Why did Lemmy believe Metallica became “too successful for their own good”?
The late Motörhead leader Lemmy was one of the most outspoken men in music and delivered many hot takes in his time, both universally agreeable and wholly questionable. From commenting on the work of artists old and new to the state of the world, you could always count on Lemmy to give his two cents, often produced from the golden hue of Jack Daniel’s and hunched over a bar.
Whether describing The Rolling Stones as “mummy’s boys” or making it clear that he hated Radiohead, Lemmy was well-versed in producing shock, which he continued until the very end. Even his extensive collection of Nazi memorabilia, born out of morbid fascination and a genuine love for history, adds a strange aspect to his storied life.
One of the most interesting insights Lemmy gave was about thrash metal pioneers Metallica. When speaking to Aural Innovations in 2001, the speed-metal titan was asked if any surprises happened at his 55th birthday party in London, referencing his 50th bash, on which James Hetfield and the rest of his band had dressed up as him.
Lemmy replied: “Not a very good disguise. They had the tattoo on the wrong arm… everyone of them! That was nice of them to do that. They are one of the few bands that have shown any respect at all. Physically… they interrupted their album recordings.”
Continuing, Lemmy celebrated Metallica as a brilliant group but asserted that he thinks they had “become too successful for their own good”. However, he did maintain they were right to take Napster to court in 2000 for the leak of ‘I Disappear’.
He recalled: “Flew down their own equipment on their own money. Great. I like Metallica. I think they are an excellent band. I think that people overlook them now. I think they have become too successful for their own good. But they are right about that Napster bullshit. That fucking idiot from Limp Bizkit. Yeah… please come steal my money.”
It was put to Lemmy that there was “quite an argument” about Napster, yet unsurprisingly, he was unwavering in his chosen side. He said: “Not from my side. You want to put out free records. You destroy my career. I can’t get paid for my work. If you have the plumber come in and fix the pipes, and when he’s leaving you say bye and thanks a lot. He wants his money. I want mine.”
Listen to Metallica’s ‘I Disappear’ below.
