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Someone help me appreciate Lemmy
- Thread starter stringthrough
- Start date
I always loved his bass work in Hawkwind. He gave that era its edge. Nothing flashy, but it always worked. Hawkwind is and will be a fave of mine.
In Motorhead, he adopted a different style which was even more in your face. It too worked. I don't get get the knocks on his playing. He was never trying to be anyone but himself. And his playing was 100% him. He was a great writer, and underrated lyricist to boot.
Also, I had the pleasure of seeing them live once. Loudest concert Ive ever been to. And sounded great. A great "no baloney" band.
In Motorhead, he adopted a different style which was even more in your face. It too worked. I don't get get the knocks on his playing. He was never trying to be anyone but himself. And his playing was 100% him. He was a great writer, and underrated lyricist to boot.
Also, I had the pleasure of seeing them live once. Loudest concert Ive ever been to. And sounded great. A great "no baloney" band.
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Dude check out the departed Nik Turner's band doing Hawkwind. Just listen to that phukkin' bass tone!....drooldrooldrooldrool
Yes! Have you heard his record 'Space Fusion Odyssey'? Man! The lineups on those tracks. Not all on the same track but Steve Hillage, Robby Krieger, Billy Cobham, Rick Wakeman all play on at least one track. Plus guys from Brainticket(obscure 'krautrock' band of the 70s) Great great great stuff.
Lemmy did an autograph session at my company’s booth a decade or so back. He had just released an all black cd, and was signing them with a black Sharpie. VERY Spinal Tap.
Debbie Reynolds was a signer the next day.
What I got put of that duo was, if you want to be healthy in your old age, don’t live like Lemmy. He looked like hell. Debbie was probably 20 years older, but looked to be much further from death.
Debbie Reynolds was a signer the next day.
What I got put of that duo was, if you want to be healthy in your old age, don’t live like Lemmy. He looked like hell. Debbie was probably 20 years older, but looked to be much further from death.
I like Duff, and he covers the bass role quite authentically. Not being a big GnR fan perhaps I've not listened too closely to his basslines.
I have always loved Motörhead and Lemmy was an inspirational figure in rock and roll, but I never really drooled over his approach to bass.
Lemmy forged his own path and made it work. That alone is worthy of some respect.
Furthermore, he was always the main songwriter in Motorhead. He's not following the guitar. The guitar is following him. Songwriters aren't always themselves the flashiest players. He also wrote songs for both the Ramones and Ozzy.
Furthermore, he was always the main songwriter in Motorhead. He's not following the guitar. The guitar is following him. Songwriters aren't always themselves the flashiest players. He also wrote songs for both the Ramones and Ozzy.
Trying to find appreciation for Lemmy through his bass playing is pulling the drape by the wrong corner IMHO.
You have to look at him as a monument of rock music, as said earlier the missing link between rock'n'roll, punk and metal.
You have to look at him as a monument of rock music, as said earlier the missing link between rock'n'roll, punk and metal.
Try reading his biography "White Line Fever". Regardless of how you feel about his music, he's a fantastic storyteller, and his life story is wildly entertaining. That book turned me onto a number of tunes (by other acts) that I never would have come across otherwise.
Or..... just give Overkill another listen.
Also the documentary film "Lemmy" is time well spent.
TLDR: OVERKILL .
Or..... just give Overkill another listen.
Also the documentary film "Lemmy" is time well spent.
TLDR: OVERKILL .
Motorhead was the band that united the punks and the metal heads through speed, aggression, and full on attitude. They did one thing and did it well.
The sound never really changed over time, but when you bought a Motorhead record, you knew what you were getting, and that is why you buy it.
The live shows were always a lot of fun, people singing along, doing the Lemmy dance.
It wasn't about the fidelity of sound, it was about a reckless train wreck somehow staying on the rails for a really long time !
The sound never really changed over time, but when you bought a Motorhead record, you knew what you were getting, and that is why you buy it.
The live shows were always a lot of fun, people singing along, doing the Lemmy dance.
It wasn't about the fidelity of sound, it was about a reckless train wreck somehow staying on the rails for a really long time !
Party as much or as little as you want. I like Jaco and I like Lemmy. Lemmy couldn't care less about geezers like Jaco according to an interview. I don't know what Jaco thought of Lemmy but he probably didn't spend much time figuring out how to play like Motorhead either.
I remember reading a biographical article on Andre the Giant. Giants tend not to live very long, but Andre managed to pack a few lifetimes of experience into his short life. Lemmy was that kind of guy, a giant among rock musicians. It's amazing that he lived as long as he did, but I have no doubt that he played like 5 lifetimes worth of gigs in his time and had more interesting experiences than any 10 of us.
For example, did he jam more than 30 seconds with Mark King? I'd like to know!
It’s the same thing about Hendrix, I’ve seen 12 year olds on YouTube play better guitar than him...different strokes I guess...
