Lemmy, Hawkwind, and Motorhead

Tuesday night’s Clutch concert at Terminal 5 in NYC featured exclusively Motorhead songs on the PA leading up to the band’s stage appearance and a call-out by singer Neil Fallon.

With Ian “Lemmy” Kilminster’s recent death and intense and widespread outpouring of regret, sympathy and fond remembrance, I checked my blogs and realized I hadn’t done one on this subject, although I did cover Time of the Hawklords, Michael Moorcock’s Hawkwind sci-fi book, back in March 2014.

White Line Fever.  His autobiography.  If you haven’t already, check it out.  I did so because of the Hawkwind angle, which he does cover briefly – though enough to make it worth checking out for Hawkwind fans.  Required reading for ALL Motorhead fans.

His more recent DVD documentary, “Lemmy”, is also fun to watch.  He gives a tour of his rent-controlled, Nazi-memorabilia filled apartment in L.A., and the cubbyhole of the Rainbow Bar & Grill where he hangs out.  I liked Scott Ian ragging on him for his Daisy Dukes (very short jean shorts). 

Sam Gopal.  Before Hawkwind, Lemmy was in Sam Gopal’s band, and he’s on Escalator.  He plays lead guitar and sings.  This is a bit more Indian toned than Hawkwind, so maybe not that great for Motorhead fans. 

Hawkwind.  I’ve seen Hawkwind twice, but both times was in the 1990s well after Lemmy left.  He’s on Doremi Fasol Latido (1972),  Hall of the Mountain Grill (1974), and Warrior on the Edge of Time (1975), plus their must-have live album, Space Ritual (1973), which oddly does NOT have “Silver Machine”.  It was on the Warrior tour that he was busted in Canada and effectively kicked out of the band.  Sadly, Lemmy was never in the band at the same time as Huw Lloyd Langton (HLL) [except ONE live show] – that would have been killer.  

            Compared to Motorhead, Hawkwind are a completely different animal.  Amazingly psychedelic, but with a strong core of strength – thanks to Lemmy – it was weird, but fun.  Those albums with Lemmy are arguably the best ones, though Levitation and Xenon Codex – both with HLL – are also awesome. 

            “Motorhead”, “Lost Johnny”, “The Watcher”, and “Silver Machine” are Lemmy’s contributions to Hawkwind, really where any Motorhead fan should start.  I prefer the Hawkwind version of “Motorhead”, though it doesn’t have Lemmy singing, plus it has a slower lope to it than the Motorhead version.

Motorhead.  I’ve seen them a few times, including one major show at the Bayou (DC) in January 1996, headlining, plus opening for Black Sabbath (1994) and Iron Maiden (2003).   Ace of Spades is, of course, the definitive album, but I prefer Another Perfect Day, the one-off album with Brian Robertson – better known as half of Thin Lizzy’s guitar attack with Scott Gorham – and Phil Taylor (RIP recently as well). 

            In more recent years Lemmy tended to switch up and ease the throttle a bit on some songs.  “1916” is an excellent example of this.  He couldn’t do this for more than a song or two per album, but an entire album of such songs – like Opeth’s Damnation – would have been great.  F**k Motorhead fans if they can’t deal with it.  Part of what kept me from being a stronger Motorhead fan was that too many of his songs sounded exactly the same, and the same attitude was endlessly repeated to the point of boredom.  He complained that fans always mention Ace of Spades and tried to remind people that he’s made 18 albums since that one.  Dude, all those 18 albums sound the same!  If he’d done that prog album I’d asked for, maybe it would be different.