MOTÖRHEAD’s PHIL CAMPBELL Reflects On Band’s Final Tour, Says LEMMY ‘Wasn’t Quite Himself’

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In a brand new interview with the "CATtales" podcast, Phil Campbell reflected on MOTÖRHEAD's final tour leading up to the December 2015 passing of the band's frontman Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister. "Towards the last couple of years, Lem wasn't quite himself," the MOTÖRHEAD guitarist said (hear audio below). "He just wanted to carry on. You could see Lemmy aging a little bit more, 'cause he was a fair amount older than the rest of us. But he was doing fine — he was playing fine. We just carried on. We kind of slowed it down a little bit, but it was still full-on touring compared to what other bands do. Us slowing down was just like full-on [touring] for many other bands. So we'd still go on tour for two months anywhere where they would have us… But Lem played, basically, like he wanted to do as long as he possibly could. But it was difficult to watch sometimes at the very end." According to Campbell, MOTÖRHEAD's end was difficult to adjust to at first. "For 30 years, it was like my routine, basically — traveling on a bus and meeting at airports and soundchecks and having a laugh and watching TV and all the stuff day after day after day after day after day, all of a sudden it just stops," he said. "[But I have] great memories. We made some great music for people to still rock out to, so that's great." 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 fin Campbell joined MOTÖRHEAD in 1984 and appeared on 16 of the band's studio albums, beginning with 1986's "Orgasmatron" and ending with MOTÖRHEAD's final release, "Bad Magic". Phil released his debut solo album, "Old Lions Still Roar", last October via Nuclear Blast. The disc, which had been in the works for more than five years, included guest appearances by Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) and Alice Cooper, among others. Campbell is the leader of PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, in which he is joined by his sons Todd, Dane and Tyla, plus vocalist Neil Starr.