An Interview with

Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister & Phil Campbell

that took place in Lemmy's Dressing Room,

Rock City, Nottingham, UK on October 8th, 2003

Interviewed by Glenn Milligan and Rob Campbell.

Lemmy: Who's making all this noise? Is it The Wildhearts? - I suppose it is.

Glenn: Yeah.

Phil: I dunno? Bernard Bresslaw?

Lemmy: Noisy C*nts (Laughing)

Rob (to Lemmy): Change of boots - any reason why?

Lemmy: Well they were available you see. That's the great thing about being in a Rock 'n' Roll band - you get the occasional treat like this - a guy representing them says, "Can I make you some boots for nothing?", "Yes you can", I said. So I paid for these but I've got this other pair.

Rob: Yeah.

Lemmy: They're good though. I like 'em and if you don't like 'em you can F*ck off. (Laughing) So that seems to cover that.

Rob: It certainly does.

Glenn: How was the Q Awards on Thursday night which you went to with Nik Moore (of Work Hard PR)?

Lemmy: The Awards. F*ck*ng boring innit. The best thing on there was Christine Aguilera - I didn't see much of her.

Glenn: Did you see any Tits? My dad was asking did Lemmy get to see some tits at Stringfellows?

Lemmy: Well you always see tits at Stringfellows - that's what it's for - it's a strip joint. How could you not see tits at Stringfellows - you had to be with a guide dog if you didn't.

Glenn: Yeah. How was it working alongside 'Doro Pesch'? - I interviewed Doro last year at Bradford Rio.

Lemmy: It was great - it was a pleasure working with her. She's very professional. She's a good laugh 'n' all, you know? I'm going to her birthday party in December.

Phil: Yeah she's a nice girl ain't she?

Lemmy: Yeah.

Phil: I don't know her all that well but she's very nice.

Lemmy: Lovely Aye.

Glenn: You did the Rock 'n' Roll album.

Lemmy: That was called 'Lemmy, Slim Jim and Danny B' - yeah what about it?

Rob: Yeah, we enjoyed that - that was like a departure and was more back to your rock 'n' roll roots.

Lemmy: Yeah.

Rob: Are you intending to do a sort of follow-up to that?

Lemmy: Probably, eventually in some shape or form. I'm doing a so-called solo album at the moment. Bits 'n' pieces in between the Motorhead stuff but there isn't much in between Motorhead stuff you know?

Phil: I've been trying to get my bits and pieces together.

Lemmy: Aye. We're almost constantly on f*ck*ng tour you know?

Phil: You're off for two and then you're knackered for two weeks when you're on the road like.

Rob: Well Mikky's gone to bed hasn't he?

Lemmy: Yeah - lazy c*nt.

Glenn (to Phil): When I talked to you in an interview last year you were talking about doing a solo album called 'Fluffy Hands'?

Phil: Yeah possibly like. It's gonna be daft.

Lemmy: Fluffy hands, yeah?

Phil: A bit of comedy. Just fun. It's a departure. It's something I wanna do.

Lemmy: Like Christmas songs?

Phil: Aye, ya think? A quality joke?

Lemmy: Yeah. Why not?

Glenn: What did you think to the Sherwood Forest gig on 6th July, 2003 - did you enjoy that?

Lemmy: Well it had its great moments and its bad moments. It wasn't that great of a place to have a gig. I think the people that promoted it must have been f*ck*ng crackers - you know what I mean?

Phil: Yeah there was only about 350 there or something.

Rob: It was £23 a ticket which was a bit (too much).

Phil: I know Mike Cox though, the Psycho Squad's bass player, Mike had the time of his life. I mean, I enjoyed it and that but we played football, a bunch of us so my legs were hurting for about 4 days later. It was a good day because we were driving on a Mercedes bus from London with the hardest seats ever. It was a relief to get off it. It was like that wasn't it (knocks the seat - which makes a wood sound) - it was like that wasn't it.

Lemmy: Look at me right? Bolt upright as usual.

Phil: Yeah - but it was nice to play there.

Rob: I had the 'Stone Deaf Forever' box set on - I was listening to 'Keep us on the road'.

Lemmy: Yeah.

Rob: A classic track. I've never actually heard you do it live.

Lemmy: No. You wouldn't have - you're too young aren't you. The last time we did that live was 1977 I think.

Rob: Jeez. Do you think you'll ever bring that one back?

