Ten Years Gone

 

9/11

Never forget. 
Born to Lose. 
Live to Win.

1981

Lived To Win

A year ago today. The teenage me will never be able to quite comprehend that I was invited to attend Lemmy's funeral and service. The adult me still can't quite believe they served guests shots of Jack Daniels in the lobby in Lemmy memorial cups.

Don't Sweat It. Get It Back To You.

It's taken me awhile to realize that Lemmy's death affected me more than I realized.  This week will mark 6 months to the day that he left this mortal coil.. and it's still very weird that he and his band no longer roam the Earth.  Things seem boring now.  Trivia: The "Motörhead Delivers" design is from the final tour last year and was based on a sketch that Lemmy did himself.

I attended Lemmy's 70th birthday party in December.  I attended his funeral in January.  The emotional swing and magnitude of both events was obviously profound.  To be invited to both events celebrating someone who had been my hero since I was a teenager was mind blowing and I did not, and never will, take the honor for granted.  His funeral and the private reception afterwards was a sad, surreal, and amazing experience.  I honestly can't imagine ever visiting The Rainbow again.

Ironically, both Lemmy events coincided with the first "career" change I've experienced in almost a decade.  However, The Rock Godz work in mysterious ways, and as one door closed another one opened for me.  I'm now in a different (but also not that different) part of the "entertainment" industry.  Thankfully it is one that is more rational and stress free than my recent past professional life.  I'd like to think my Karma Bank deposits over the years finally paid off... and my colleagues now include such badass dudes as Yeti Wing Kong.

All of this being said, nothing has been inspiring me this year.  Yes, I've still been hitting gigs fairly regularly.. but I've also passed on a good number as well. For the record I've been at these shows so far in 2016:

January:

• Rancid / OFF! / The Interrupters - The Warfield
• Metal Allegiance - The Whiskey, Los Angeles, California
• Mastodon - The Chapel
• Venom Inc. - DNA Lounge

February:

• Metallica  - AT&T Park
• Black Sabbath / Rival Sons - SAP Center, San Jose, California
• The Mummies - Elbo Room (27th Anniversary Show)
• Megadeth / Suicidal Tendencies / Children Of Bodom - The Warfield

March:

• Neurosis / Sleep / Vhol - The Regency
• Melvins / Dusted Angel - The Ritz, San Jose, California (Pre-tour warm up show)
• Slayer / Testament / Carcass - The Warfield (2 nights)
• Satan / Night Demon / Hellfire - Elbo Room
• Abbath / High On Fire / Skeletonwitch / Tribulation - The Regency (Decibel Tour)
• Iggy Pop - The Masonic

April:

• Metallica - Rasputin's Records, Berkeley, California (Record Store Day) 
• Saviours / Ides Of Gemini / War Cloud - The Chapel

May:

• Napalm Death / Melvins / Melt Banana - Slim's
• The Cure - Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, California

June:

• Armored Saint / Metal  Church - DNA Lounge

I haven't been a recluse, but I also haven't been motivated to write about much.  I had the epiphany that posting on my personal social media has marginalized the "creativity" I used to channel into this space.  Cutting back on that white noise posting chatter needs to happen I guess.  There were definitely events that I should have captured here.. THE major one was Record Store Day 2016 that featured Metallica performing live at Rasputin's in Berkeley and immediately afterward hosting a private party for invited guests at 3132 Carlson Blvd.. aka The Metallica Mansion.

The party was to thank those old friends and associates who helped the band with the massive reissues of Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning.  At some point I intend to document my involvement in this project, which began with me sitting at a kitchen table with Jaymz and Larz over a year earlier and them revealing their reissue plans and basically hiring me to be a consultant on them.  Full circle.  Anyway, until I do that they say a picture is worth 1,000 words... so here's 4,000 words to hold you over about this.

Top photo by the teenage me:  December 28, 1982.  Bottom photo by the adult me:  April 16, 2016:

 
Two Motörhead fans recreating that photo from Summer 1983 taken in that exact same spot:

If you really need to know what happened on that magical day and night right now, click HERE for what the band posted about it. I'll get around to documenting the profoundly full circle experience of being involved with the reissues.. even though it's already old news.

