LEMMY. 49% mother****er & 51% son of a b**ch
As I expected – and as it turned out after less than two hours – meeting this remarkable man was worth the time devoted to it. The creators of the film with an all-telling title decided to confront a living legend. A walking icon of rock music. Actually, even these words do not fully capture Lemmy Kilmister’s status. This production tries to convey that, grappling with the difficult task of taming the absolute. And it comes out of it victorious.
Two fans of Motörhead’s work decided to accompany the film’s hero during the tour, concerts, meetings with fans, and visits to recording studios. They also managed to catch a glimpse of Lemmy during his “downtime,” in other words, to show a piece of his private life. They prompted concise statements from other musicians who expressed their opinions about Lemmy. You can see and hear members of Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Alice In Chains, or Lemmy’s comrades from Motörhead – a gallery of iconic figures from no less iconic bands is truly impressive. All this, along with the precise and sincere opinions of the man himself, creates an interesting and picturesque image of the titular hero.
What is he like? The screening dispelled all my doubts and only reaffirmed my belief. Undeniably and unequivocally, he is the perfect embodiment of the rock and roll lifestyle. An individual who, with his very being, has completely and fully devoted himself to this idea of life. At the expense of family life and a stable home with a garden (his son seems to be a beloved child, although he is also – I apologize for the phrasing – an accident at work). Yet, Lemmy is authentic and sincere in all of this. He speaks frankly about his imperfect parenthood, emphasizing the conscious choice of such a life. And since it’s rock’n’roll, indulgence in substances naturally follows. He’s a long-time connoisseur of all kinds of intoxicants, from amphetamines to various types of alcohol. He’s an absolute fan of Jack Daniels, and the legends about the amounts of alcohol he consumed are surprisingly impressive. Following the principle that “monogamy is boring to vomit,” he indulged in carnal pleasures – according to his calculations – with around 500 women. As befits a true tough guy, he’s interested in military history and militaria, of which he is a collector. Moreover, this passion has often caused him many problems. Due to his love for military uniforms (mainly German ones), he was accused, completely unjustifiably, of promoting Nazism, at which he laughs.
Above all, he created an incomparable and irreplaceable band, sounding – thanks to his unconventional bass playing (one scene in the film perfectly illustrates this) and raspy vocals – exceptionally unique. If you’ve ever had any encounter with Motörhead, you know what I’m talking about. If not, I highly recommend it because you don’t have to like it, but you should appreciate it. For its juiciness, uncompromisingness, feeling, kick, and sincerity, which have not diminished in strength for nearly forty years.
All of this has made him regarded as a god for many years, and he is treated as such, with all the honors and homage paid by his younger admirers and the obsessively devoted fans who form a community of his cult followers. This entrenched image of Lemmy has made the film a classic tribute, though it’s more accurate to speak of it as a celluloid monument. It should be added that it is a monument erected entirely deservedly, from which the creators have never distanced themselves. They deserve a big round of applause for also showing the other side of the hero of this production. The subdued, modest, “take it or leave it” and ultimately… lonely side. There are several quite suggestive scenes here that suggest this loneliness. Not coincidentally (I believe), these are moments shot during the day, as the Motörhead leader is a nocturnal creature, and he treats sunlight and the time from sunrise to sunset as a moment to wait out and recharge his batteries.
In terms of formal matters, the directors deserve credit for not trying to reinvent the wheel. Lemmy is a solid music documentary, made classically, according to tried and tested standards and patents. Everything has its place and time here. There are statements, there is a lot of music, memories from the past, childhood, first steps. All presented in appropriate proportions, in such a way that the viewer never feels tired for a moment. Lemmy is a straightforward, juicy piece of work that shows and says what it’s like with this “49% motherfucker & 51% son of a bitch.”
Words by Tomasz Urbanski.
EDITORIAL team