Lemmy: The Definitive Biography

by Mick Wall

'Unflinching, forthright and full of wry humour as the man himself, and there's little praise greater than that' CLASSIC ROCK'Wall's vision of Lemmy as a Rock'n'Roll stalwart who made no concessions is vivid to the last' GUARDIANIn 'The Ace of Spades', Motörhead's most famous song, Lemmy, the born-to-lose, live-to-win frontman of the band sang, 'I don't want to live forever'. Yet as he told his friend of 35 years, former PR and biographer Mick Wall, 'Actually, I want to go the day before forever. To avoid the rush...'. This is his strange but true story. Brutally frank, painfully funny, wincingly sad, and always beautifully told, THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY is the story of the only rock'n'roller never to sell his soul for silver and gold, while keeping the devil, as he put it, 'very close to my side'. From school days growing up in North Wales, to first finding fame in the mid-60s with the Rockin' Vicars; from being Jimi Hendrix's personal roadie ('I would score acid for him'), to leading Hawkwind to the top of the charts in 1972 with 'Silver Machine' ('I was fired for taking the wrong drugs'); from forming Motörhead ('I wanted to call the band Bastard but my manager wouldn't let me'), whose iconoclastic album NO SLEEP 'TIL HAMMERSMITH entered the UK charts at No. 1.Based on Mick's original interviews with Lemmy conducted over numerous years, along with the insights of those who knew him best - former band mates, friends, managers, fellow artists and record business insiders - this is an unputdownable story of one of Britain's greatest characters. As Lemmy once said of Wall, 'Mick Wall is one of the few rock writers in the world who can actually write and seems to know anything about rock music. I can and do talk to him for hours - poor bastard.' With the hard part of his journey now over, Lemmy is set to become a legend. THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY explains exactly how that came to be.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Music Biography

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2016

About the author

Mick Wall is an author, journalist, film, television and radio writer-producer, who’s worked inside the music industry for over 35 years. He began his career contributing to the music weekly Sounds in 1977, where he wrote about punk and the new wave, and then rockabilly, funk, New Romantic pop and, eventually, hard rock and heavy metal. By 1983, Wall become one of the main journalists in the early days of Kerrang! magazine, where he was their star cover story writer for the next nine years. He subsequently became the founding editor of Classic Rock magazine in 1998, and presented his own television and radio shows.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great thing about Lemmy is that he told some tall stories and so there is undoubtedly some pockets of fiction in this non-fiction biography. I remember reading in an interview with Lemmy that he went to see a Harley Street doctor and was told not to give up drinking and drug taking by this medical expert because it’d kill him. Since I read this as a teenager I’ve had this tale recounted to me many, many times in pubs and at gigs. It might be shaggy dog stuff but it added to the myth of Lemmy. I am happy to myth(ologize) Lemmy but very sad to miss Lemmy.

So, The Definitive Autobiography. Definitive, eh? With authority and conclusively? Actually yes, that’s how it reads. Wall spoke to Lemmy himself repeatedly and to a lot of those close to Lemmy. Sometimes the things you say in response to a question from a trusted friend are not things you’ve ever directly thought about yourself and so Wall’s information from those close to Lemmy is often enlightening.

Mick Wall covers the areas less well covered in other Lemmy tomes (he’s clearly very familiar with White Line Fever by Lemmy and Janiss Garza). Wall covers the Hawkwind years and Motörhead’s career in detail but he avoids the trap of long dull lists of tour dates and technical information that some rock and metal biographies fall into. Quotes from Lemmy are sprinkled throughout which makes you feel he’s still around, dispensing his wisdom.

My favourite parts of the book are;
Lemmy calling Eddie Clarke “Fancy Bollocks”.
Lemmy complimenting Colleen Nolan on her tits in a totally non-sleazy way.
Lemmy claiming Motörhead had the power to make lawns die (neatly skewering and satirizing suburban preoccupations in one sentence).
Lemmy quoted as saying “I live my life as decent as I can, you know, I never made…I hardly ever made a promise I didn’t keep”.

My least favourite part of the book was;
I cried on page 288. Yeah, I knew he was going to die but Lemmy is woven into a lot of metal fans lives, including mine. I last saw him live in 2014 at Wacken Open Air. Now I like to think of Lemmy as being in the big backstage area in the sky.