 

Truth be told, baseball is the only thing I really give a shit about at the moment... and I'm annually obsessed with the San Francisco Giants at this time of the year anyway but I'm more ratcheted up this season because it's also the 30th Anniversary of the amazing 1986 team.  That 1986 team is my favorite Giants team ever.

Anyway, that's basically where my head has been this year so far.  I needed a reset... and I'm not sure I've gotten one yet.  On the way back to the blog, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  This space has been running since 2004... 12 (twelve!) fucking years of ranting about shit.  There are some major things in the works.. some happening soon.. others happening further down the road.  All are pretty fucking cool.

Eventually I'll remember how to put words together in an interesting way again.  Hopefully sooner than later.  To quote Motörhead:  "Don't sweat it.  Get it back to you."

The Only Way To Feel The Noise Is When It's Good And Loud

This live photo (by Wayne Vanderkuil) is from The Stone in San Francisco on August 13, 1983 which was the first time I "met" Lemmy. On that tour 'Overkill' was not included in the setlist, so my friends dared me to go up to Lemmy at the bar and ask him why the band wasn't playing 'Overkill'.

So I did.

Instead of punching me Lemmy said they'd forgotten how to play it...

Fast forward to this weekend and I attended his funeral after having worked with Motörhead and their management for the past 8 years. I'm not religious but the Metal Godz work in mysterious ways. 

Instead of flying back today, I opted to ride back with an old Bay Area Metal friend who had driven down and attended the services with me. We listened to Motörhead via my iPod the entire 6 hour drive back and, with the battery almost dead, ironically 'Overkill' from the No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith album was playing as we turned onto my street.  The song literally ended as we stopped in front of my house. 

No joke. 

Born To Lose - Live To Win Forever. 

Thank you and peace in rest, Lemmy and Motörhead.

Damage Case

As soon as I get my head around it I'll probably post a longer, more emo rant about what Lemmy meant to me. There's a lot for me to think about. However, for right now..

Random Lemmy memory: Boston - March 2011. I was visiting a business partner and planned the trip around the Motörhead show at the House Of Blues. All day my Boston colleague asked "Do you think you can get Tom into the show?" I had no idea who "Tom" was and didn't really respond.. Then as we were literally getting into the car to go to the show I realized "Tom" was Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith (my colleague also worked with them).

Long story short, Tom got into the sold out show and afterwards met with Lemmy. It was trippy watching the 2 bass legends chat about this and that. Then Tom asked to see Lemmy's gear so we went back to the stage. Tom admired Lemm's carved Rickenbacker in its case so Lemm handed it to him to check out. It was funny watching a Rock Star geek out..

Then Tom turned to me and asked if I could take a photo of him and Lemmy with my camera because he didn't have one.

I almost asked Tom to play the bass line from 'Sweet Emotion' but I chickened out.. On another note: Tom's son was with him and he was a legit Metalhead with an Amebix back patch on his denim vest. It was also literally sold out to the rafters in Boston that night..

Good times. Anyway... More thoughts on my hero soon.  Peace in rest, Lemmy.

Live To Win

As soon as I get my head around it I'll probably post a longer, more emo rant about what Lemmy meant to me.  There's a lot for me to think about.  However, for right now..

Random Lemmy memory: For almost a decade I've been fortunate to have worked for the companies responsible for Motörhead and their merchandise.  Lemmy sketched things all the time.. including band shirt ideas.

This is a tee he did for the 2007 Australia / New Zealand Motörhead Tour.. He wanted the tour dates on the back upside down because it was "Down Under".. Geddit!? It was classic Lemmy humor but the printer (and some fans) thought the shirt was printed wrong.

[From the Umlaut Archives]

Most people only focus on how much Lemmy drank blah blah but since I was a kid I've always loved his sense of humor and how knowledgeable he was about many subjects.. including the stars on the national flags of Australia and New Zealand in this case.

Anyway... More thoughts on my hero soon.  Peace in rest, Lemmy.

The Golden Years

Now playing back in Umlaut's early-1980's teenage Metalhead bedroom:

Fast forward to Umlaut's 21st Century adult Metalhead reality:

Lemmy's 70th Birthday Party
The Whisky A-Go-Go, Hollywood, California
December 13, 2015

One thing led to another and on a blustery Sunday afternoon I found myself on Southwest Flight 5872 flying down to Hollywood to celebrate my Capricorn hero's 70th birthday that night.  If you had told the Teenage Me I would find myself at this event I would not have believed you.

December's child the only one,
What I do is what I've done,
I realise I get so cold,
When I was young I was already old,
My life.. My heart.. Black night.. Dark star,
Capricorn


Here in the 21st Century, the Sunset Strip is a mere ghost of its former glory with so many places gone and others being replaced by hotels due to redevelopment.  The steady march towards the area becoming an anonymous massive strip mall is on profound fast forward these days.  Upon arriving in L.A. I chilled for a bit before walking down to Book Soup... and across the street was this example of how time travel does exist.. at least on the outside:

It was extremely surreal to see the Tower colors flying on that iconic space again.  However, it's only temporary as the paint job had been done for the premiere of the Tower Records documentary.  It's still empty, cold, and vacant inside the space.. just like the record industry now.  Anyway, after trying unsuccessfully to get served at a crowded bar showing 3 NFL games at once (Is it baseball yet?!), I found a relatively empty bar a block away to have a beer(s) and wait for my colleague friend to text me so we could meet at The Whisky.. and it wasn't long before that text arrived.

As I approached The Whisky I could hear the soundcheck going on and, to my surprise, the front door was wide open and I just walked right in.  Donde está security? Stepping inside of The Whisky is still like stepping into a time machine.  I've only seen a few shows there but the walls really do ooze Lock 'N Loll history.  Given the magnitude of the evening's event I was shocked how mellow things were.. but it was very cool of course.  After taking a quick look around the room I realized who was soundchecking:

That would be Billy Duffy, Billy Idol, Matt Sorum, Duff McKagan, and Steve Jones.. Star power! Crazy, right?!

It was pretty damn amazing to be able to witness the soundcheck for this once in a lifetime event.  In between jams I also ran into several people who I knew (crew guys.. band guys.. industry guys..)... and it always surprises me when I see shows in L.A. that I actually know people there.  I forget.. One of them was the guy who took the band photos in Appetite For Destruction who was filming the show tonight.  Another cool jam featured 1/2 of Anthrax, Slash, Robert from Metallica, and the guy who sings in Ugly Kid Joe (currently residing in the "Where are they now" file..):

After this round of "check one two" was completed my friend and I popped out to get dinner and to catch up since we hadn't seen each other in awhile.  Upon our return we found the entrance closed and a Will Call line forming as the night became a bit rainy.  Thankfully we easily killed time when my friend Rob came over to chat with us.  It was good to catch up with him and hear how his film project and his up-and-coming band are doing.  At one point the Whisky's photographer asked to take his photo for their website as I was standing directly to his left.

I'm sure it was a big thrill for Rob to have his image posted!  Hopefully it will help generate interest in his band and give them some juice to make it to the next level.  Anyway, there was absolutely no Will Call drama and it wasn't long before we were back inside the dry confines of The Whisky.

Tonight was a private, invite only event and the guest list was limited to several hundred "friends" and associates of Lemmy.  It obviously wasn't public knowledge since there was no mob scene or paparazzi out front.. and it was funny that The Whisky's marquee listed a random battle of the bands-type event during the day.

The vibe of the event with the doors open continued to be very mellow and surprisingly not that L.A.-style douchbag at all.  I was surprised.. Maybe it was because those in attendance all understood the magnitude of being invited... especially with Lemmy himself holding court from the front of the balcony overlooking the main floor.  It was one of those classic L.A. events that was entirely a "V.I.P." audience but the upstairs area was an additional level of "V.I.P." area that required you to have a silver sticker on your laminate to enter.  Thankfully Umlaut rated the silver sticker so it was upstairs I went.

Upstairs featured a bar that was giving away beer for free for awhile and food catered by The Rainbow down the street.  Also on display next to the bar was a magnificent birthday cake:

I was surprised that no one accidentally fell into it after too many Jager shots.. but it was a Sunday school night so maybe folks were holding back.  Anyway, in this "V.I.P. V.I.P." area Umlaut rubbed shoulders with the likes of 1/2 of Metallica (the rhythm section..), 1/2 of Anthrax (the 2 members with beards..), Sebastian Bach, Ross Halfin, Dave Lombardo, other various band people whose bands I can't stand, as well as various record label types, band managers, and recording professionals.. and the guys who host That Metal Show.. among others.  Trivia:  Steve Vai is not as tall as I would have expected.