Lemmy: I doubt it. I mean there's so many songs and that isn't one of the top ones. We're doing 'Love Me Like A Reptile'.

Rob: Are you?

Phil: We'll never put anything on that's not out of the question. Things evolve for different reasons.

Lemmy: We don't wanna be just a cabaret band just doing greatest hits.

Phil: The set would be over in 5 f*ck*n' minutes.

(Everyone laughs)

Rob: Yeah once you've done the disco version of 'Ace of Spades' as well.

Phil: But if we had a 'Greatest Tits' though we'd have a double octaple album.

Lemmy: Yeah 'Greatest Tits'.

Phil: If it had been 'Greatest Tits' it'd be a different story like.

Glenn: What new bands have you been checking out and have you heard of a band called 'Broadzilla' from Detroit?

Lemmy: Broadzilla. I met them in Detroit. I met one of the chicks with her boyfriend. They seem like a good laugh but I haven't heard anything of theirs yet. I've got a (Broadzilla) sticker on my case.

Phil: (to Lemmy) You like 'Evanescence' a lot don't you?

Lemmy: I do. I like 'Evanescence'. Very Good indeed. Every tracks a winner and you don't get many of them.

Glenn: Yeah, I gave it 10/10, I was well impressed. How was your tour with Dio and Iron Maiden in the USA?

Lemmy: It was alright - we had the sh*t spot though opening up. Apart from that it was great. I mean, I like being on a big tour like that. I just wish there'd been some poor devils on before us.

Phil: Yeah. We just lead the good life. We like 'A Perfect Circle'

Lemmy: Are they? F*ck*ing lamer name than 'Wheatus' - sounds like a farming bulletin.

Phil: As they say, "it comes up your arse".

Lemmy: It grows on your face - Wheatus.

Phil: It sounds like a fungal - a fungroid.

Lemmy: A fungroid yeah.

Phil: From the fungal family like.

Rob: (To Lemmy) I was thinking about some of the rumours about you. Some of them have been quite funny in the past like the blood transfusion thing.

Lemmy: Yeah.

Rob: You've heard that one.

Phil: It's red wine (not blood).

Rob: Yeah.

Lemmy: Red Wine?

Phil: Yeah - it was red wine they put into you not blood to keep you going.

Lemmy: It was amphetamines.

Rob: And then the old warts. You were supposed to be selling them on E-bay.

Lemmy: Well they are not warts you see.

Rob: What are they?

Lemmy: Moles.

Rob: Moles. Right.

Glenn: Everyone calls 'em warts.

Lemmy: Yeah. My mother used to tell me they were beauty spots but I never fell for it.

Phil: Yeah, she told me the same.

Lemmy: Because I had 19 warts on this hand right (shows us his hand) and one night in the bath tub they all fell off - they all disappeared. They weren't in the bottom of the tub - they'd just f*ck*n' dissolved. It was the weird thing. So if these had been warts they'd have gone as well wouldn't they?

Rob: That's it.

Phil: I think they were amphetamines on him because they all went in one night because I had warts.

Lemmy (to Phil convincing): It was when I was in the tub. I just pulled my hand out of the water and they were gone. They'd been there 3 years too.

Phil: I had one on my knee there and one there.

Lemmy: I had one wrapped right around my finger - like a f*ck*n' snake it was and it just disappeared.

Phil: Weird.

Rob: If you believed in God? - which I know you don't.

Lemmy: No I don't.

Rob: Then it could have been a miracle so you've gotta admit it.

Lemmy: Well it was a miracle but it had f*ck all to do with God.

Rob: You've written quite a lot of Anti-Religion songs in the past. I mean was that always the case - have you ever kind of described yourself as religious - your dad was a vicar wasn't he?

Lemmy: My father was a priest and he left when I was two months old anyway so that wasn't the reason I'm not religious. I'm not religious because I weighed up the pros and cons of the f*ck*in' bible - it's a load of f*ck*n' nonsense.

Glenn: Yeah.

Lemmy: B*ll*cks to it. I'll find out when I die - know what I mean and I can write (to you).

Rob: Send me an e-mail.

Phil: I've gone down one place today in the 100 Welsh heros.

Lemmy: Who beat you?

Phil: I've gone down from 5 to 6 overall and I'm singling with 'The Manic Street Preachers'.

Lemmy: B*st*rd.

Phil: Dylan Thomas is still above me and Richard Burton. If it was f*ck*n' '100 number 1 Welsh W*nkers' I'd be at the number one spot.

