The late legendary Motörhead founder, leader, bassist and vocalist Lemmy Kilmister was one of the most influential musicians and underrated songwriters of all time. His music inspired countless generations of musicians and was crucial for the evolution of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.
He was also known for being a quite sincere person and always shared his real opinion on things. He was once asked by Classic Rock in 2004 about religion and if he believed that was life after death.
What Lemmy Kilmister said about reincarnation
“God’s a crutch for people who don’t know who they are. I’m responsible for what I do. And I’ll take responsibility for everything I’ve said and done. I don’t need to hide behind the devil. ‘The devil made me do it!’ Well, you shoulda put your fingers in your fucking ears! God would’ve helped you put your fingers in your ears, wouldn’t he? Might have even put His Holy Fingers in your ears.”
“Religion’s just spiritual insurance. Put a few quid in the plate every month and then you think you’re going to heaven later. Everybody that’s good goes to heaven? Must be fucking crowded up there! How are you going to find your loved ones? Are they gonna post a notice? ‘Coming up this week…’ I’m going to Hell – that’s where all the pool tables are. You can’t imagine a pool table in Heaven, can you?”
He continued:
“If I believe in anything, I believe in reincarnation. Because you have these flashes of memory of something you’ve never known before. And then you have periods of history you’re really interested in and other periods you couldn’t give a shit about – even though they’re just as interesting as a period.”
“But you just don’t have a connection with them, somehow. Other bits you have a connection with, and I think it’s because you were alive in those bits. That makes sense to me. But then, who says it has to make sense? That’s just wishful thinking of another kind…” It always killed me about Japan. The Emperor Hirohito – he’s the son of heaven. Why did he need glasses? It’s obviously ridiculous right there, but no one dared question it because he’s the emperor,” Lemmy Kilmister said.
Lemmy passed away in 2015 at the age of 70. He was a victim of from prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure.