Motörhead: It’s What We Were Born To Do

By Jeannette Madden
Contributing Writer

“Rock n’ roll is a vocation, you do it because it’s what you do,” said Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, founder, lead singer and bassist of Motörhead. “In the beginning, you do it because you want to, but then you run into the business side of things, which is a shit, and so you either decide to battle through and carry on, or you quit and become a sheet metal presser…and I was never any good at a factory job!”

And with that, Lemmy managed to answer most of my questions without me even asking them. Fortunately, he had more to add, such as information about Motörhead’s new album “The Wörld is Yours” being released Feb. 8, which was recorded during the late spring of the year. The album’s creation was thrown into turmoil by the poor health and eventual sad passing of Philip Campbell’s [guitarist] father. The situation dictated that Campbell needed to be home during some of the scheduled recording time, so Motörhead hired a studio in Wales where Campbell was able to continue working on ideas and record tracks, while first Mikkey [Dee – drummer] and Lemmy, and then just Lemmy, laid down the rest of the album in L.A.

Lemmy and I talked on a Saturday afternoon, and while we spoke, I could hear the ice clinking in his glass as he took sips of what I assumed was his signature Jack and Coke. He was a gracious, well-spoken man with a fabulous sense of humor and answered my questions as if in his 35 years as a musician, he had never heard them before. Not only did we discuss “The World is Yours,” but he also talked about playing in Fargo for the first time and how politics and politicians suck. It was a great conversation, and I don’t say that only because he called me “love” and said he would buy me a beer after the show…

High Plains Reader:  ‘The Wörld is Yours’ is already being called ‘your’ newest creation. Care to expand on that?

Lemmy Kilmister:  We’ve been doing this a long time. It pretty much comes down to getting into the studio and getting it done.

HPR:      You’ve had this lineup for a long while… can you give me some insight into each of your band members?

LK: Phil is very underrated. He’s probably one of the top five guitarists in the world. Mikkey [Dee] is the best fucking drummer around. We had some writer review our show, and he said that Mikkey played a thirty-minute drum solo. How could he do that? Our show was only 82 minutes. Why review our show if you don’t even like our music?

HPR:  You’ve been around for everything from vinyl to cassette to CD to iTunes…what are your thoughts about that, the music industry?

LK:  Well, it went from records, which could be broken, to cassettes, to CD, which could be scratched, now to the Internet. Amazing how the Internet, which was supposed to be used to download music, is now being used to download child pornography. We’re a sorry bunch of people, we are.

HPR:  Seems that you always have something new going on, coming out, a new way to market yourselves even after 35 years - how do you do that?

LK:  It’s how we stay alive, keep playing.

HPR:  How does it feel to be playing smaller venues in the US, some really historical? You seem to be really giving the fans a chance to get down and personal with you…

LK:  Really? Historical?

HPR:  Well, yeah, like First Avenue in Minneapolis. It’s where Prince filmed Purple Rain.

LK: Yeah, I know all about First Avenue and we’ve played there before…

HPR:  Of course you do and of course you have and boy do I feel like the biggest dumbass in the world, thinking I need to explain First Avenue to Lemmy from Motorhead…

HPR:  Anyway, in Fargo, it’s the Venue, but it will be historical now because you’re playing there! And it’s your first time in Fargo - heartland of the US…what can these fans, many of which have probably never seen you, expect from your show?

LK:  Three old guys up there [laughing]. But the real reason to go is the bands we’re with: Valiant Thorr and Clutch. They’re a couple of young bands and so talented and so great to play with. They’re the ones worth seeing.

HPR:  So…you’re very political…many rock and roll bands want their shows, their music, to be an escape for their fans. No thinking, just a good time… but not you. Tell me about it… what is the message, what are you getting across? Or is it not what you’re saying but what the fans hear… and what, if anything, they choose to do with it?

LK:  I hate all politicians. I’m a-political. They want to shake hands and kiss people’s babies. Why don’t they kiss their own babies? If a person wants to be a politician, there’s already something wrong with them. They’re not my favorite topics, but I feel compelled to talk about them because they’re so fucked up. Everything is mind control, everything is the man trying to stop you thinking and only do what he says. It’s never worked yet, but it hasn’t stopped them trying. What amazes me is people don’t say anything, people didn’t rise up and complain. In the old days, they had a revolution and threw the British out!
HPR:  So busy, recording, touring, how do you do it?

LK:  It’s the job, it’s what we were born to do.

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IF YOU GO:
What: MOTORHEAD with Clutch and Valient Thorr
Where: The Venue at The Hub, 2525 9th Ave S. Fargo
When: Sun. Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., doors at 6:30 p.m. 21+ID
Tickets: 701.205.3182 or wwwtickets300.com, tickets $25 in advance, $28 day of show