Forget Heavy Metal; Lemmy was the King of Rock & Roll

Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister was a man that lived with a purpose, and that purpose was to bring us rock & roll. He was a product of an era that championed consistency rather than experimentation. His heroes were Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. He was a no bullshit, straight shooter and his music reflected that, whether it be with the hard-hitting anthems of Motörhead or the rockabilly covers of The Head Cat.

It's easy to get caught up in the wild stories of sex, drugs and rock & roll (an essential part of the music as well), but to really understand what made Lemmy tick, one has to dig deeper. As Motörhead moved past their classic lineup, Lemmy took more risks with his writing. Through the late 80's and early 90's, he began exploring themes of religion, war, child abuse and even true love. After the 90's, it's hard to find too many party anthems. Lemmy was focused on politics, philosophy, integrity and death.

With his passing, it’s easy to feel that rock & roll has died with him, but it will live on.

The king of rock & roll is dead. Long live the king.

Here are 10 videos that prove this statement is not mere hyperbole: 

*I'm leaving out the obvious, early, title-track choices (Ace of Spades, Overkill, Bomber, Iron Fist, etc.) as those have been highlighted (deservedly so) by pretty much every article I've read so far

1.) Motörhead - Going to Brazil (Live in Germany - 2004)

Stage Fright DVD - 2005

“Going to Brazil” was Lemmy’s self-proclaimed favorite song to play live. Famously, he fired a producer for trying to add tambourines and claves to this bare-bones rocker.

2.) Motörhead ft. The Late Night Band - Let it Rock (Chuck Berry cover) 

Late Night with David Letterman - 1991

Lemmy has never shied away from his love of Chuck Berry. He would often joke that their talk show performances usually did Motörhead no good. One such appearance actually lead to a decline in sales. Can’t please everyone I guess.

3.) Lemmy, Dave Grohl & Wino - Shake Your Blood 

Music Video - 2004

"Fuck Keith Richards, fuck all those dudes who survived the sixties. Flying around in private jets, living up their gunslinger reputations as they fuck supermodels in the most expensive hotels in Paris. You know what Lemmy's doing? He's probably drinking Jack'N'Cokes and writing another record!"
- Dave Grohl

4.) Motörhead - Stay Clean

Promo video - 1979

 

A prime example of Lemmy's knack for penning anthems of integrity:

"So you see, the only proof,

Of what you are, is in the way you hear the truth.

Don't be scared, live to win,

Although they're always gonna tell you it's a sin.

In the end, you're on your own,

And there is no one that can stop you bein' alone.

Stay Clean."

5.) Motörhead - Just Cos You Got the Power (That Don’t Mean You Got the Right)

(Live in Germany - 2004)  

Stage Fright DVD - 2005

"A slow beautiful, sensitive song about fat, bastard businessmen who are stealing your money right now. So cheer up you know what I mean?" - Lemmy

6.) The Head Cat - Good Rockin Tonight (Elvis Cover) 

Rockin' the Cat Club DVD - 2006

"This is the first music that meant something to me. I never liked jazz or anything else. Early rock 'n' roll – that was music to me. Everything else was boring. Elvis was the first [rock & roller] I really liked, then there was Billy Haley." - Lemmy

7.) Motörhead - Bass Solo + You Better Run (Live at Brixton Academy)

25 & Alive: Boneshaker DVD - 2000

"My idol on bass was always John Entwistle from the Who. If you remember, he had the same tone—maybe a little deeper. The Who was one of the best bands I’ve ever heard in my life. I don’t like to be mumbling away in the background; like a guitar player, I want to be heard. After all, I am a front man—I didn’t get into this thing to not be noticed." - Lemmy

8.) Motörhead - Whorehouse Blues

Music Video - 2004

 

A rare acoustic track with probably the best music video of Motörhead's career. Lemmy and the gang sing the country blues to a bunch of celebrity look-a-likes in a seedy strip club.

9.) Lemmy Interview at The Rainbow Bar & Grill - Los Angeles

A Headbanger's Journey - 2005

"Lemmy was a highly cultured and well-read man - yet to see him glued to a fruit machine most of a night in the Rainbow Bar and Grill on the Sunset Strip you would never have guessed it.  In fact, that hallowed place, steeped in Rock and Roll history, will always bear his spiritual mark." - Brian May of Queen

10.) Lemmy Interview with The Quietus

The Quietus - 2010

"Finally, Lemmy talks about how the new, twentieth Motörhead album is shaped by the current political climate, and his anger at the BP oil spill. 'You can love the individual, but you can't love the race... we're arrogant bastards. We're like a dose of crabs', and adds that human cooperation could learn from our smaller fellows on this spinning planet: 'Talk to the ants, they've got communism working.'"- The Quietus

Rest in Peace Lemmy. You'll be sorely missed.

Written by Andrew Ledwedge - 2016