The late, lamented Motörhead legend Lemmy Kilmister was known for his interest in war memorabilia, and particularly items from the German forces of World War II.
That meant the Motörhead leader was occasionally accused of being something of a Nazi sympathiser – and apparently, even some fans of the band remain under that impression, as a recent social media exchange proved.
A supporter in South America tweeted of Lemmy: “Although he had his Nazi tendency, he has always seemed to me the best rocker in history... of course after Hendrix, whose assistant he was at concerts.”
That earned a response from Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, who said: “FYI, Lemmy DID NOT have any Nazi tendencies. He was a historian.” Another of Kilmister’s collaborators, Slim Jim Phantom of the Stray Cats, added: “Phil Campbell is 100% correct and I will vouch for this true statement all day long.” Campbell responded: “Thanks Jim, we should know.”
Speaking in 2009, Lemmy explained: “I only collect the stuff, I didn’t collect the ideas. I’ve always liked a good uniform. Throughout history, it’s always been the bad guy who dressed the best. Napoleon, the Confederates, the Nazis… If [England] had a good uniform, I’d collect ours as well, but what does the British Army have? Khaki.”
In a separate interview he reflected on being regarded as racist because of his collection. “If I was a university professor teaching it as a degree I wouldn’t get that,” he argued, before explaining: “I dislike religion quite intensely, actually. It’s been the cause of all the grief in the world ever since they discovered the first stone to worship. … I mean Nazism and Communism are religions too, make no mistake, with Hitler and Stalin as God, right? It’s the same thing.”
FYI, Lemmy DID NOT, have any Nazi tendencies. He was a historian. https://t.co/mut44xTyjfJune 4, 2022
