MIKKEY DEE Reflects On His Time With MOTÖRHEAD: ‘I Really Cherish The Memory And The History That We Created’

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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.