In summary, Wall’s book is a splendid read that captures Lemmy’s unique philosophy of life. You’ll be able to ask yourself after reading “What would Lemmy do?” and be able to answer yourself. The answer is probably stay determined, stick to your guns, have a drink and don’t let the bastards grind you down. Thank you, Mick Wall for a chunky book of warm Lemmy tales.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this bio of a musical great

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give the first half of this book four stars, up until about Pete Gill leaving the band. Maybe even when Lemmy fires Doug Smith for the second time and moves to LA. The rest of the book would rate about two. I give Wall full marks for not turning out a book of blind hero worship, of showing the young Lemmy as he was, without trying to protect his cool aura, and for letting some of the former members and associates- Fast Eddie, Brian Robertson, Pete Gill, Doug Smith - a chance to give their sides of the story. It makes for an interesting read and humanizes the man.

The problem comes with Lemmy's move to Los Angeles. Once he's ensconced in LA, with the lineup that would stay consistent for the rest of his life (with the exception of Wurzel who would play with the band until 1995's Sacrifice), the story gets boring. No major conflict or upheaval, just a lot of Lemmy quotes and quotes from other's praising Lemmy. It's boring.

I can't entirely blame Wall for this because there's just not a lot to report, although he does spend about 40 pages dealing with Lemmy's failing health and then eulogies from others talking about what a great guy he was. That's on Wall. The blow-by-blow of each new health diagnosis, doctor's advice taken or ignored, cancelled shows or tours, wears a little thin. And we've just read a whole book on the man - do we need to know what other celebrities thought of him?

My main complaint is with the Lemmy quotes. I have had this with several other biographies that I've read about him. The more I hear from him, the less I like him. Biographers always include at least one person commenting on how intelligent Lemmy is. Wall also had almost everyone he dealt with talk about what a great guy he was, even if their relationship ended acrimoniously. But reading his quotes, I just think it's the same crap over and over.

His comments about religion or war don't display any great insights, his view of the music industry and Motorhead's place in it are full of the usual carping against the business or whining about how authentic they always stayed and that's why they never got any bigger - because they wouldn't compromise. It's a broken record, and he doesn't sound any different from thousands of other rock stars. I don't see any great insight from his years playing rock and roll. What you're left with is an aging musician, putting out the same album over and over again (I stopped listening to Motorhead around Hammered because the albums became indistinguishable from one another), playing lots of shows, and spending the rest of his time at a bar on playing video poker. Lemmy ceases to be cool - he's just kind of sad. And having Lars Ulrich or Slash or Ozzy saying he's not doesn't make it any less true.

So four stars for the first two-thirds of the book, and then you can stop reading because the rest is silence.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

As most would know who read my reviews, Lemmy of Motorhead has been my favorite musician for a long time. I well remember when I was about 26 and discovered "Ace of Spades" on a metal composition record I bought. I don't remember any other songs on that compilation but I wore that record out on that track alone. Lemmy was a larger than life character and from all accounts a pretty decent fellow, though certainly not perfect. He had a dry wit and an honesty about what he said and about his music that I appreciated. I was very sorry when he died.

This book does a good job of telling us about Lemmy, particularly the early years. The last dozen or so years are given somewhat short shrift but I suppose there's only so much you can get into a book about such a character. The last section, about his death, was touching and emotional for me, and left me with that melancholy feeling one gets when you finish a worthwhile read. If you're a fan of Motorhead, or just of Lemmy, I certainly recommend it. We'll not see his like again.

"Don't forget the Joker."

[Florin Pitea · Rating 5 out of 5]

O biografie a basistului și vocalistului formației Motörhead, Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister. (Detalii la Țesătorul.)
http://tesatorul.blogspot.ro/2017/11/...

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When Motörhead leaves, there will be a hole that just can’t be filled.”

A man of his word, that’s exactly what Lemmy did. Born to lose. Lived to win.

Really well written and a great insight into Lemmy’s life.

[Dr. Satan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid rock bio about one of the best to ever do it.

[Conrad Zero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful look into the life of a Rock And Roll Demigod.

[Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never been a huge fan of Mick Wall's writing, as he has always seemed more important than his subject (if you've never read his Led Zep biog, don't).
Lemmy, however, was always going to be a different kettle of ball games.
For one thing, they were friends. For another, Wall clearly has the utmost respect for his subject. He doesn't say anything here that wasn't said to Lemmy in person.
And the first half of the book is brilliant. Warm, funny, engaging, bringing to life the early years of a rock legend - an icon to several generations.
Now, obviously, the book hit a slight problem late last year when it's subject cashed in the last of his chips and left us.
We got his music legacy, Mick Wall clearly had a hundred-or-so pages left to fill.
Which is where the book goes downhill rapidly.
Having shared such great tales, ending the book with just an itinerary of cancelled shows and health problems takes the shine off the great man.
Yes, it's factually correct, but one thing Lemmy worked hard at was maintaining his persona - he knew how important his image was.
Such a shame, then, that Wall strips that away to show us the ageing man underneath. When Lemmy roared "I know how to die" at the start of what was to be Motorhead's last album, you could hear he wasn't the man he once was (who of us is?), but you could still get off on the music and kid yourself the follow-up album was on the way.
Reading the closing stages here robs you of that joy.
Then there are a few factual errors (The World Is Yours wasn't given away by Classic Rock, we paid for the limited edition magazine pack which was released before the CD hit the shops), which then make you question what else Wall may have got wrong.
And for a man so focused on Lemmy's health - and who credits the hairy one's one work, White Line Fever, as a source - how did he miss out Snake Bite Love? Story goes, Lemmy was ill so had to leave the writing to Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell. Only in the studio did they realise they'd left no space for any vocals, causing frantic re-writes and much disappointment from the band.
A good story, and one that shows the lazier side of Lemmy (who admitted he should't have left the lyrics til the last minute), yet not something Wall thought worthy of a mention.
Given the amount of filling going on at the end, he could have padded far more in the middle and kept up the entertainment factor.
Especially as there's a whole raft of albums he skips over.
But, for all it's flaws, this is probably the most honest book about Lemmy that you'll find. Too honest, at times, but this was never going to be a pedestal for a man who had more than his fair share of flaws. Lemmy wouldn't have wanted that.

[Kriegslok · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a great one for musician biographies. Often the music stands alone for me and knowing more about the person behind it could cloud the listening experience (which may not be a bda thing always but one I generally avoid). However, Lemmy the man sort of came to be bigger than and more than Motorhead (a band I've long enjoyed) and so I decided to give this book a go. Mick Wall does a rwasonable enough job of telling Lemmys story. Personally I found the beginning covering his childhood/teen/Hawkwind years and the end covering Lemmys philosophical musings and with the benefit of all that had passed being used to summerise a life that certainly stood out. Inevitably there is a lot of stuff about fallings out, splits, and the personal abuse that is/was part of the scene. The book is a good contribution to an era now gone and which on reflection looks a lot wierder (to me anyway) than it seemed at the time. In a world full of posers and conmen though Lemmy was neither as Wall quotes Lemmy " All I wanted to do was play music that I love and that other people want. And that was it. And still is". In conclusion Wall includes further cllassic Lemmy "People talk about saving the environment, they mean what it takes to keep us alive. The planet will invent something else when we go. The planet don't give a shit." ... "We don't mean shit. The human race is a blight on the face of the earth, if you ask me. We are a disease. We deserve to die". Anyone interested in Motorhead should get somthing extra out of this book even if it means ploughing through the bits about record labels, arguments and splits!

[Carl Timms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly interesting and well researched biography as ever from Mick Wall covering the whole of Lemmy’s life. As one of the most recognisable men in rock and metal, Lemmy has achieved near god-like status to fans, one of the true icons. This book didn’t really do much to dispel this. Despite occasional lapses in judgement and getting a little too big for his boots in the 80s, he generally stayed Lemmy his whole life, drinking gambling and speeding his way into legend. The book does a good job of weighing up his increasing stature as a walking brand versus the otherwise lack of commercial success for the band. Motörhead was Lemmy, 100%.

