughts on politics, religion, the environment, how hearing loss can lead to better marriages, touring and rocking 'til he drops, which it turns out that he did. Though the flick needed subtitles to parse L's thick West Midlands accent, I managed to pick it up OK during our chat and found him to be a nice, funny fellow to boot.
Q: How do keep rocking for as long as you have?
L: Most of the people in the world have to do a job that they despise every day of their lives. I have a job... well, it's not a job, it's my life. I have a life that I love so I'm pretty grateful for it. I'm happy to keep on going. Anyway, it's in my bones, my blood. I have to do it. It's like a vocation. It's like the priesthood- you're called, you know? (laughs)
Q: How do you keep your voice in shape?
L: I never do anything to keep my voice in shape. In fact, where most people find harm, I find it's an advantage, with my vocals, you know? (laughs)
Q: You mean, the way you sing?
L: Well, a lot of people like to keep their voices pure 'cause that's their style. But my mine's rough so if it gets a bit rougher, nobody notices. And then it gets better and then it's back to normal.
Q: On the new album, "Get Back in Line" questions religion and then "Rock and Roll Music" says that music is your religion. Is that really your stance?
L: Rock and roll isn't bullying religion, it isn't guilt religion. It's joy religion. I mean, you only subscribe to it if you want to. You're not talked into it by generations of hatred. So I think it's a much better religion in that sense. And I think it's akin to Buddhism in that it says 'have a good time and don't stop anybody (from) doing it.'
Q: Also, in "Rock and Roll Music," you also talk about rocking until you die. Do you literally see yourself doing that?
L: Well, unless I'm physically incapacitated, yeah sure!
Q: On "Brotherhood of Man," you show a bleak view of humanity. Where do you stand in terms of politics and society today?
L: It's too late- that's my philosophy. I've seen these idiot milling around in committee rooms for years now and so have you. They never do anything. All they do is talk about it, talk around it, talk through it, talk up it. And they come out and nobody ever does anything. You have these half-ass measures, like 'stop cigarette smoking.' (sarcastically) Yeah, that's a big deal when all those countries are sulphering shit into the air. Nobody gives a shit as long as they got their comfortable life. And unless they do something really radical about 10 years ago, their grandchildren are gonna be wearing gas masks to go out shopping then.
Q: So what do think the solution is then?
L: There isn't one. It's too late. That's what I think. I mean, I hope I'm wrong but that's the way it seems like to me. Nobody's showing the least disposition to cut down poison emissions at all. You've got a few token factories in every country but most of 'em are still spewing shit out. Especially the Communist countries, they never gave up anything until the wall came down. And the Third World countries and Asian countries, they can't afford to shut down the old factories 'cause they're the only ones they got.
Q: If you have such a bleak view of the world, what keeps you going then?
L: Oh, my sense of humor! (laughs)
Q: With the new movie coming out, is it strange to see a film that kind of deifies you?
L: Ah well, you know, if you have to shave this head every morning, you don't think it's God. I mean, God doesn't have to shave, does he? He just says 'beard away!' and it'd be gone. And anyway, God's much taller I think. And he dresses better probably. I have no trouble with people thinking I'm God but I don't think so, so that's OK. It's dumb anyway- you gotta be better looking than this, wouldn't he? (laughs)
Q: Were you happy with the movie overall though?
L: Pretty much. I didn't have to sneak out of the building before the lights came up. It wasn't too embarrassing. Yeah, it was OK!
Q: Do you think or hope that it's going to make you an even bigger star?
L: I don't know. It just came out. I don't know how big the demands are gonna be. No, I'm just being myself in the movie. I never dressed onstage to what I do in real life. Half the time, I go onstage on the clothes I've been wearing all day. We're not dressing up here. What you see is what you get.
Q: Do you find in general that you have an iconic status that's hard to live up to sometimes?
L: I don't consciously try and live up to anything. I just do what I do every day. You're just walking through your life any way. I haven't got time to create a reputation. I was always the kid that the other people wouldn't let their kids play with. (laughs) I was always that one and it's because the way I look, mostly.
Q: How do you like playing in New York?
L: I love playing in New York City. It's one of the first places I ever played in the States, back with Hawkwind. So yeah, I'm all up in New York City. I like it, man.
Q: What do you think of the crowds there?
L: The crowds are great. Touch wood, they've always been great for us, yeah.
Q: What can the audience expect from Motörhead?
L: Well, they can expect Motörhead and two support bands! (laughs) It's a good bill there. There's years of life and soul in there.
Q: Is it gonna be different from other shows you do on the tour, don't you think?
L: Not really. I mean, you shouldn't get above yourselves. (laughs) Like, I don't see anything special about me, I don't see anything special about New York. You get the same show, you know? I mean, we always give 100 percent anyway, whenever we're all physically able, so there you go. And it'll be a Motörhead show- I don't think you'll be disappointed if you show up!
Q: Any thing else you wanna say to the fans before the show?
L: Yeah, I'm looking forward (to it). Don't bring earplugs- you don't wanna look like a sissy. (laughs) And don't forget, you don't have to listen to your wife or girlfriend for three days after the show if you don't bring ear plugs so that's an advantage, isn't it?
Q: So you don't wear ear plugs yourself?
L: Oh, never, no. I mean, I don't understand... To ask other people to experience what you won't experience yourself is like... pussy, I think.
Q: How have you kept your hearing then?
L: Well, it's like 'how do you keep the energy going,' 'how do get this old'...? I mean, it's just dumb luck. I haven't done anything special to achieve anything. I just struck the bass and walk out on stage and that's about it. But I AM lucky- I know a lot of people that got this magical tinnitus thing. I don't know what it sounds like. Or maybe I've got it and I don't care!