A couple of friends and I managed to snag a prime table next to the soundboard and watched the beginning of the entertainment from there.  Things kicked off with a couple of bands who I honestly didn't catch the names of.. but one did originals fronted by a kid who took his shirt off for their set and the other a cover band fronted by a girl who, in all fairness, knows how to front a band.  However, the beer(s) in my hand held my attention more... as did the party favors:

Onstage Matt Sorum acted as MC for the night.. which was a nice surprise since I'm sure everybody expected Dave Grohl to be there.. and I'm glad he wasn't because when was he ever really Metal?  Honesty is my only excuse.  I was told prior to the night that the setlist would not be all Motörhead songs because that's understandably the last thing Lemmy would want to hear.. so the setlist was made up of songs and bands that Lemmy loves.. as it should be since it was his party!

The proper celebration featuring Lemmy's band friends kicked off with a combo featuring Sorum, his wife on vocals, Gilby Clarke on guitar, and I can't remember who else doing Zeppelin and Stones songs.  The rotating list of guest musicians moved on to include Sebastian Bach for a song or two and also Steve Vai and Nuno Bettencourt doing passable Hendrix covers.  Everybody knows that Lemmy famously roadied for Hendrix, right?

The combo of Zakk Wylde on vocals / guitar, Sorum on drums, and Blasko on bass did a surprisingly excellent blast of Sabbath's 'Fairies Wear Boots'.  I say surprising because I've never been a fan of Zakk Wylde.. but he won me over at least for tonight.  The only Motörhead song performed was '(We Are) The Road Crew' sung by the guy from Ugly Kid Joe (random... but evidently he's a longtime friend of Lemmy's..) with Scott Ian and Slash on guitars, Charlie Benante on drums, and Robert of Metallica on bass. Quite good.

Midway though the proceedings a screen dropped in front of the stage and a really nice video slideshow honoring Lemmy was shown.  It featured vintage photos of the Birthday Boy with audio and video testimonials from some of his famous friends and kindred spirits.

I actually got a bit misty-eyed watching it since it gave a perspective on Lemmy and his life of music, hellraising, and his sense of humor.  My Hero.  Your Hero.  Right?  At this point I also moved downstairs to watch the rest of show from the less crowded floor and in the sweet spot for sound.  However, the night hit a brief awkward snag when they announced the Birthday Boy would be taking the stage and his tech set up his Murder One rig and his Rickenbacker was brought out... However there was an obvious change of plans because the screen dropped again and Murder One removed from the stage.. but Lemmy still watched over his party comfortably from the balcony.

The party eventually closed with the best guest combo of the night featuring Billy Duffy, Billy Idol, Sorum on drums, Duff McKagan, and Steve Jones smoking through 3 oldies to bring the entertainment to a really fantastic end.  'Shaking All Over' into 'Something Else' into 'God Save The Queen' were perfect.

To be honest the end of the party was a bit anti-climatic but given that it was meant to be a party for Lemmy and not a public event the understated way it played out really was perfect.  I imagine Lemmy does not like being the center of attention all of the time.  My hero.  Your hero. Right?

As the party was officially announced as being over I mingled a bit... said goodbye to a couple of people.. met a couple of people who I'd only known via online interaction.. and then made my way back out into the rainy Hollywood night.  Before heading back to where I was staying I stopped at Mel's Drive-In for a late night meal.. and the waitress thought the Lemmy mask I had was of some pro wrestler whose name I can't remember.

Happy 70th Birthday to Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister!  It was an honor to have been there to celebrate it in such an epic way.  A really fun night.. obviously.  On the way back to The Bay Area, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  Sorry to now get Emo, but I'm at the point in life where the heroes who inspired me in my salad days are gone or slowly fading away.  Thankfully Lemmy is still here, hanging in there, and doing what he's always been doing as best he can given the march of time.  The Golden Years are whenever and whatever you make them, my friends.  To quote Ronnie James Dio: Live for today.  Tomorrow never comes.

Lemmy.  My hero.  Your hero.  Right?!!

Photos courtesy of Umlaut's iPhone.

Overkill

Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor left this mortal coil last night.  The classic Motörhead lineup changed my life in a way that no other band ever did.... and this is the song that made Motörhead my favorite band when I was a pimply-faced teenager and they made me forget all about Van Halen:


"The only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud!" 

This 12" piece of vinyl has been following me around since I was 17:

This is my favorite classic lineup photo.. Everything about them is embodied in this one image:  the sense of danger.. the swagger.. the sense of humor.. the Metal.  I was fascinated by it as a suburban teenager.  It was one of those band photos that made Motörhead seem larger than life.. but also approachable.. and they were both.  When it comes down to it this lineup is the only band that matters.  All other bands that came after this trio are posers in comparison.  All of them.

Peace in Rest, Philthy Animal Taylor.

"Don't sweat it... Get it back to you.."

Another Perfect Day

Since my last post was criminally NOT Metal I feel obligated to compensate for it.  I believe this will make up for my transgression:

On this date in 1983: Motörhead played the first of 3 Bay Area shows on the Another Perfect Day Tour. The Keystone Palo Alto on August 11th.. The Keystone Berkeley on the 12th.. and The Stone in San Francisco on the 13th. 

 

Umlaut was at the Palo Alto and San Francisco shows.  In S.F. my friends dared me to go up to Lemmy at the bar and ask him why the band wasn't playing 'Overkill' on the tour.  Instead of punching me Lemmy said they'd forgotten how to play it... 

 Lemmy at The Stone, San Francisco - August 13, 1983

[Photo by Wayne VanderKuil]

Umlaut friend Teri adds:

"I went to all three shows.  I hung out with the band behind The Keystone Palo Alto for a bit and the only thing I had for them to sign was a Scorpions Lovedrive album that was in my car. I am the proud owner of probably the only Scorpions album in the world signed by Motörhead."

NO WIMPS!  

Good Friday

Motörhead / Graveyard
The Warfield, San Francisco
April 18, 2014 

Lemmy visiting San Francisco on Good Friday was very appropriate, right?  Amen.

Thanks to Coachella's popularity and it now hosting 2 consecutive weekends of sunburned hipsters, San Francisco benefits by having some of its main bands spending the off week traveling the 500 miles north to play here as well.  This year Lemmy, Phil, and Mikkey (as well as Graveyard) made the trip.  Tonight was also #5 of only 6 Motörhead shows currently scheduled for North America this year.  Special.

[Full disclosure:  Umlaut also saw that other Coachella band Queens of the Stone Age the night before... It was around the 6th time I've seen QOTSA dating back to their club days but I'm not gonna rant about them here because there's not really much to say.  The band was good and the show was ridiculously sold out to the rafters... but the venue (the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium) is awful. Arena Rock is alive and well.. but I could easily have stayed at home.  At least I had some quality face time with friends.  Anyway...]

Before heading over to The Warfield I sat with a couple of old friends at the legendary TuLan.  Amidst the greasy spoon Vietnamese ambiance we had good food and a spirited conversation about the ironic brilliance of the lyrics and videos of Judas Priest.  I wanna go hot rockin'!  Then we few, we happy few, made the short walk over to the venue.  If only all shows were this easy:

"All Axxxes"

Tonight was sold out in advance and I'm sure many in attendance were motivated by the same thought: "This could be the last time..".  Yes, a morbid motivation but if it meant Lemmy playing in front of an adoring sold out house then so be it.  I'm still haunted by the memory of seeing what turned out to be Ronnie James Dio's final Bay Area show in this same room and it was not sold out. Blasphemy... so kudos to my hometown for showing Lemmy and Motörhead respect!  I've been seeing them in this venue dating back to 1982 and I'm pretty sure they've played The Warfield more than any other Bay Area venue.

I finally *got* Graveyard tonight.  I will admit that the last time I saw them 2 years ago I was completely bored and left early.  Yes, I'm a poser but I'm also not above admitting when I'm wrong.  Graveyard were awesome this time.  There's something about Scandinavian bands doing American-style Rock that works better than most American bands.  In order to play this type of Rock well you have to have swagger... and since Scandinavians in general have a natural swagger that's probably why around half the bands I like are from that region.  Sorry America; the foreigners do *our* Rock better.

The backstage scene tonight was less crowded and more subdued than past Motörhead shows here.  Yes, Matt of High On Fire, Phil of Machine Head, and Chuck of Testament were there to give it that local Rock Star flavor.  There were also enough old friends with the right backstage pass who made being downstairs worthwhile since we could talk and not have to yell at each other to be heard.  Old people problems...