Towards the end it really felt tragic what happened to him but to hit 70 with appetites as large as he had really did border on the superhuman (though it took its toll more than many may have realised). Though he certainly couldn’t have had too many complaints after a life lived this fast and loud. A true music icon.

[Siobhan · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you’ve read white line fever there’s zero point in reading this. The first chapter is the only one worth reading and it’s all downhill from there. The book doesn’t reveal anything new or noteworthy about Lemmy and is just amalgamation of Lemmys own book, interviews with Wall and multiple others. I find it hard to understand why Wall who’s a long time friend of Lemmys believed this book was a good idea. He believes Motörhead were never the same after fast Eddie and Philthy. Lemmy shouldn’t have been allowed to preform in those final years. I’m glad he Lemmy did carry on doing what he wanted to do and did it his way to the end.

[Ianzam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lemmy is one of the best, coolest cats to have graced this planet. And this book is really good, I intended to just buy Lemmy's autobiography (also great), but I could not put this book down. I do disagree with Mick on some matters of taste (Killed by Death is a very cool video!), and I love Motorhead's later stuff. But he did a great job here, and it has plenty of great quotes right from Lemmy himself, and his great bandmates and friends. Well worth a read.

[Nina Liljeblad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was weirdly negative stuff. For the first parts writer kept saying how underrated and not succeeded hawkwind was, then when Lemmy found some success with motörhead it was emphasised how short lasted it will be and after that a downhill.

On top of that the author didn't do very well overall. I didn't look forward continuing this book like I did with for example Rob Halford - confess (it was excellent!) or Mark Lanegans sing backwards and weep.

[David Cavaco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent biography by music writer Mick Wall and friend of Lemmy. Lemmy is the quintessential rocker that despite the hedonistic lifestyle was a talented songwriter and an intelligent individual. The book shines a bit more when revealing Lemmy's personal life, especially at the end when he left us for that great gig in the sky.

[Alexander Jørgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reading about the early era of Lemmy, both in Hawkwind and Motörhead.

[Darren-lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - A fun read

[Arthur Malaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ian Fraser Kilmister, ou para os íntimos, LEMMY, foi o baixista, vocalista e fundador da banda Motörhead, faleceu em 2015, 4 dias após fazer 70 anos. Esse livro foi escrito por Mick Wall, trás um compilado de todo o tempo em que foi assessor e amigo de Lemmy, abrangendo seus primeiros anos, sua passagem pela banda Hawkwind e fundação e história no Motörhead (banda da qual foi criador e front man por 40 anos). Queria ter gostado mais desse livro, afinal, é sobre um de meus grandes ídolos, mas a escrita de Mick Wall pela primeira vez foi rasa, quase apenas para preencher um livro e dizer que o escreveu. Se demora demais nos anos do Hawkwind e quando finalmente fala de Motörhead, reduz a carreira de 40 anos da banda a seus 3 primeiros discos, uma opinião do escritor e que incomoda bastante, pois ele passa pelos próximos discos sem se aprofundar, sem dar seus respectivos espaços e importâncias, nem aos discos, nem aos integrantes seguintes. Oras, Mickey Dee ficou na banda mais de 20 anos, Phil Campbell mais de 30 anos, e eram os parceiros mais profissionais e comprometidos com a banda e seu fundador. LÓGICO que isso não atesta qualidade, mas mostra que merecem no mínimo, muito respeito, visto que Lemmy era conhecido por seus excessos e tirava qualquer um do sério. Isso acabou ofuscando o livro pra mim e acabou tendo um sabor rançoso, travado. A personalidade de Lemmy era muito simples e complexa ao mesmo tempo, e gostaria muito de ter lido um livro escrito por ele mesmo. Mick Wall comete os mesmos erros de Stephen Davis, que escreveu a biografia do GnR os resumindo ao Appetite for Destruction. Enfim, 6/10.

[Bruce Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lemmy the road warrior. Lemmy the sweary gentleman. Lemmy of the epic sexual appetites and even greater hunger for amphetamines (and alcohol). Lemmy the self-mythologiser. Lemmy the rock god shacked up with his Nazi memorabilia in an apartment on the third level of hell.

