Born to Lose. Live to win.

[Jakov Minić]

When I think of true stand up guys; those who follow their beliefs regardless of consequences; I think of Lemmy.
Extraordinary that he managed to live 70 when you take into consideration his ruthless lifestyle.
If ever there was anybody who lived by sex, drugs, and rocknroll, it was my childhood hero!

I gather I will be raising a glass or two in his honor tonight and listening to his music so that the neighbours know without a doubt what's going on! 


Remain loud wherever you are...

[Alex Cejka]

I use to listen to Motorhead when in teenage years. There is a documentary, I've seen few years ago, about Lemmy which portraits him more or less as a broke alcoholic living said life.

[Akira]

Though I hadn't listened to his music in real time, it was hard not to like his bass...

[Frank Fremerey]

There is a lot of definition involved. One feels a win if he just does
what his parents expected him to do. The other would rather shoot
himself if he does not create a world of his own.

To be exposed like a pop star as a profession touches more of ones
life that any other profession.

I know how it feels to create for a living. Esp text is very personal.

I imagine a song to feel like a part of your heart ... extreme exposure
again ... if you create you take a part of yourself and it regrows but
the process can be very hard and confusing at times.

... can you see this as an orbituary?
...

[Jakov Minić]

Akira, I love your symbolic photo of the Hammer and Ace of Spades! Yes, his bass and his style of playing it has become iconic.

Alex, I am not certain that Lemmy would agree with you, that he had a sad life. He lived the way he wanted to making no compromises.

Frank, you are spot on. He didn't do what his parents wanted or what the society wanted him to do. He was himself. He didn't make any excuses for what he was and he didn't care what others thought of him or his music.

[ColinM]

Truly uncanny Jakov, I had the TV on whilst browsing NG and Lemmy's obituary came on the news just as I clicked on your post!!

Sadly, the track played most often in connection with Motorhead and the one most people associate with Lemmy is "Ace of Spades", despite all the others he recorded.

Meanwhile, this is the first piece I ever heard Lemmy singing on (though I never knew it was him way back then)

https://youtu.be/yao_T2adl14


Finally, hopefully you all know how he got his nickname?

[Frank Fremerey]

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/dec/29/lemmy-obituary-alexis-petridis-motorhead

[Jakov Minić]

Apart from sex, drugs, and rock n roll, Lemmy liked his gambling, in particular slot machines.
So the story goes that he was saying all the time to everybody "lemmy (lend me) a quid".
But Lemmy himself never confirmed this as true

I listened to Motorhead like crazy in the 80s and I missed out on his Belgrade concert in '89 or '90 if my memory serves me well.
I did catch up with Lemmy for the first time in Budapest '94. I saw him on several other occasions and thoroughly enjoyed his live performances that were full of energy and and were LOUD!
Attached are photographs of the '94 concert made by my friend Kulja who gifted these photos to me. Needless to say how I treasure them now.

Never got into Hawkwind until I saw them live (without Lemmy). Now, thanks to my lately introduced affection to illicit (not where I live) substances I find Hawkwind awesome
In fact I listen to them more often than Motorhead.

[Akira]

Truly uncanny Jakov, I had the TV on whilst browsing NG and Lemmy's obituary came on the news just as I clicked on your post!!

Sadly, the track played most often in connection with Motorhead and the one most people associate with Lemmy is "Ace of Spades", despite all the others he recorded.

Meanwhile, this is the first piece I ever heard Lemmy singing on (though I never knew it was him way back then)

https://youtu.be/yao_T2adl14


Finally, hopefully you all know how he got his nickname?

Colin, thanks for the note.  Although "Silver Machine" is not my cup of tea, it was interesting to know he wanted to play faster music.  I just learned how he got his nickname.  So long as I'm aware, many rock stars started as broke.

Anyway, what a bad year for the bass players 2015 has been...Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, Louis Johnson and Lemmy...

[Frank Fremerey]

Colin, thanks for the note.  Although "Silver Machine" is not my cup of tea...

Try "Ace of Spades" ... The precision they play with and the energy the transport is great ... I never saw them live but, you know, I listend to "John Peels Music on BFBS" a lot when I was young and he taught me a lot. As a music maker I did not need illeagal substances to enjoy great music. ..... After knowing what I was talking about I listend to THE WHO again ... gosh ... they did not even know how to play their instruments.

[Jakov Minić]

The Who are a prime example of great artists who were never affiliated with illicit substances 

[Akira]

Try "Ace of Spades" ... The precision they play with and the energy the transport is great ... I never saw them live but, you know, I listend to "John Peels Music on BFBS" a lot when I was young and he taught me a lot. As a music maker I did not need illeagal substances to enjoy great music. ..... After knowing what I was talking about I listend to THE WHO again ... gosh ... they did not even know how to play their instruments.

When I listened to "Ace of Spades" on "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith" for the first time long after it had been released, I was immediately hooked.

I think Pete Townshend has a pretty sophisticated technique for playin chord strokes (not just for that "windmill").  John Entwistle was a quite technical bass player, too.

[ColinM]

Aaahhhh, this is turning into a pleasant stroll down Nostalgia Highway

In response to several comments above:

• yes Akira, yet more favourite players lost to us.
  I loved Chris Squire when I first listened to the album Fragile (even if I never understood what Jon Anderson was singing about!)
• Entwhistle may not be in the same technical league as some, but my memory of tracks like The Real Me is that he could sometimes almost be the second lead guitar
• So many to choose from, but amongst other long departed players, Jaco Pastorious...... 
• Finally I was just in my early teens when Lemmy/Hawkwinds Silver Machine came out. Had no radio of my own, so was forced to listen with my parents present.
  I'll never forget my mum asking "What's that man singing? 'I've got a sewing machine ??'
  Cue much rolling of eyeballs!

[Akira]

LOL, Colin, although Jakov wouldn't mind, the thread could be endlessly long when we go into this topic too deeply! 

[Jakov Minić]

Jakov certainly wouldn't mind
Do carry on...