LEMMY Documentary Filmmakers Interviewed

Chris Garcia of Austin360.com recently conducted an interview with filmmakers Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski who recently completed work on a documentary about legendary MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, simply dubbed "Lemmy". An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Austin360.com: Lemmy, from a distance, has always seemed like this rowdy, crude, dirty, biker-pirate, totally hardcore, but also thoughtful and kind of sweet. You guys spent a lot of time with him. What's he really like?

Orshoski: He isn't rowdy or crude (not anymore, anyway). He's far more well-read and quick-witted than people assume. He has a tough emotional shell that's hard to crack. Also, there's no artifice. The guy you meet is the real man, there's no pretense, no b.s.

Austin360.com: How did you approach Lemmy for the film? Was he game or did you have to ply him? Did he even like you guys? Did he ever bite you?

Orshoski: Ha, no biting. That's Ozzy you're thinking of. We approached band management with the idea and it took about six months for us all to sit down together to discuss the idea, because of MOTÖRHEAD's rigorous international touring schedule. Greg and I met with him and management at his favorite spot in L.A., the legendary Rainbow Bar and Grill (on the Sunset Strip),and ate pizza and drank and just chewed the fat. We spoke five minutes of business and spent the next four hours laughing at Lem's stories, and just getting to know one another. When Lem excused himself, his manger, Todd Singerman, told us that that was the longest he had ever seen him sit in a business meeting.

Greg Olliver: He actually did bite me, but I never told Wes.

Austin360.com: What was the biggest revelation about Lemmy you learned in the course of shooting? Does he like puppies?

Orshoski: I don't think he's a puppy fan. I was shocked to learn recently that he bought a friend a puppy, to which he responded, "Just because I bought it doesn't mean I have to play with it." Hahahaha. One revelation might be his love for Pat Benatar, and his obsession with Kinder Eggs, the milk chocolate eggs with little tiny toys inside them. He doesn't eat the chocolate, but loves building the toys. (Kinder Eggs are actually on the band's rider, at least in Europe, where they're easier to get).

Olliver: Nothing surprises me about Lemmy, although I was quite impressed to learn he knows more about World War history than the History Channel and the Military Channel combined. OK, maybe I was surprised that he has better hearing than I do — and he NEVER wears hearing protection on stage! My ears are literally ringing from editing the film. Imagine what it was like to shoot it!

Read the entire interview from Austin360.com.

A trailer for "Lemmy" can be viewed below.