The strength of Mick Wall's storied telling of the adventures of Ian 'Lemmy' Kilmister is the way the stories thunder along, without pause or apology, much like the music he loved to make. Wall and Lemmy knew each other for many years, giving the book a strong sense of an extended pub lunch where the yarns just roll on as pints are downed and the sun moves from late morning to sunset in the blink of an eye. It's straightforward prose for a high-octane, devil-may-care, purple robed life, as Lemmy, replete with contradictions and fictions, leaps off the page so vividly you don't know whether you want to hug him or run the hell away.

The limitation of such a friendship-based biography is that there is an absence of distance, a merging of author and subject that blurs the border between fact and myth. But maybe that is how it should be for such a larger-than-life character. The last chapter is truly moving as Lemmy and the Motörhead machine deny the end is near, smashing out their manifesto to the last.

For fans of Hawkwind (Lemmy's early daze) and the mighty Motörhead, this is a gleefully biased and un-objective bio that will entertain mightily, just like Lemmy did.

[Brian McRoberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this in the local library and picked it up on a whim. I already knew a lot of the 'Lemmy lore' as both the major bands he played in- Hawkind and Motorhead- were the soundtrack to my youth. Wall does a very good job of peeling back the myth of the hard rock and roll lifestyle of Lemmy, and shows the other side. The well-read, thoughtful, caring man who enjoyed watering his plants. There was the hard side to his personality, that could and did cause strife with his friends. Wall loved the 3 Amigo version of Motorhead- Lemmy, Clarke and Taylor. On the other hand is a bit dismissive of the the latter versions of Motorhead which is a bit unfair I think.

There is a surprising amount anguish felt by the ex-members of the band, despite their tough image they all had what I would call mental breakdowns that they covered up with taking drugs and drink. Wall explores this a bit, but never says it out loud. The latter half of the book is the sad health decline of Lemmy. I remember seeing a clip of their last gigs and it was painful to see Lemmy like that.

There were some things that I didn't know that were in the book, mostly about Lemmy's relationships with various women. I had no idea he and the bass player from Girlschool were an item for a while.

Anyways worth a read if you 'head fan.

[CHAD FOSTER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lemmy Kilmister was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of a true rock star. He managed this despite having an anti-star attitude. The guy was bigger than life to both has fans and his fellow musicans. I have not read any of the other biographies of Lemmy, but it is hard to imagine that there are any better than what Mick Wall offers here. It's all in these pages - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The philosophical thoughts that Lemmy would offer from time to time were truly insightful. He was a man who lived life by his own rules. He didn't believe in regrets. He was a bass player that hammered the 4-strings like a rhythm guitarist, creating a style that is recognizable nearly from the first note. The term "gentleman" seems to be both out of place and yet completely appropriate for this man. Lemmy would probably have sneered at the idea of being called a gentleman, but the label was, especially at the end, probably as good a descriptor than any other.

I had always heard about Lemmy's first band, Hawkwind, but I had never really listened to them. After reading this, I went back and listened to quite a few of their songs. To be honest, I have no idea what the appeal was - it is fortunate for all of us that Hawkwind pushed Lemmy out or we might never have had the pleasure of hearing Motorhead.

RIP, Lemmy. You were (are) the best.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely the best overall account of Lemmy's life or so it seems. Bought as a Christmas present for myself this year it is the third Biographical work of Motorhead/Lemmy I have read to date and as mentioned the best read to date.

Mick Wall tells a well crafted tail of Lemmy's beginnings to hitting it big with the Rocking Vicars, being a Roadie for Hendrix then getting in with Hawkwind and finally starting Motorhead. While I really enjoyed the book Lemmy - White Line Fever, it was told by Lemmy himself so it was more a perspective of his life in his own words. This being one from many sources you get more information about different areas and perspective from band members like Eddy Clarke and former manager Doug Smith. You also hear a bit more about the drug habits which is an essential subject when wanting to learn more about Motorhead.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the ultimate Rock & Roll band Motorhead. 5 plus stars.

[Petri Volanen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kun tuo edellinen kirja oli hiukan raskaanpuoleista luettavaa, tahdoin seuraavaksi lukea jotain viiden tähden kamaa. Niin että omasta hyllystä Mick Wallin Lemmy kirja käteen. Ja hyvin valitsin, sillä olihan tämä (taaskin) melkoinen matka ja elämä myös. Ehkä juuri se antaa eniten perspektiiviä miehen uraan että tuo ehti toimia jopa roudarina Jimi Hendrixille. Ja kyllä, myönnettävä on: lopun lähestyessä oli (taas) vedet silmissä.

"Elämää pitäisi tietenkin elää aivan kuin uskoisi kuoleman jälkeiseen elämään. Ja sen pitäisi tietenkin tulla todeksi, jos on elänyt ihmisiksi. Niinhän minäkin elän. Eihän kelvollinen käytös paljon vaadi. Se on ilmaista, aivan kuin kohteliaisuus tai myönteinen asenne. Kunniallisuuskaan ei maksa mitään. Sen noudattamisen ainoa riski on, että kunniattomat toisinaan katsovat kieroon. Mutta siitä ainakin minä selviän helposti. Vitut heistä, tiedäthän?"

[Chris Majoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik ben nooit een grote fan geweest van Motorhead, ik heb ze een handvol keer live zien optreden op festivals. En elke keer gingen we kijken en luisteren niet omwille van de muziek, maar om Lemmy te zien. De man had iets. Puur. Onversneden. Compromisloos. Complete mafkees. Maar wel authentiek. En daarom wou ik de biografie wel eens lezen. Het verhaal leest heel vlot. Elk hoofdstuk vormt een specifiek hoofstuk of tijdsdeel uit zijn leven. Het is vooral gebaseerd op interviews met Lemmy zelf en met mensen die hem gekend hebben. Dat maakt het soms wat verwarrend: het is niet altijd duidelijk wie wat zei. Het verhaal kwam me redelijk eerlijk over: geen verheerlijking of afkeuring, maar wel respectvol naar de persoon toe.

[Mike Balsom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mick Wall captures the uniqueness of Lemmy Kilmister, one-time bassist for Hawkwind and the leader of Motorhead, in this bio. Much of it comes from conversations the former rock PR man had with Lemmy through the years, and he transcribes much of those at length and verbatim, giving the reader a bang-on insight to what made the rock legend tick. He lived life the way he wanted to live it, and to its fullest as far as he was concerned, and that comes out in this book. We could all do well by ourselves by taking a bit of what Lemmy tells Wall to heart here, and living our own lives a bit more like him. NOTE: I read the print version of the book, NOT the audiobook.

[Frank Allinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really well written biography of a well loved rock n roll legend. I have been a fan of both Hawkwind & Motorhead for many years and I love reading about the personalities within the bands. I was lucky enough to see Motorhead play live on three occasions, although not with the classic Lemmy - Clarke-Taylor line up. They were always excellent.loud and value for money.

I first read articles by Mick Wall when he wrote for Kerrang! magazine in the 80's. The continues to share his considerable knowledge about rock/heavy metal music with enthusiastic readers.

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's right, no coincidence when choosing to read and close this book. Happy birthday, Lemmy!

This was and wasn't an interesting book about him. I found Lemmy's own quotes and tales about his life very interesting, but there was loads of stuff that just felt loose and yawning, mostly the parts that were about other people like former band members and so on. Ok experience that might give a true Motörhead fan much more than for me who just liked Lemmy as a character and some of his (band's) most famous songs.

[Pogo Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I don't think there's anything groundbreaking in it. It's clearly written from a place of love and admiration. But I loved it. It's funny, it's sad, it clearly evokes the eras it's written about. And I cried at the end.

I've been a fan of Lemmy for years - even named one of my cats after him (hey, he had black hair and an independent attitude, it was obvious), this book just reminded me of what a giant we lost when he died.

[Brett buckner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mick Wall does it again. There will never be another Lemmy and there will never be another band harder, faster, louder or more interesting uncompromising than Motörhead.

Wall again proves that Lemmy was more than a hard rock icon, but a man of depth, soul and compassion.

Lemmy is gone, but will never ever be forgotten. Wall makes damn sure of that.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I needed a few lines of speed, a bottle of Jack, and a pack of cigarettes to get through this because it dragged on a bit.
That being said, I did appreciate the effort that went into making this a very comprehensive history of one of the most brutish and excellent bands ever.
Born to lose, live to win - Motörhead forever