Glenn: How's Todd doing? (Phil's son - lead vocalist/guitarist of 'Psycho Squad')

Phil: Regarding the band - they are doing good. They've got some stuff - they have an E.P. coming out at the end of November - the stuff that was like recorded about a year ago. But they could do with some new f*ck*n' management. Todd's in his last year a t Uni now - he might as well finish that. He's doing good. He's really keeping his fingers on it.

Glenn: Can you ever see you guys doing an 'Unplugged' - like an 'MTV Unplugged'?

Phil: We could do that. I'd like to do that. We'll have acoustic guitars occasionally. 'Unplugged and Undrugged'.

(While this is going on Lemmy is signing Robs 'Stone Deaf Forever' boxed set)

How much are they selling it for?

Rob: £55 - £54.99 if you take the penny off.

Phil: Jesus Christ!

Rob: It's absolutely brilliant though.

Glenn: How come it's come out on Sanctuary/Metal Is and not on SPV?

Phil: You better call our manager on that because I don't know. Right are you done with me guys as I'm gonna go off and have a shave.

Rob: Before you go Phil I was going to mention to you - the Motorhead tribute band 'Motorheadache' and you might probably guess I'm trying to do 'Lemmy'.

Phil: I read something about that, yeah. No, we'd not guessed. I read something about it earlier.

Rob: Yeah. We've mentioned to Todd about it. What's your take on 'Motorhead' Tribute bands - there's about 2 or 3 on the go.

Phil: Yes. Yeah. We've been given a bunch of cd's and stuff like that yeah. Some of the songs are crackin' - some of them are horrible and some of them are okay but I like listening to 'em. We've one with a yodelling version of 'Ace of Spades' and everything on it.

(Starts yodelling the chorus)

We've heard Foxtrot versions and Line-dancing versions of 'Overkill' - everything like.

Rob: I was say about a Motorhead tribute band - we've kicked it off and the most surprising thing to me is that most think it's easy to play but your bass style is f*ck*ng incredible. The stuff that you're doing. I don't think you ever get the credit for that bass style because I think it's one of the hardest f*ck*ng things I've ever done.

Lemmy: Yeah. It's because you've got the wrong hairstyle son.

Rob: What do you think to the other tributes - 'Ace of Spades' (Alan Davey's Bedouin) have you heard them or the German one called 'Metropolis'?

Lemmy: No I haven't no.

Rob: I've been listening to your stuff since 1982. I first saw you with Brian Robertson in 1983 and I can't believe there isn't a UK based tribute band.

Lemmy: The UK is, I don't know… not energetic. They don't get keen. That's why I like it in America because they are keen. They f*ck up sometimes but that's alright because at least they're f*ck*n' tryin'. The UK seems to sink into its own sh*t a lot sometimes, you know what I mean.

Glenn: Yeah.

Rob: Isn't your biggest market now probably Germany though?

Lemmy: Always was.

Rob: Do you know why? What is it about the Germans?

Lemmy: They're loyal. England's ruled by fashion.

Rob: You're back in fashion again though.

Lemmy: Oh yeah - every two years.

Rob: Yeah.

Lemmy: Can't make 'em buy the f*ck*n' albums though!! The new ones I mean - not the f*ck*ng compilations. They could have bought three new albums for the price of that (he says referring to the 'Stone Deaf Forever' box on the table in front of him).

Rob: In two years time - that's 30 years (of Motorhead), you, yourself will be approaching, if I've got my sums right, 60.

Lemmy: In two years yeah.

Rob: Do you reckon that's the time you'll say, 'f*ck it, I've had enough or f*ck it I'm just gonna go on…

Lemmy: Why would I have enough?

Rob: That's why I hope you never do.

Lemmy: You can never have enough.

Rob: Do you still hope to die on stage with your boots on? Is that what you still wanna do?

Lemmy: There's worse places to die - in hospital with tubes up your f*ck*n' nose. Yeah?

Glenn: True.

(Lemmy Kilmister & Rob Campbell)

Rob: So how many more years of Motorhead have we got ahead of us then?

Lemmy: I don't know man. A f*ck*n' stupid question. Everytime someone asks that I say, "That's f*ck*n' stupid". What do you expect me to say, that in a year and a half I'm gonna knock it on the head. How the f*ck do I know? I'm gonna do it as long as I can because it feels right and when it feels right I'll pack up. That answers your question. Don't ask it again!! (a big grin appears on Lemmy's face)

Rob: That's brilliant - that's the answer that the loyal fans want to hear.

