The departure of God was sudden, and we had all grown used to the idea that even after 20–30 years, we might die but Lemmy would somehow keep touring and recording. Seeing Motörhead listed as 'unknown' still feels surreal. I even catch myself wondering if God and his crew will record an album in 2016 or if I’ll get to see them live one more time.
It was 1998 when the steel panzer roar of metal entered my home not through a studio album, but via the live album 'Live In Hamburg 1998'. What shocked me most was the addictive, filthy growl of the vocals and the sheer noise three people could produce. Discovering tracks like 'Born To Raise Hell', 'Stay Clean', 'Killed By Death', 'Iron Fist', and 'Ace Of Spades' at age 15 made me feel lucky—especially since I got to see them live at least once.
Reducing the Marshal to just Motörhead's bassist and vocalist would be foolish. No other frontman has ever influenced metal, rock, and punk so deeply. Lemmy Kilmister was the president of the global metal arena. Every interview, every move he made was a declaration of dominance. That’s why we’ve been saying 'Lemmy looks down from above' for years.
When my friend BluesForAllah told me the news while I was asleep, I stared blankly at the screen for 15 minutes. Another friend, Anıl Koç, said 'the world is now even more meaningless,' and knowing tens of thousands felt the same proved Lemmy's influence went far beyond metal and hard rock. Sorry Ozzy, Iommi, Hetfield—you’ve never been this universally inspiring. Lemmy was the god of gods.
Think of every band you’ve crossed paths with in metal or punk—Metallica, Slayer, Venom, Sodom, Bathory, Exciter, Hellhammer, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Running Wild, Girlschool, Discharge, Poison Idea, GBH. Behind each influence lies Motörhead and Lemmy. Even in Sodom's 'Lords Of Depravity' documentary, Lemmy says, 'Sodom did what we did.' That’s the message of a lineage: Motörhead – Venom – Sodom.
At 70, Lemmy said 'no whiskey? There's vodka' and kept flipping off life. While most people at that age battle prostate issues, Lemmy was still touring. The fact that Motörhead's sound remained unchanged from 1977 to 2015, without commercial compromise, is astonishing. Compare that to bands who chase audiences and shift styles every decade. Lemmy buried generations of bands. As he said: 'The press never liked us. They said we’d last six months. They’re all gone, and I’m still here.'
In 2008, when he said 'I think all politicians are assholes,' your respect for him probably grew. He never wrote cheesy peace songs or anti-war ballads. When the doctor said he had the liver of a newborn, he mocked death instead of slowing down. And to those who called him a Nazi for collecting memorabilia, he replied: 'My girlfriend is black. I’m the worst Nazi you’ve ever seen.'
As for the 'only 30 tickets sold' nonsense—don’t blame fans mourning Lemmy for the promoter's failure. Don’t compare Lemmy's death to others who get tribute nights and endless covers. If you do, maybe you shouldn’t mourn at all. Just say 'whatever' and move on.
You could start hundreds of sentences with 'Lemmy means...' but one of them should be 'Lemmy means flipping off this messed-up life.' I drink to his death, and death doesn’t scare me. Every time you look at a Jack Daniels bottle, Lemmy is one of the first things that comes to mind.
To the Marshal... We thought you’d never leave. The best we can do now is sip our whiskey and replay the 40 years of unmatched noise you left behind. Wherever you are, I hope you’ve reunited with Phil and are raising hell together.
Note: This is not a sentimental or mournful piece.