Lemmy turns 50. It was one of the best nights of my life. The best party of my life. I think – from the little memory that I can pull from that night. So much alcohol. And I think anyone who attended the birthday party at the Whiskey a Go Go would say the same thing. What exactly happened that night, we may never know?
Side Note: Maybe one day I will do some regression therapy with a magic mushroom trip to recall all of the drown memories from that night.
This night was different from being backstage at a Motorhead show in LA. Lemmy was not busy being musician/host and was more the birthday boy enjoying his friends.
December 14th was the day of Lemmy’s big 50th birthday bash at the Whiskey a Go Go on the sunset strip.
Lemmy’s assistant Alex called me a few days before the date to invite me to the party and to give me all the juicy details. He wanted to make sure that I was in attendance. He informed me that this was a surprise party, and that Lemmy did not know a thing about it. I was so excited in the days leading up to the party that I just wanted to tell Lemmy all about it.
Lemmy turns 50 – The Birthday Bash that we kind of remember?!
I had to work the day of the party, and I was so distracted. All I could think about was getting to the party. I left work early, went home to change, jumped in a cab, and went to Hollywood.
When I got to the Whiskey it looked like a movie premier as there were crowds of people on the sidewalk and in the street. There was a perceptible feeling of electric in the air. Buzzing energy.
I made my way through the crowd and just like a Déjà vu I went up to the “will call” window and I was not on the guest list as Alex told me I would be. But as luck would have it, Todd Singerman, Lemmy’s manager, came through the door at that exact moment. When he saw me, he said “Oh good there you are” he grabbed me and pulled me though the crowd and through the club, and up the stairs to the main dressing room.
I do not think I have EVER seen so many people in the Whiskey. It was packed wall to wall. And the temperature was hot and stuffy. Such a contrast to the cool temperatures outside of the club. It was like leaving winter Los Angeles and transporting to a tropical location.
I felt that I could faint I was so excited. This is the only time I have ever seen the Whiskey dressing room and VIP area filled with so many famous people.
And there in the dressing room was Lemmy talking to Whitfield Crane of the band Ugly Kid Joe. Wow, I was a HUGE fan of Ugly Kid Joe, so I was breathless.
Lemmy was so glad to see me. He straightaway said, “The guys from Metallica flew all the way here from San Francisco to play for my birthday.” He was so pleased by this gesture and his face just glowed with happiness. I could tell that he was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Someone handed me a beer and down the rabbit hole I went.
As I was combing Lemmy’s hair, Tom Arnold and his wife Julie came up to say hello. I am a huge Tom Arnold fan and loved watching him as Arnie on the tv show Roseanne and in movies like True Lies. I wondered how he and Lemmy became friends but did not have a chance to ask. Lemmy was friends with a wide variety of folks that I just could not make the connection of how they would even meet.
The Sweaty Handshake
Porn star Ron Jeremy was in attendance. He and a group of adult stars came over to wish Lemmy a Happy Birthday. As Ron reached out his hand to greet me, I hesitated. And I was correct to pause – As I shook his hand it was so warm and sweaty. I have always gotten a weird vibe from him, and he knew I did not like him, so this was an awkward moment. Well awkward for me. I did not think that it was good for Lem to hang out with Ron so much. Lemmy had started to become closer to the porn world and I did not think it was good for Motorhead or his career. Do not get me wrong, I love porn and watch often, but Ron Jeremy was icky. Just my opinion.
Metallica’s James Hetfield was an excellent host/guest at the party. He catered to my beverage needs by sharing his Beers of the World Collection with me. I do not remember the details of our conversation, but we spoke and drank beers for a long while. Iggy Pop was there and kept asking me if I was Ok and if I needed anything. Very attentive. He was super cool to hang out with – He is legendary.
“How long have you had those?“
Taime Down of Faster Pussycat strolled up to me as Iggy and I spoke, he gazed down at my new breasts asked “How long have you had those? “I remember the feel of his hair on my face as we exchanged flirtations. The Whiskey was super-hot and stuffy, and I remember how refreshed I felt with Taime’s cool hair brushing my face. What a strange, very clear memory. It must have been the relief from the heat that made the moment stand out. It’s weird, I can still to this day, feel that cool hair sensation on my face when I think of that night.
Over the years I have gotten to know Taime better and he has not changed a bit. I just love him. I was so surprised at how genuinely nice these two men were to me.
The night was the most surreal that I had experienced with Lemmy to that point. The list of people who came to that show is incredible. Even Madonna sent a greeting.
It’s a strange state that I would go into when at a party or backstage at a show with Lemmy. My focus is on him to the point that I get foggy and that is all I can see. It was like the room gets fuzzy except for him. I used to hate this because I felt I was missing out on all of the cool people who were in the room. It was either my intense love of Lemmy…nerves and he was my anchor… Or the massive amounts of alcohol that I drank when we partied out. Hanging out at home I could remember what tv shows we watched, what we ate, conversation etc. But out in the world – I was fuzzy. Such a weird sensation.
The Lemmy’s
The members of Metallica dressed up to look like Lemmy, putting on wigs, sunglasses, and fake tattoos. The Lemmy’s as they called themselves jumped on stage and performed Motorhead songs. The crowd went wild when Lemmy appeared onstage to perform.
I watched the show from the balcony above as Lemmy. Phil and Mikkey Dee took the stage to play a Motorhead set.
See – like I said before – Best night ever – Motorhead Live at the Whiskey, Metallica in wigs, Iggy Pop, Tom Arnold being funny and Taime Downs Hair – BEST NIGHT EVER!!
I got so smashed, trashed and blackout drunk that night. It seemed like everyone was having the time of their life and overindulging in all vices. Lemmy told me the next day that one of my favorite band lead singers received a blowjob by one of Ron Jeremy’s girls in the dressing room bathroom. All I could think was “yuck,” the bathrooms in the Whiskey are disgusting and smell worse than the mind could ever imagine. How could you give or even enjoy a blowjob under those circumstances?
The next morning Lemmy and I woke to a bedroom full of balloons. Both of us hungover. We laid in bed and wondered how we got home and were did all the balloons on the ceiling come from. I still to this day do not remember arriving home but the balloons were beautiful.
Coming soon
To London on a Promotional tour with Lemmy