Glenn: You must have songs that you must get sick of playing?

Lemmy: Not anymore no. I got sick of 'Ace of Spades' for a bit but it's alright again now. I don't know, I don't mind - we have good songs you see. I mean, I can't imagine how it is for Barry Manilow singing f*ck*ng 'Mandy' every night.

Rob: The cabaret version as well.

Lemmy: Awful. A fate worse than death, you know.

Rob: It could be, it could be. What about Wurzel, Philthy Phil and all them - do you ever see them?

Lemmy: I see Philthy yeah. He's in LA.

Rob: I was reading an article that he was in a bad way - is he alright?

Lemmy: Yeah - he's alright and I only saw him two weeks ago and he's fine.

Rob: Is he doing anything musically?

Lemmy: No.

Rob: Has he just chucked it?

Lemmy: I think he might be starting to get into another band now but I'm not sure.

(Wurzel, Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Taylor & Phil Campbell)

Rob: And Wurzel - do you see much of him?

Lemmy: Never seen him.

Rob: I thought Wurzel was great. You two were like a double-act.

Lemmy: He was good but we fell out in the end.

Rob: I know. It was a shame. You actually ran up to Glasgow and did the Radio Clyde Rock Show one time. I've got the interview on tape. I'll send you a copy of that tape. What a f*ck*n' laugh - that was you and Wurzel.

Lemmy: Yeah.

Rob: Drinking cans of tea in the studio.

Lemmy: Cans of what?

Rob: Cans of tea. You kept sparking up on the Lager and calling it tea.

Lemmy: Iced Tea.

Rob: Iced Tea.

Lemmy: Radio Clyde was funny. Once we went up there - me and Eddie. You know you have to soundcheck to f*ck*n' do it, you know and the c*nt kept us waiting for about 20 minutes. We were waiting on him you know. So we put the firehose under his door - rang the alarm and ran off. He slammed the door shut like. So I was surprised when they had us back.

Rob: I think Tom Russell is still on the go as well - the DJ of 'The Tom Russell Rock Show' - he's still on the go.

Lemmy: Oh I don't remember - it was a radio - get in the car, get out, talk, get in the car, you know - that's all - you can't remember 'em all.

Glenn: Have you got plans for the new album?

Lemmy: Yeah, yeah we are going in, in about February but there's no songs yet.

Rob: Any titles?

Lemmy: No there's f*ck all yet.

Rob: That's a good title. 'We are f*ck all'

Lemmy: That sounds good.

Rob: Yeah. That's alright yeah.

Glenn: When you did 'White Line Fever' - the book is there anything you kept out of it for the future?

Lemmy: Yeah. Not fugitively. I kept it out because they are still alive.

Glenn: Got you - so you'd get sued?

Lemmy: Well no. It's just that you upset a lot of people by putting it down.

Rob: Can you do what Alan Clarke did?

Lemmy: Who?

Rob: I remember when Alan Clarke died - the Politician - he was well known for his womanising.

Lemmy: Oh was he? Well good luck to him.

Rob: And lifestyle, yeah.

Lemmy: Well I just don't wanna upset people - why should I? You know, there's enough in the book - it's funny without it. F*ck*n' people off. I hate this kiss and tell sh*t you know.

Rob: You've had a few stories in the past. Wasn't there a couple of lasses said that you kept them up for nine hours shagging?

Lemmy: Yeah - that was Julie wasn't it , yeah.

Rob: Is it true?

Lemmy: Yeah. Yeah.

(We laugh)

Rob: At least it's the truth.

Lemmy: The truth is funny. She must have wrote to the papers that she was hanging from the ceiling in an extreme unabridged distortion of the truth. They must have involved a lot of solicitors for Lemmy Kil… Oh f*ck*n Lemmy (laughing to himself).

Rob: I remember Tommy (late Tour Manager) saying to me that his biggest claim to credit was that he'd got you from 2 bottles of Jack Daniels to 1 a day. He said he managed to kind of get you to that.

Lemmy: I'd had one already.

(We laugh)

If he'd have broke my hand I would still have drank it.

Rob: Are you still sort of knockin' about 2 bottles a day?

Lemmy: No, No - I only drank one a day - I don't know what the f*ck he was talking about. F*ck*n' Tommy - you know, exaggerating a usual. He was "Look at me - I'm Tommy Crossland".