Back upstairs at around 10:15pm the houselights went off and there was a legitmate roar from the crowd as Lemmy, Phil, and Mikkey walked onstage.  There are not many bands with an aura of legend like Motörhead and I was taken aback how emo I suddenly got seeing them onstage again.  I immediately geeked out that Lemmy was not playing his usual dark wood and elaborately carved Rickenbacker but was armed with an older, lighter colored Rick tonight.  I wonder what happened to his weapon of choice?

[Photo courtesy of Photo Ray]

Then Lemmy growled his standard introduction of "We are Motörhead!!  And we play Rock 'N Roll!" and they launched into the vintage 'Damage Case'... and then proceeded to tear shit down with 4 more vintage classics in succession:  'Stay Clean', 'Metropolis', 'Over The Top', 'The Chase Is Better Than The Catch'.  Yes, they're the same vintage songs the band has played on the last couple of tours but hearing them in the context of this time in the band's history made it a very special sequence.  Also, midway through the set Phil Campbell said from the stage that The Warfield was the first place in the U.S. where he played with Motörhead.. which would have been this epic show:

 San Francisco - 1985

Pretty cool, right?!  Yes, Umlaut was there that night... and Motörhead had the legendary Bomber lighting rig with them.  Epic only begins to describe it.

As the condensed set steamrolled towards its conclusion with a profound version of 'Killed By Death' I suddenly got caught up in the moment and panicked.  I realized this could possibly be the last time I see Motörhead for at least a long time... 30+ years of fandom and worship exploded in my brain and, since I knew from experience what songs were coming next, I pushed my way to the front for the finale of 'Ace Of Spades' into 'Overkill'.   I thrashed and banged my head like I was 17 again and yelled out the lyrics to the songs that changed my life a million years ago.

"Devil's grip... The Iron Fist.."

Throughout the set I felt that the crowd energy was on a higher level than other recent local Motörhead shows.  Rather than it being mostly the expected older crowd, tonight's sold out house had a healthy mix of younger fans, many of whom who were probably seeing the band for the first time... and it was not my imagination that tonight's show was special.  The next day the band's tour manager posted online how San Francisco had been "magic" and "one of the best shows ever" and the crowd had been "insane".  IF this was the last time (at least for awhile... knock on wood..) it warmed my heart that San Franfuckincisco showed Lemmy and Motörhead such respect and adoration.  The band and this city have a long history together.

Best quote of the night: 

English Bob (to Lemmy as he walked past us after the set):  "You rule, Lem!"

Lemmy (without missing a beat):  "If I did I'd be a rich man."

HAHA, right?!!  Lemmy still has it!!  My hero.  Always.

The sobering reality was that tonight was Motörhead's last announced headlining show in North America this year.  This was around my 25th Motörhead show and who knows what the future holds.  I just want to urge everyone reading this to see your old heroes now while you still can. No, it's not 1982 and, yes, the band is older but Motörhead were still great. I was down front at one of their shows again for the first time in a very, very long time and they turned me into that Teenage Metalhead again for around 70 minutes.

If you bought one of every Motörhead merch item you would have paid around $400.  On the way back to the car, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag.  It is not an overstatement when I say that Lemmy and Motörhead completely changed my life in an almost supernatural way.  Discovering Motörhead when I was an isolated teenager set me on a path in life that my Inner Teenage Metalhead could never have imagined.  This EP was one of the first Motörhead records I discovered in a record store import bin circa 1981 and I was fascinated by the band photo:

They looked dangerous... and Heavy Metal.. and they were English.  Yes, I still have that copy of this record; it's followed me through life all of these years.  The first time I met Lemmy was in 1982 and I was completely intimidated... He was my hero.. and he still is... When I ponder and obsess about it, when it comes right down to it, Motörhead are my most sacred band.  Born To Lose - Live To Win... always.

"The only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud.."

Born To Lose - Live To Win

The great new Motörhead album Aftershock arrived in my mailbox today.. and this is album #3 by Lemmy, Phil, and Mikkey with this in the liner notes:

 

If you had told me when I was a teenager this would happen I would have thought you were insane...

"They might try and fence you in.. but you've only gotta Live To Win."

Another Perfect Day

Motörhead / Anvil
Club Nokia, Los Angeles, California
May 14, 2013

One thing led to another and Umlaut found himself back in Los Angeles for work and coincidentally Motörhead were playing while I was there.  Imagine that?   After a typically busy, but ultimately rewarding work day, I pointed the rental car in the direction of Club Nokia.  I had mentally prepared myself for the expected L.A. traffic clusterfuck ... and I was expecting the worst because the S.J. Sharks and L.A. Kings playoff game was across the mall from the venue at the same time.  However, to my surprise, the cluster never happened and the drive was almost enjoyable.  After parking I met up with road tripping Photo Ray and we caught up over libations and appetizers at a nearby establishment.  Then we wandered over to Will Call to see what awaited us.  If only all shows were this easy:

I'll say right now that Club Nokia ranks as possibly my least favorite venue.  It's in a mall.  It's designed more like a dance club than a proper music venue.  The sight lines are terrible.  They have silly rules.  The VIP area is like an episode of Entourage populated by Revolver Magazine Affliction posers.  I lost count of how many times I muttered "Fucking L.A..." to myself as I wandered around.  All of this and Dave Grohl held court in a corner surrounded by people in skinny jeans.

Backstage spelling fail.  For "safety" stay in school, kids.

Anyway, this was a one-off show for Lemmy, Phil, and Mikkey as a warm up for some important shows in Mexico later in the week.  Also, as it stands now, it was also Motörhead's only headline show in North America this year.  The bill was given some extra vintage spice by having Anvil as direct support instead of some lame band.  Thank you, Goldenvoice.

It's been 3 years since the firestorm of adoration for Anvil spiked because of the documentary.  Fast forward to 2013 and the Canadians are back to what they've always been doing: Slogging it out in the trenches.

Photo courtesy of Photo Ray

Lips, Robb, and the new guy on bass steamrolled through a workmanlike 45 minutes that kicked off with 'March Of The Crabs' into '666'.  Nice.  Many people have turned on Anvil and shake their fists and figuratively yell at them to "give it up" in the wake of the movie.  Why would they do that??  The whole spirit of the movie was Lips and Robb doing what they love despite everything.  Anvil quitting would be a profound sell out.  They're the patron saints of all the anonymous bands who still ride in shitty bands to shitty shows for shitty money.  Dog bless Anvil.  That being said, I had a very slight beer buzz going as the set closed with 'Metal On Metal'.

Motörhead in L.A. is basically a hometown show so stage left and right were packed solid with guests.  It's always a blessing to stand next to Lemmy's backline... but after the opening couple of songs I got annoyed by all of the "guests" around me... so I spent the rest of the set making use of the plastic hanging around my neck and watched from different spots around the venue.

Here in the 21st Century, Motörhead could easily be taken for granted because they've always been around.  Given the recent passing of Jeff Hanneman we should NOT take our heroes for granted.  Appreciate them NOW.  Motörhead changed my life as a teenager and Lemmy, Fast Eddie, and Philthy Phil were my ultimate Metal heroes... and while I'm basically a jaded old fart now my Inner Teenage Metalhead still freaks out a little whenever I watch Lemmy go into his bass solo during 'Stay Clean'.

Tonight was a typically workmanlike 75 minute set. I can always nitpick about a Motörhead setlist but I was surprised by the vintage 'Rock It' making an appearance.  'Killed By Death', with Lemmy's son Paul on guest guitar, is always life affirming... and the show ending aural fistfight of 'Overkill' will always remind me how far I've come from my suburban teenage bedroom listening to No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith constantly.

Photo courtesy of Photo Ray

The after show backstage scene tonight was ridiculous with WAY too many people mixed in with Slash, Jimmy Bain, Don Dokken, Dave Grohl again, and members of awful bands like Huntress.  The air was thick with the musk of Affliction so we bailed for some late night food at a nearby 24 hour diner.  

At the diner, before we could even order, a guy wearing a Motörhead shirt approached Photo Ray and asked if he wanted to be in his film.  He was looking for a "Scott Ian-type"... That was either a classic L.A. Moment or a very, very awkward pick up line.  Born to lose.. Live to win!

If you bought one of every Motörhead merch item you would have paid around $250.  Yeah, their merch looked good.  On the way back to the hotel, some pimply-faced teenagers called me a fag. All in all it was a fun school night in the City of Angels with one of my sacred all-time favorite bands, like, ever... "and don't forget the Joker".