Motorblog No, Not £2,500!: You've read the story going around the Motorhead sites about Lemmy sparking up at the Sheffield show, and "police were alerted and threatened to take appropriate action" by fining him £50 - NOT £2,500!
The £2,500 is the fine the venue must pay if they are caught NOT enforcing The Law, (our world is starting to sound really Judge Dredd, innit!)
But it didn't say they actually fined Lemmy, so maybe he was just warned?
I thought band's/performers would be able to get away with this as it could be regarded as "part of the stage act," but apparently not!
But at the Bournemouth show, both Lemmy and Phil emerged after Mikkey's drum solo, fag-less, but chewing gum; likewise for the encores, and Whorehouse Blues just didn't seem the same without that trail of blue smoke whisping up over Lem's cowboy hat!
In fact, I MISSED the fag smoke!
The Bournemouth show, for me, seemed as if an integral facet of the rock 'n' roll world had died.
And it had!
A live concert will be difficult to get used to in a smoke-free atmosphere. I've been doing gigs for over 40 years now, and the atmosphere just wasn't right - and this is me talking after giving up smoking out of respect for my heart surgery just a year ago!
But when all is said and done, backstage is also 'indoors,' and I bet there isn't a Manager of any venue in the world who will tell Lem he can't smoke there!