Lemmy AKA Ian Fraser Kilminster was the founder of Motorhead. Sadly, he died on December 28, 2015, 4 days after his 70th birthday.
This post is neither homage to him or his music or Motorhead, although I like all three.
The reason for the post is inspired by a very thoughtful email I received from Adam. Adam follows my blog and often leaves comments on my posts. He can be found at his excellent The Retrospective Reel, a blog about film in the digital age. [Note: I am not in the habit of disclosing the content of personal emails. I was so struck by Adam’s observations that I asked his permission to use the edited version of his email. He told me to use it as I wished.}
In the email, Adam had something to say about the introduction to my forthcoming book featured in a recent post – LSD – Operation Julie: Inside and Undercover. Here is what he wrote:
I suppose I’ve always been hesitant to condemn the likes of Timothy Leary and at least the original intentions behind “consciousness expansion” (see Hunter Thompson’s discussion of this in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas). Though I like that, in a late-December post, you cite Huxley – a wise man indeed whose words (like those of another UK writer, Orwell) one should not take too lightly – in defense of a more cautionary approach to drugs. Folks in the 1960s-70s were a wee bit naive about drugs and sex, and we’re seeing the consequences now. An interesting perspective on drugs from a life-long drug-lover is the late Lemmie Kilmister (check out the interview here:). [You Tube link Below] It’s a wonderfully frank discussion of favorite drugs, drug-inspired music, dangerous drugs (he makes the distinction), and (believe it or not) the truth in the oft-rejected notion “gateway drugs” (“Sometimes the straight people are right,” he says at one point.)
I watched the Lemmy interview and was struck by his honesty. I particularly liked, “It’s no good telling people to just say ‘No’!” He also has a valid point in that he says when asked about his own drug use, and he searches for the truth as he sees it for a moment, then tells the interviewer they make you feel good. How brutally honest! Before you throw metaphorical hands up in horror, hear me out!
Most drug virgins, curious about them, need information not propaganda. Yes, they make you feel good but …
Lemmy deals with this and talks about heroin and ‘downers’ as the real killers. Not only is heroin a killer but can make you a whore and a thief, he adds. It’s at the end of the interview he makes the point that Adam alluded to – Lemmy accepts that there is a ‘gateway to drugs,’ and “sometimes the straight people are right.” Adding that where there are drugs you will meet people in that world who will expose the ‘drug virgin’ or any drug user to other drugs. He also makes the point that drugs are expensive!
It is a particularly interesting interview for me owing to my recent efforts to describe my own drug use while undercover on Operation Julie. I identify easily with Lemmy’s hard drinking, drug influenced world. You will have to wait for publication before I share that with anyone.
I have nothing to add except to agree with everything that Adam wrote. Watch and listen to Lemmy interview. As a reminder of his music click here. Brilliant! 🙂
Photo Credit:
Featured Image – “Lemmy-02” by Mark Marek
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