“I know I’m born to lose

But gambling’s for fools

But that’s the way I like it baby

I don’t wanna live forever”

THAT’S RIGHT BABE… APPARENTLY I AM!

Over the last decade or two, the great Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister would change up a lyric of his classic song “Ace Of Spades” to the one above to poke a bit of fun at his “indestructableness”.  The man certainly lived the rock star life to the hilt since his early days in Hawkwind and through the many years with the great Motorhead- many nights of boozing, chasing women, staying up late, taking speed, and propped up at the end of the bar at the Rainbow in LA in front of a video poker game that many viewed him like Keith Richards:  Lemmy will be around FOREVER.  He’s an institution!  He’s an icon!  He’s… he’s…  he’s…  a Godfather of heavy metal!

Sadly, these past couple of years have been difficult and oftentimes painful to watch as Lemmy has had a number of health scares.  Diabetes, hypertension, and a defibrillator slowed down a bit of his drug and alcohol intake but not completely, nor did it slow down the Motorhead touring and recording machine (these guys have put out a couple of very good albums over the past couple of years!).  Sure, he’d miss the occasional lyric here and there or was sometimes too exhausted to continue a show, but the fans expressed their love and undying support by cheering the man on in their effort to remind him that they had his back and were wholeheartedly behind his stubborn determination to go out on his terms.

And on December 28th, 2015, he did.  Maybe not exactly the way he had in mind (a newly found aggressive cancer was the cause of death), but he was bound and determined to look death in the eye and not let it give him a reason to pack it in and retire.  Lem’s final concert was in Berlin on 12/11, the last show of the year before a break for his 70th birthday (on Christmas Eve) and for the holidays.  Unfortunately, a visit to the doctor on the 26th revealed tumors in his brain and neck and he was given as much two to  six months to live.  Two days later he was gone.

So, in remembrance of Mr. Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, turn this one up LOUD, grab your favorite drink, and bang your head, sing, or air guitar/drum along and remember…

“WE ARE MOTORHEAD… AND WE PLAY ROCK AND ROLL!”