Ten Lemmy Kilmister Quotes to Guide You to Your Best Life

Life lessons from the man that did it all

Image by Cathy Spigarelli

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the one and only Motorhead front-man by now, and many of you might also know a couple of stories about him, but Lemmy’s wisdom spans far beyond his music and mischiefs.

Although there are a lot of things that you could take from his lyrics (exemplified perfectly by my “Born to Lose/Live to Win” tattoo), the man has had a lot to say about life in general.

And so, I believe that everyone stands to benefit from his philosophy, so here are my top ten quotes by Lemmy Kilmister:

1. “People don’t read any more. It’s a sad state of affairs. Reading’s the only thing that allows you to use your imagination. When you watch films it’s someone else’s vision, isn’t it?”
2. “It seems that our brave new world is becoming less tolerant, spiritual and educated than it ever was when I was young.”
3. “As you go through life’s rich tapestry, you realize that most people you meet aren’t fit to shine your shoes. It’s a sad fact, but it’s true. A good friend is someone who’d hide you if you were on the run for murder. How many of them do you know?”
4. “That was a great time, the summer of ’71 — I can’t remember it, but I’ll never forget it!”
5. “Apparently people don’t like the truth, but I do like it; I like it because it upsets a lot of people.”
6. “I’m not too old, and until I decide I’m too old I’ll never be too f**king old.”
7. “My ethic is: ‘Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ You can be as careful as you want, but you’re going to die anyway, so why not have fun?”
8. “If you didn’t do anything that wasn’t good for you it would be a very dull life. What are you gonna do? Everything that is pleasant in life is dangerous. Have you noticed that? I’d like to find the bastard that thought that one up.”
9. “Death is an inevitability, isn’t it? You become more aware of that when you get to my age. I don’t worry about it. I’m ready for it.”
10. “You just have to keep going and everything will sort itself out.”