Experienced drummer Mikkey Dee talked about his memories with Mötorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, and his reason to refuse to join the band initially.

Motörhead’s drummer Dee has appeared in an interview with the NFR Podcast, in which he talked about his initial reason to refuse to join Motörhead. He also mentioned how he met Lemmy Kilmister and his earlier thoughts about the band. Dee was playing for King Diamond before Motörhead, and he’s currently playing for Scorpions.

Let’s see what Dee had to say about Motörhead.

Mikkey Dee mentioned how he met Lemmy Kilmister

“He asked me to join Motorhead in ’86, and I played in King Diamond in the beginning.”

After being asked whether Motörhead was touring together with King Diamond, he said:

“Yes, in Europe, and he asked me actually three times before I actually joined the band in ’91.”

Mikkey Dee expressed his first thoughts upon being invited to join Motörhead:

“I was extremely honored, like, ‘Wow.’ Because they were super rockstars over here, trust me. I listened to Motorhead since they came around pretty much.

I saw something. I go, ‘Look, I got to earn my stripes.’ ‘I need to earn my stripes before I join this fucking band. This is not just a band, this is an institution here.’ And I said no, but with all the respect.”

Respecting the name the band established for itself, Dee apparently felt like he had to earn it. Then he said he was just in where he enjoyed himself. Mikkey Dee seemingly had a great relationship with Kilmister, upon whose death he left the band:

“And to tell you the truth, I never left any band for money and fame, if they’re bigger or smaller. Where I enjoyed myself, that’s where I stayed – end of story.

And we were just building something with King, I was like, ‘Wow.’ And Lemmy kept sending me postcards and writing to me and calling me from payphones and hotel phones.

‘Hey, Mik, how you doing? Just want to check on you, what’s up?’ He’d send me postcards from all over the world.

We hit it off really nice.”

Asked when all this happened, Mikkey Dee mentioned his early days with Motörhead members:

“Before that [tour], I knew him before that. I knew Lemmy for 32 years. So, I met him in London, he doesn’t remember – he didn’t remember that, but I met him in London at the Marquee club before I actually toured with him.

Anyway, we established a very nice friendship, and even with Philthy Animal Taylor and  Würzel, we had a great tour.”

Mikkey Dee went on to talk about his feelings for Motörhead members, whom he saw as “crazy, funny, and extreme.”

“I just saw these guys as crazy, funny, and extreme in such a way that I felt if I joined this band, I’d be eaten up for breakfast. ‘I’m not ready.’ They were as hard as it gets.”

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