I am sure most if not all of you know that Lemmy has passed on and made his way into the eternal rock n' roll kingdom, wherever that is. It's a weird experience for me, that my rock idols are fading one by one. First it was Dio now Lemmy. It's weird because I don't know them. I know they are human, we all have to die some day but I have not met them. I don't know their true selves only what they portrayed in the media. Yet I feel a strange sadness, emptiness. Maybe it's their influence, their genius in what they do, how their music/lyrics influenced me as a person? I don't know them but I know that the world is worse without them.
Someone would say that it's naive to think that musicians can make a difference in the world when considering other great game-changers such as Martin Luther King or Gandhi. But to that I would say that it's naive to think that music cannot change the world in an equal way. See Dylan, Lennon etc. Lemmy had much to say about many things. Regrettably, no one has ever compiled his views into a book. There are hints of it in his autobiography but a Lemmy guidebook for life would be more appropriate.
I don't wish to make this into a Lemmy tribute so instead of writing another meaningless tribute to him I will simply direct you to an earlier more eloquent piece that I had read in The Atlantic titled "Twilight of the Headbangers. How long can the legends of heavy metal keep on rocking?"
I recently wondered what music would be like if the last few remaining legends were to die? Seeing what music is like at present I am dreading the thought of what music will be like in 10-20 years time. Here is an excerpt from the article in The Atlantic that pretty much summarizes what I am saying:
"But when it’s done—and it’s almost done—there will be no more Anguses, no more Lemmys. The bloody-minded, death-demolishing longevity of AC/DC and Motörhead cannot be counterfeited or repeated".
And this is a sad fact.
Most people live and die and are missed only by a handful of people. To have lived, influenced and been missed by thousands of people must be a great privilege. Thankfully Lemmy has left us with a large volume of great music to remember him for. Cheers Lemmy!
Someone would say that it's naive to think that musicians can make a difference in the world when considering other great game-changers such as Martin Luther King or Gandhi. But to that I would say that it's naive to think that music cannot change the world in an equal way. See Dylan, Lennon etc. Lemmy had much to say about many things. Regrettably, no one has ever compiled his views into a book. There are hints of it in his autobiography but a Lemmy guidebook for life would be more appropriate.
I don't wish to make this into a Lemmy tribute so instead of writing another meaningless tribute to him I will simply direct you to an earlier more eloquent piece that I had read in The Atlantic titled "Twilight of the Headbangers. How long can the legends of heavy metal keep on rocking?"
I recently wondered what music would be like if the last few remaining legends were to die? Seeing what music is like at present I am dreading the thought of what music will be like in 10-20 years time. Here is an excerpt from the article in The Atlantic that pretty much summarizes what I am saying:
"But when it’s done—and it’s almost done—there will be no more Anguses, no more Lemmys. The bloody-minded, death-demolishing longevity of AC/DC and Motörhead cannot be counterfeited or repeated".
And this is a sad fact.
Most people live and die and are missed only by a handful of people. To have lived, influenced and been missed by thousands of people must be a great privilege. Thankfully Lemmy has left us with a large volume of great music to remember him for. Cheers Lemmy!