Rob: Yeah - he was a big lad.

Lemmy: I've heard he was working for 'A Flock Of Seagulls'. I don't know how you can boast about anything after you've been working with them.

(we laugh)

Rob: Those big haircuts.

Lemmy: Ahh - right.

Glenn: Who would you say your favourite duets have been? Would you say there are people you'd still like to do duets with?

Lemmy: Yeah. Lots of 'em.

Glenn: Any in particular?

Rob: Sam Fox - you were always keen on doing something with her but the record companies put pain to that didn't they?

Lemmy: No. Her career just took off - she didn't need to do it. She was just trying to sing. I knew her anyway. She got up for a rehearse but it never really happened and I'd like to do one with Janet Jackson - 'Black Cat' - I love that f*ck*n' song. You know the one I mean.

Glenn: Yeah.

Lemmy: Great f*ck*n' song that but the record company wouldn't let it be possible. It would be out of the genre - it's that sad.

Rob: You've broken the mould a bit with the fantastic covers you've done though like 'Jumpin' Jack Flash'.

Lemmy: Yeah but that's just us again though.

Rob: Ted Nugent's 'Cat Scratch Fever'?

Lemmy: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah but that's just us doing someone elses song - I'm talking about duets.

Glenn: Yeah - like you did with Doro but not in the rock sort of climate?

Lemmy: But that was good I thought. I like that. I like the way it came out.

Glenn: You said in your book that your favourite sexual position is a blow-job - is that still the case?

Lemmy: Yeah. (We laugh) All that humpin' and bendin', you know I've done enough of that. A good blow-job is a joy forever.

Rob: Can you do it after a gig?

Lemmy: Anytime. (We laugh) There is no time like it for blow-jobs (laughing) - also it's quicker, you know, and you don't have to remove all your clothing and that. A lot easier on everybody concerned you know.

Glenn: So which women from which country gives have given the best blow jobs to you?

Lemmy: I don't f*ck*n' know - there's no women that give better f*ck*n' blow-jobs. That's a very strange question that.

Glenn: If you could put the ultimate rock festival together - obviously with you guys headlining?

Lemmy: I'd have to sit and work that out.

Glenn: Or who would you like to see in the line-up?

Lemmy: Skunk Anansie - but they've broke up now. I don't know a lot of people. You know - I'd have to sit and work that out.

(Phil Campbell then enters the room again)

Glenn: Who would you say some of your favourite support bands have been?

Lemmy: Skew Siskin I think. There are some good support bands we've had - The Wildhearts actually.

Phil: Sounded pretty good from both bands.

Lemmy: Yeah. (looks to Phil) Who was that band we had on with us in the states last time?

Phil: Psycho Squad for some of them. Who else? Anthrax were good.

Lemmy: Yeah Anthrax. That's the one.

Glenn: Yeah I saw them with you last year in Manchester.

Lemmy: Yeah. There's been a lot of good bands you know. Speedqueen from France for a while.

(I then have a few photos with Lemmy and he looks at the Motorheadache t-shirt)

That's the actual 'Iron Fist' mask - I've still got mine at home.

Rob: Have you?

Lemmy: Yeah. Eddie gave his away and Phil gave his away I think and we ended with one left.

Rob: Are you still opening with 'We are Motorhead'?

Lemmy: Yeah.

Rob: Great Song.

Lemmy: Yeah it is.

Rob: Love that. It's always a toss up between that and 'Iron Fist' to get you in the groove but I like 'We are Motorhead'.

Lemmy: Yeah. I like it better.

Rob: It's easier to play.

Lemmy: I'd quite like to open up with 'Ace of Spades' actually.

Rob: Would you? Anyway, thank you Lemmy - that was great (and shakes Lemmy's hand)

Glenn: Yeah - that was excellent - take care and have a good gig (and I shake the great mans hand as well)

Lemmy: Thanks man (and he gives me a wink and a big smile).

We leave Lemmy to greet some of the crew at Nottingham who have been allowed in to meet him - next stop - the gig itself!!!

A big thank you to Lemmy Kilmister and Phil Campbell, Nik Moore @ Work Hard PR, Freddie (Motorhead's Tour Manager), The Rock City Staff, Motorhead's Personal Security & SPV Records for making it all possible & Amy Rae Yard for the Video Game Photo.

'You Never Forgot Us, We'll Never Forget You!'

R.I.P. Lemmy Kilmister