The one musician Tony Iommi called “the epitome of rock ‘n’ roll”
Being bandmates with Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath was an introduction into what it meant to be rock ‘n’ roll for Tony Iommi.
Compared to the rest of the group, Iommi was the level-headed one who had to act as their de facto leader. However, the guitarist was far from a choir boy, and he still pushed mischievous behaviour to the limit while flirting with being a rock ‘n’ roll cliche.
It wasn’t only Black Sabbath during this time that were turning the volume up to 11 in every aspect of their life; their peers also indulged in the same hell-raising behaviour that he and his bandmates would while on the road.
One person who made Iommi look like a clean-living monk was the late Lemmy Kilmister. Their relationship dated back to when the singer was a member of Hawkwind and had yet to form Motörhead. Together, they’d go on to share the bill on countless festival stages and would grow close. For Iommi, Lemmy was authentic to his very core and “the epitome of rock’ n’ roll”.
While Kilmister was celebrated for his music and the immense catalogue of material he crafted with Motörhead, he also had a reputation for living life in the fast lane. Lemmy was more than just a frontman; he was the poster boy for the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and was authentic to his core.
Although most singers of rock bands play up to a persona when they are on stage, Kilmister was the same 24/7, and was born to be a frontman. Following his passing in late 2015, there has been a gaping hole in the heavy rock landscape, which Iommi believes will never be filled.
After Kilmister’s death, Iommi paid tribute to the musician on the local television programme, BBC Midlands Today, and said: “I think Lemmy is the epitome of rock and roll. He’s always lived a wild lifestyle. It’s the whole thing: sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. And he really lived that life, and he loved it.”
The sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle that Kilmister followed is often glamorised when, in actual fact, it’s a dark and lonely place to be. However, the Motörhead frontman appeared to revel in existing in the sleazy underworld. Unlike most rock stars, the stories about him are often downplayed from the truth rather than exaggerated.
One famous tale that reads like a myth is that Lemmy drank a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every day, washed down with Coca-Cola. However, for health reasons related to his diabetes, he did eventually swap this concoction for vodka and orange juice, which is probably not the recommendation a medical professional would make.
On the Jack Daniels story, Iommi confirmed, “He did. He drank a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. On tour… They toured with us many, many times — probably thirty times — over the [years]. And we used to have to do his rider, ’cause they’d have to present their rider to us of what they’re gonna eat and drink.”
The Black Sabbath singer then divulged further on Lemmy’s lifestyle, remarkably revealing, “And there was never any food; it was always two bottles of Jack Daniel’s, two bottles of vodka, a couple of cases of beer. And that was them; that’s the way they were. And they didn’t pull any punches; people knew how they lived. And they really did live that lifestyle.”
Despite constantly consuming copious amounts of substances that would have made most people become a nightmare to be around, that wasn’t the case with him. Iommi always found Lemmy pleasant company and greatly enjoyed the time he spent around him. In an industry full of pretenders, Lemmy was a true rock ‘n’ roll icon who lived the gimmick every waking hour of the day.
