BLABBERMOUTH.NET
In a recent interview with
Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, drummer
Mikkey Dee spoke about the musical chemistry between him and the other members of the final
MOTÖRHEAD lineup, guitarist
Phil Campbell and the late, great
Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister.
"I think that's why we worked so well is because we were three different personalities and three different wills or ideas, but it clicked really well for us," he said (hear audio below). "We worked fantastic together. We had our discussions, but it all ended up in a great camaraderie and respect for each other, which was great. So it was very easy, in a way, to work together because we all wanted the same thing and we had almost the same vision all the time. So we pulled in the right direction and the same direction. It was great. Of course, every year, the years went on, and we got tighter and tighter."
Dee, who has been a member of
SCORPIONS since 2016, also talked about
MOTÖRHEAD's recent live set,
"Louder Than Noise… Live In Berlin", containing a recording of the band's December 5, 2012 concert at the Berlin Velodrom. Asked posthumous
MOTÖRHEAD releases, such as
"Louder Than Noise… Live In Berlin", bring him joy, sadness or perhaps both,
Mikkey said: "Not sadness, because we had great years together. You just get proud and you have your memories from all this. I miss
Lemmy tremendously, of course, but we all did so much good stuff. When we release a new thing like this, it's just, 'Wow,' it's great. I listen to the record and I go, 'Wow. We played that song and this song.' Of course, we kind of forgot exactly how the setlist was. You get surprised yourself how good the show is, and you can actually almost smell [
laughs] the arena, how it was. It's all good, I have to say. But, of course, you get reminded of
Lemmy and how good we had it. But it doesn't give me sadness. I just miss him, basically. I like to think about
Lemmy in a total positive way. I don't try — that's what I actually do — because we had so much fun and [we did] so much together that I really cherish the memory and the history that we created. If I walk around super sad every time I hear
Lemmy's name or we do anything about the old
MOTÖRHEAD, it will be terrible. So, I put a smile on when I listen to this. I go, 'Wow. We did something great.' And I can actually see and hear
Lemmy right in front of me, and that brings me happiness instead of sadness."
Lemmy died in December 2015 at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.
He had dealt with several health issues over the last few years of his life, including heart trouble, forcing him to cut back on his famous smoking habits.
MOTÖRHEAD had to cancel a number of shows in 2015 because of
Lemmy's poor health, although the band did manage to complete one final European tour a couple of weeks before his death.
Last June, it was announced that
Lemmy will get the biopic treatment. The upcoming film,
"Lemmy", will be directed by
Greg Olliver, who previously helmed the 2010 documentary of the same name,
"Lemmy".
"Lemmy" will go into production later this year, with
VMI introducing the film at the Cannes virtual market. It will follow
Kilmister's life growing up in Stoke-on-Trent, becoming a roadie for
Jimi Hendrix and a member of seminal psychedelic rock band
HAWKWIND before forming
MOTÖRHEAD.
A custom-made urn containing
Lemmy's ashes is on permanent display in a columbarium at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Hollywood, California.