Motorhead in Moscow.
Part I
(in which MetalKings.ru goes celebrity hunting and ends up nearly
doing an interview with Lemmy)
true story! ;)
The action started long before the actual show down at the V-Day
Park (Moscow) where the world's once loudest band was to appear
for an MTV footage. The weather was chilly and the skies were pissing
sleet upon a small group of youngsters in leather jackets and boots
when we approached the meeting spot. Everybody was very agitated
and naturally tried to relax their nerves by a very old but still
extremely effective method, by consuming large amounts of ice-cold
beer that is. Well, even more naturally, given the cold weather
conditions and general nervousness, this resulted in an excessive
pressure in everyone's collective bladders that cried for being
relieved. Soon (but no sooner than we were trying to figure out
the dilemma of wetting our pants or missing the Motorhead appearance)
the show producer appeared and ushered us into the WWII museum located
in the middle of the Park. The gimmick about the whole thing was
that Lemmy (who as everyone knows takes a major interest in military
history) was to act as a guide for a handful of MTV-chosen fans
and show them around the exposition (yeah, well, the usual MTV hype).
Anyhows, we moved in, took our coats off at the cloak room and sat
down waiting taking turns in our short visits to the restroom. In
a short while the rest of the TV crew showed up together with the
host who immediately started giving the instructions as to what
was to be going on when the things started rolling and to what we
were supposed (and mainly not supposed) to do. And then just the
moment she finally seemed to have everyone's undivided attention,
like in a bad movie, Lemmy's face popped in through the entrance
door. Nodding 'hi' to everyone and taking very little notice of
the MTV group and altogether ignoring the protests of the museum
staff about their overcoats and lit cigarettes (yes, Kilmister,
naturally), the band proceeded to the main exposition. This was
the moment of truth. I still can't figure out why everyone's decided
to stay with the MTV crew, but, damn, who gives an airborne copulation
about that! Me and Doll reasoned that for once it was not about
MTV but about Motorhead and quickly sneaked away from the rest of
the group following Lemmy's tall figure. Not wanting to be a major
pain in the neck from the very beginning we thought it best to sort
of detach ourselves from what was going on and simply followed the
group around the halls, doing our best not to stare and laugh hysterically
in the best possible Beavis-and-Butthead manner. I mean, this was
not an official press conference or anything where you can do and
ask whatever you want and get away with it, but in that particular
situation it was best for us not to become too annoying, especially
after Mickey told us they were all exhausted after the St. Petersburg
gig. Nonetheless I couldn't resist the temptation and as soon as
Lemmy sat down for a short rest I approached him and presented him
the book on Russian and Soviet military awards that I prepared especially
for his coming birthday. Boy, a man and a reporter were fighting
inside of me! The fan inside of me cried 'take his autograph, take
a picture, thank and run off, you've been to lucky as it is!' while
the reporter insisted I should try to take an interview, since this
was a chance of lifetime... well, all to my surprise professionalism
won and I ended up ...an interpreter! (grudd bless higher linguistic
education and my university, amen! ;)))
But well, let's put things in order. After 20-some minutes of going
around the museum Phil and Mickey left off for the hotel taking
their assistant and interpreter with them and leaving Lemmy in the
hands of the MTV guys. It was only then when it turned out the host
didn't really speak any English, and, most naturally I thought of
nothing better than to lend a helping hand and offered my services
as a professional. The rest of it is below (questions were coming
both from the host, the fans and yours truly).
- Lemmy, what does WWII mean to you?
- It's interesting. It ended the year I was born and it was something that involved a lot of people. A big event.
- Took a lot of people's lives as well.
- That's what I am saying, it totally changed our lives and touched upon everyone. It is not as close to you as it is to me, given the
difference in age, you know. But it changed everyone's lives.
- I hear you got a big collection of WWII orders and medals?
- True, got a few Russian ones there.
- Which ones?
- Three guard badges, like they got back there (pointing to a glass in the far corner), a couple more.
- Back in 1945 everyone thought nazism was over with, but nowadays there's a lot of neo-nazis both in this country and abroad, what do you make of it?
- You don't have to worry about it, they have no leader. Hitler is dead, so they don't have anyone to lead them, don't worry about it.
- What about communists?
- Same thing. They don't have a leader.
- (This one comes from one of the fans) How does it feel being the forefather of the biker movement?
- Forefather? I ain't even got a bike.
- (the host, taking him to a model of WWII sub) Do you know anything about this sub?
- No (shaking his head in bemusement) It's too small, must be Japanese. Awful.
- You ever been to a sub?
- No, thanks god.
- What feeling claustrophobic about it?
- I tell you I haven't been into one, but I guess I would if I have, wouldn't you?
- Guess so, do you collect any guns?
- No, only daggers. I don't like guns, knives seem more honest to me. Sort of more personal.
- Would you go after a bear with a knife?
- Hell no! Would you?
- Me? Of course, not.
- That's what I'm saying, nuts! (circling his index finger round the temple, so as to show how much nuts I am) I don't know, two
knives maybe...
- (the host, taking him over to an anti-aircraft cannon) Hey would you like to use one of these in you shows?
