Lemmy

Recently, I've been on a sort of 'music tear'.  I discovered a documentary series called 'Metal Evolution' and it's opened a whole world of music to me that I never really paid much attention to....Heavy Metal.  So, in my explorations, I've discovered the band, Motorhead, and their lead singer, Lemmy.  And, I also discovered a little documentary about Lemmy that's a terrific movie, whether you like the music or not!



Now, music aside, Lemmy's been about the music business since he first saw The Beatles...at the Cavern Club...before they had a record contract!!!  That's when he started his career in music, one that didn't start off too well and led him to working behind the scenes just to stay close to the business that he loved.  And his behind the scenes job??  Lemmy was a roadie....for Jimi Hendrix!!!  So, just from those two aspects, he's a guy who's got a story to tell, then, get to Motorhead, arguably one of the best...and longest lived...metal bands of all time and you've got yourself a story.  But that's just the music, Lemmy, the man, is just as interesting!

Lemmy, at the time of the film, is a man in his mid-60s, who's still living the 'rock and roll' lifestyle unapologetically.  He drinks, he smokes, he does some drugs, and he lives by a philosophy of live and let live.  He lives in a small apartment in Los Angeles, he walks every day to a local watering hole and drinks and plays video trivia and does what he likes to do...and nothing else.  And, it's not just a camera following Lemmy, as interesting as that might be, we meet a ton of people who admire and want to work with Lemmy, members of nearly every metal band there is are present and singing his praises for keeping the metal banner high and up front!

Now, life's not all one big party for Motorhead's leader, there's a short scene near the end of the movie, where we find Lemmy alone in his dressing room in Berlin, waiting to go on.  The filmmakers ask him if he has any regrets, and, as Lemmy is telling us that this is his life and he wouldn't change a thing, you can't help but see in his eyes that he does, in fact, have some regrets, but has chosen not to dwell on them...it's a very poignant scene that reveals much more than you might think.

If you love the music, then this is a no-brainer, but if you're not a metal-head, check it out anyway, it's a movie about a guy who's been there and done that and is willing to share his experiences with anyone who wants to learn from his mistakes....it's well worth your time!

I'm giving Lemmy, 4 out of 4 cigars, it's an amazing movie about a type of individual who's dying out...and who probably won't be replaced!