MOTÖRHEAD's LEMMY Says People Behind Paris Terrorist Attacks Are 'Assholes' And 'Cowards'

MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy was interviewed this past week by "ZDF Aspekte" (Aspects),a popular German cultural show for the younger generation. You can now watch the chat at ZDF.de. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On the Paris terrorist attacks of November 13:

Lemmy: "We were looking at the TV as it happened and they were filming it. You could still hear gunshots. It's so dumb. Those people are so dumb. What for? Do you think it's gonna be a heroic thing to kill innocent people? Assholes. Cowards."

On whether the thought crossed his mind that this could have happened at a MOTÖRHEAD show:

Lemmy: "Yeah, sure, of course. I mean, we played the Bataclan many times — about ten times. It was a regular show for us in Paris. But, thankfully, [nothing happened to us] that night."

On whether it was clear to him that MOTÖRHEAD wouldn't be able to play in France immediately after the Paris terrorist attacks, like the band was scheduled to:

Lemmy: "Well, I didn't think they'd let us play. I mean, it was the day after."

On whether the terrorist attack at the EAGLES OF DEATH METAL concert changed anything for him in terms of the way he approaches performing:

Lemmy: "No. I would have gone on the day after. If they [the terrorists] stop you, then they win. And they're not gonna beat me. I mean, I do what I'm supposed to do. If the police cancel [the show for us], I can't do [anything] about that. But we didn't cancel it."

On whether he thinks people are more vulnerable now because of what happened in Paris:

Lemmy: "We've always been vulnerable. Every day you go out the house, you're vulnerable. You're inches from diving under a bus or somebody hitting you over the head for your money. Nothing is safe. Everybody seems to be obsessed with safety. Well, nothing is safe, okay? Nothing! Make the most of it while you're safe now. You won't be tomorrow, maybe."

On how the Paris attacks caused the French president to declare his nation at war with Islamic State extremists:

Lemmy: "Well, you've gotta see his point. I mean, he just had Pearl Harbor in his capital city. I mean, they declared war on him, not him on them."

On whether he would characterize the current situation as "war":

Lemmy: "Well, it's difficult to think of another description. A bunch of guys running around in the capital city with automatic weapons. They killed 137 people. What do you call it?"

On the recent passing of former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, who died on November 11 at the age of 61:

Lemmy: "Yeah, he's the second [ex-MOTÖRHEAD member to die]. First Würzel [ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Michael Burston] and now Phil. I've known Phil, it feels like, all my life. He was a real character, he was a real nutcase, and I do admire that in a person. But I think he lost his will to live, 'cause he was doing a lot of the wrong drugs and living with the wrong people, and it finally caught up."

On whether he would say he (Lemmy) always used the "right" drugs:

Lemmy: "No. But it was too much for his constitution. So far I've survived it."

On whether he is sometimes surprised that he is still able to perform considering the amount of drugs and alcohol he consumed in his life:

Lemmy: "No, I'm just lucky. I don't really recommend the lifestyle, 'cause most people die of it. I mean, a lot of my friends are dead who shouldn't be, who had a lot more music in them. But that's the way life is: the luck of the draw. You can't plan your life; it doesn't work. If you're confronted by a situation that you didn't plan for, and then you're lost… baffled. So you might as well be ready for everything. And to do that, you have to take all the drugs you possibly can."