It's been a while since we've checked in with Lemmy. Between suffering from diabetes, a defibrilator installed, dealing with a bout of hematoma, the last few years haven't been kind to Lemmy. But he's powering through even though recent photos show Kilmister has lost a significant amount of weight.
In a new interview with The Guardian, they check in on his health, and it's not exactly a glowing endorsement:
Lemmy has lost a lot of weight, and appears pale and drawn. His hands aren’t wholly steady, and he says that these days he has to walk with a stick because “my legs are fucked”. Nevertheless, he insists: “Apparently I am still indestructible.”
He has changed his lifestyle – he’s down to a pack of [cigarettes] a week, and has swapped from Jack and Coke to vodka and orange, apparently to help with his diabetes, – though his assistant wonders whether swapping from one 40% spirit topped with sugar to another 40% spirit topped with sugar is really going to help. “I like orange juice better,” he says. “So, Coca-Cola can fuck off.” A full bottle of Absolut is put in front of him for the interview, and a full bottle of Jack Daniels is given to me.
So Lemmy is walking with a cane, still drinking and still smoking? Progress, I guess? At least he's down to a pack a week, as opposed to a pack a day. The last time I was near him, which was at the Golden Gods in early 2014, he seemed to find it hard to even spit out words because it was hard for him to breathe (or he may have been shitfaced for all I know).
The Guardian also recalls the band's recent Glastonbury performance where Motorhead started playing "Overkill" but Lemmy thought they were playing "Ace of Spades" and he started singing "Ace of Spades" over "Overkill" guitar riffs. I almost didn't believe it until I found the footage:
Lemmy commented on the flub saying:
“It was a mental block,” he says. “I’ve sung those songs so many times. First time I’ve ever sung Ace of Spades to it, though. We did it the night before and it was fucking terrible, and I swore I’d never do it again. But we did. Obviously.”
Either way, Lemmy is going down swinging, with the band's new album, Bad Magic is out August 28th.