- Nah, we don't need them. Loud enough as we are.
- (the host) Ok, thanks for your time and for answering our questions. You know our program is called BANZAI (whatever they spell it!)
and at the end of each show our guests should go shouting 'BANZAI' as loud as they can, so...
- God, I am British in Russia and screaming in Japanese on MTV!
- okay, everyone here we go: 'BANZAI!' (raising his hands and doing the bow in the almighty Bungholio style), 'BANZAI!'
...And well, that was pretty much it. After the cord was pulled
off, Lemmy was as nice as to spend about 15 minutes taking the pictures
with the fans and signing the stuff, leaving two of his autographs
in somebody's passports(!), after which he did an MTV news-block,
waved good bye to everyone, and left off for the evening show...
Part II
(the show)
By the time our editorial dragged their arses over
to the showplace, the crowd in front of the venue was not too big,
partly because of the fact that many a good lad were already knocked
off their feet by alcohol and partly because of the cops who were
quite persistent in inviting everyone inside. Choosing it was best
not to argue their respected authority we quickly sucked on our
beers and hurried inside the premises where soon we knew all hell
would break lose, when a husky voice announced in a dimly lit chamber
- 'We're Motorhead! And we're coming here to kick your ass!' Anyhows,
shouldering our way through the crowd that was packed inside of
the venue we managed to make it to the cloakroom and then tried
to get through to the merchandising section, which turned out to
be a lot harder than we had thought it would be. I mean, even though
the prices went sky high because for once it was not only the products
of the local distributor but also the goodies the band brought with
them, like THE official stuff, getting down to picking something
was next to impossible given the continuous shoving in one's back
and the unfriendly looks thrown at those lucky bastidz who in fact
did manage to purchase something. I personally only succeeded on
second attempt and getting a couple of friendly punches somewhere
in the region of the kidneys and a couple of elbows under the ribs
squeezed myself out of this mini-moshpit. Seeing that the gig was
late and that there was no need in any hurry, we considered getting
some more lager, hang out, and have a smoke, you know, but the crowd
in front of the tap quickly altered our plans to the reverse. Well,
tough shit, but let's face it, it wasn't for the beer tat we came
over there, was it?
After about an hour of exhausting waiting the lights went out and
Lemmy & Co hit the stage and kick-started the show with their
latest 'We're Motorhead. (Coming to Kick Your Ass)'. Well saying
that everyone went apeshit would most surely be a gross underestimation.
In fact, I don't think my feeble vocabulary has a word for describing
what was going on there, but at a certain point I thought we were
in for a local Armageddon. However, as soon as my own agitation
passed, to my greatest dismay, I noticed that the sound sucked big
freaking time. Like the only thing you could actually hear was Lemmy's
bass, partly - his voice, and a lot of drums. The guitar was lost
totally, no matter how much I tried to strain my ears in an attempt
to hear it. Fortunately enough this torture lasted for only a couple
of first tracks after which the bug was fixed and everything went
more or less fine. More or less, meaning that the drums were still
over the place, twisting your guts, hatching through your head,
and bouncing off the wall, but well, compared to the whole mayhem
that was going on down there that day this was just a mere inconvenience.
In the meantime the band continued with such all-time classics as
'Bomber', 'Stay Clean', and 'Metropilis.' Yessir, it was Motorhead
- 25 years and still rocking in the way only they know how to rock.
You know sometimes, I think if there is anything that can stop'em.
The dude is 50+ now but he is still as groovy as hell.
Anyway, let's get back to the gig. The middle of it was highlighted
by yet another hit when, to everyone's surprise, Kilmister called
out - 'Are there any punks here?' (disturbed mumbling in the audience)
'Any punks?' (Hell, yeah, there're some) 'Well this song is for
you then' - he says, and triggers it off with the all too famous
(or should I say notorious) Sex Pistols' 'God Save the Queen' (alias
'No Future'). Do I really have to say, this was an all-venue sing-along?!
The rest of it were hits, hits and nothing but hits - 'Orgasmatron,'
(with the traditional green stage-lights), 'Born to Raise Hell',
'Iron Fist', Sacrifice with an absobloodylutely awesome drum solo
in the middle, 'Killed by Death' and most naturally last but not
least - 'Ace of Spades' and 'Overkill' for encores. It just don't
get any better than this I tell you! For me personally this was
already the second Motorhead gig, and although I didn't enjoy it
as much as I enjoyed the first one (the power of novelty I guess),
and although I didn't hear my personal absolute favourites 'The
Chase is Better than the Catch' and 'You Better Run', still I have
to be objective - this band just never gets old… Cuz, they're Motorhead
and they're - rock'n'roll!
(Troll)
TRACKLIST (running order very approximate as usual)
1. We're Motorhead
2. Bomber
3. I'm so bad
4. Metropolis
5. Civil War
6. Shoot you in the Back
7. Stay Clean
8. Stay out of Jail
9. Iron Fist
10. God Save the Queen
11. Damage Case
12. Born to Raise Hell
13. Sacrifice
14. Orgasmatron
15. Going to Brazil
16. Killed by Death
17. Ace of Spades
18. Overkill
