Lemmy Kilmister: creativity, influence on rock and metal, memories of colleagues

2015 should have been unforgettable, but at the last moment he decided to leave bitter memories to the world by taking another a rock legend. At 70, Lemmy was a walking miracle, and many believed that he would remain a living legend forever (or at least for a few decades)! The public was just used to apparent immortality this man who literally embodied the famous rock 'n' roll motto! So his untimely passing came as a great shock to everyone...

When Lemmy was gone, he received nothing but praise from fans, critics and colleagues. There was no other way around it: the man is a real the rock of world metal. What he did for the genre, how many bands he opened the way to Olympus, and how many timeless classics he recorded and performed (including his collaborations with other musicians)... All his merits are hard to overestimate. Perhaps not everyone liked his music. But absolutely everyone liked it, and still does, only two feelings: admiration of the musical power and respect for its source, i.e. Lemmy.

Bass Legend

Even people who are far from roaring rock, and classics like "Ace of Spades" sound to them as if the vocalist was tangled in live electrical wires, realize: Lemmy's bass lines are very powerful and awesome! The man had one of the most unique and ferocious styles in rock! He owned his instrument absolutely: every track Motörhead, each of their live performances - everywhere the bass played a leading role. His machine-gun riffs became the band's calling card and serve as masterclasses for anyone who wants more than just a bass line in a song.

Of course, even Lemmy was once a young and budding musician, and that's where we can find the beginning of his genius: as a roadie the one and only Jimi Hendrix during one of his UK tours, Lemmy realized a lot for himself in those days. As he said in one of his interviews:

"I woke up one morning and thought, "What better way to start a rock and roll life?"

It was key solution. After gaining experience playing guitar in various forgotten bands, he joined the British Hawkwind. It was in the early '70s when they recorded three of the four records with him on bass and occasionally on lead vocals, their only big hit, "Silver Machine.", is an excellent example.

All was going well until he was arrested at the Canadian-American border for possession of substances. But being kicked out of the country and out of the group didn't seem to bother him too much. He had other plans.

With Hawkwind he developed his unique musical style, Having mastered the bass like no one else. Now technically proficient with his "new tool," he was ready to go about his business. After many years in "space," it was time to return to earth. And so it was born. Motörhead. By the way, that was the name of the last song Lemmy composed for Hawkwind.

Erasing boundaries...

FROM Hawkwind Lemmy literally erased boundaries in rock! He's been making pure rock and rollHis work paved the way to Olympus for hundreds of metal bands, including Metallicaand over the past decades no one has managed to come even close to his phenomenal style...

Blossom Motörhead The 80's were a time when iconic records were released "Overkill.", "Bomber." and of course "Ace of Spades." - one of the most important albums in rock history. Motörhead never sought to make a name for themselves as rock virtuosi. Nevertheless, they are considered the forerunners of a number of other heavy metal trends. The secret of the band was Lemmy's commitment to the cause and the fact that he never betrayed himself. As he once said Alice Cooper:

"He was innovative, true to his art and constantly relevant, though he never cared to be relevant...He was always creating and redefining hard rock and the roles of the bass in it."

Memories of colleagues

When Lemmy was gone, many of his colleagues expressed their deepest regrets, and also shared their Memories about this bass genius. Here's what he said James Hatfield, vocalist Metallica:

"Lemmy was an icon and sort of the godfather of heavy metal. He was the captain of the ship. And we all felt he was immortal. We had a chance to jam with him - he was very kind and open. Time flew by with him..."

A tribute was also paid to Slash, guitarist for Guns N' Roses:

"When we first met in London, I didn't know what to expect. Lemmy had such a reputation for... You know. When you see him, you really don't know what to expect the next second. But he turned out to be very kind and friendly. He had a great sense of humor, and he was great to jam with. He was also fun to hang out with all night long..."

Nor was it left out. Brian May from Queen. Specifically, he said:

"Lemmy was legendary, but he never liked to be told that. Usually when you wanted to tell him how cool he was, he'd look at you with a sarcastic smirk, like, 'Oh, really? He was the soul of the company, and in fact, despite his image, he was well-mannered and well-read. He often hung out at the Rainbow Grill on the Sunset Strip by the slot machine. In fact, it's a sacred place steeped in rock 'n' roll history. And it will always carry its spiritual mark..."