Motorheadobit: Lemmy

Earlier this month, we mentioned an interview in which Lemmy complained about how many people asked him about how close to death he might be.

They won't be asking any more. He died earlier today:

The band confirmed his death on its official Facebook page, saying, “There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from the Rainbow which had recently made it’s way down the street, with his family. We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words. We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please…play Motörhead loud.”

In which Lemmy has a point

Even if you're in Motorhead, even if you're Lemmy, being asked if you're about to shuffle off the planet must be a downer:

"I'm sick of the fucking, 'Are you going to die?' line of questioning. It's getting really old, that question. I’m alright. I'm going out there and doing my best.

"I have good days and bad days but mostly I've been doing alright. The last tour of the States was very good."

Even if you weren't talking to Lemmy, asking any guy in his 70s if he thinks he's got long left seems incredibly rude.

Rock sick list: Lemmy

Lemmy's not been having a great time of it recently, and it doesn't sound like his health has turned a corner: Motorhead cut short a gig last night after six songs.

There's some pretty lurid rumours circulating about what actually happened after the sixth song, and everything appears to be at about fourth hand, but Ultimate Classic Rock seems sure about this:

Motorhead ended their scheduled 75-minute set at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany after only 30 minutes. According to Metal Talk (via Classic Rock), the band played their songs at a slower tempo than usual and that Lemmy looked pale. At one point he told the crowd, “I’ve been ill recently – I’ve come onstage to play some rock n’ roll and f— myself even more.”

He seems to have done that pretty successfully.

[Thanks to @zaichishka]

Lemmy unhappy with missing cock

Motorhead have licensed an official Lemmy collectible figure (that's what doll buyers in denial call them). Lemmy, though, isn't happy:

"I said to the guy who made them, 'Are you gonna put a dick on it?'" Lemmy tells Hustler. "He said, 'No.' I said, 'Then it's not going to get very much action, is it? Not very lifelike.'"

It's a dolly, Lemmy. They generally don't get "very much action" at the best of times. Not because of the lack of genitals, but because of their severe social problems.

Max Mosley won't be taking Lemmy's calls for a while

It's not entirely news that Lemmy has got a bunch of Nazi stuff, or, indeed, for him to be photographed dressed up in Nazi outfits.

Unfortunately, he's been using a photo of himself tricked out like a Nazi to promote a gig in Germany this weekend. Which - in a country which is quite sensitive about these things - is actually illegal.

The Guardian has dug out some thoughts Lemmy has shared about his love of the former Master Race:

"I don't only collect Nazi stuff, I collect objects from all the Axis countries."

Ah. That's alright then.

"Also from countries who aren't even mentioned anymore as former parts of the Axis. Like Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Hungary."

We're sure the Latvian people will be delighted that you're ensuring their part in the Second World War gets the full attention it deserves, Lemmy.

"From the beginning of time, the bad guys always had the best uniforms. Napoleon, the Confederates, the Nazis. They all had killer uniforms. I mean, the SS uniform is fucking brilliant! They were the rock stars of that time. What you're gonna do? They just look good."

The echo of Bryan Ferry's "not that I'm a Nazi but, ooh, did you see their building work" is, we're almost certain, unintentional.

There's not a great deal thought going on anywhere here, to be honest:

"It's not a nationalistic kind of thing. Don't tell me I'm a Nazi 'cause I have uniforms. In 1967 I had my first black girlfriend and a lot more ever since then. I just don't understand racism, I never thought it was an option."

Some of your best dates were black, were they, Lemmy? It's interesting to see him treat racism as if it might be a choice - like deciding to try country music or sample a sushi bar. "I might have a go at racism today, then."

German prosecutors are investigating if Lemmy should be prosecuted, but it's unlikely he will be: it'd be like prosecuting a cat for looking a bit like Hitler.

[Thanks to James M for the link]

Chocolate, a toy and... oh, this is a surprise

Not totally grasping the point of sixty-page band riders as being as much about yanking promoter's chains as being a bid to get stuff, Thomas Whittaker, "showbiz reporter" from The Sun has extrapolated rather a lot from Motorhead's demand for Kinder eggs:

HEAVY metal legend LEMMY is really a softie — who collects toys from KINDER EGGS.

Let's see you say that to his face, Mr. Whittaker.