That's the way I like It baby, I Don't Wanna Live Forever...
November 12, 2015 5:23 PM   Subscribe

Philthy Animal Taylor, drummer for Motorhead's golden age lineup*, has passed away. RIP, you Philthy bastard. *this clip shows that along with being a great drummer, he could really cut a rug
posted by jonmc (40 comments total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
Man, I listened to the Lemmy interview with Marc Maron a little while back, and even though he was more articulate and engaged than I've ever heard him (which isn't saying much because: Lemmy), it's clear that the flame is guttering pretty badly and a stiff breeze might just blow it right out.

So old, we all get. So old.

On the other hand, decades of amphetamine abuse aren't something I'm going to have to deal with when I'm 70 (er, I assume) so there's that, at least.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:35 PM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]


.
posted by Cookiebastard at 5:40 PM on November 12, 2015


.
posted by cazoo at 5:41 PM on November 12, 2015


.

\m/
posted by mwhybark at 5:47 PM on November 12, 2015


Just in case...
posted by ceiriog at 5:50 PM on November 12, 2015


..

(you know, one for each kick drum)
posted by NoMich at 5:56 PM on November 12, 2015 [4 favorites]


.
posted by mapinduzi at 6:13 PM on November 12, 2015


.
posted by Sphinx at 6:15 PM on November 12, 2015


\mm/

(too much for one hand, etc)
posted by Pope Guilty at 6:23 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


\m/
posted by ignignokt at 6:26 PM on November 12, 2015


What a character.

.
posted by lumpenprole at 6:29 PM on November 12, 2015


Goddamnit, what an awesome drummer Philthy was.

Sincerely, everyone should hear Overkill at once in their lives – such a brilliant illustration of a machine-like drummer who doesn't ever fucking stop, just keeps coming back faster and harder, until they finally just have to fade it out. He's just so insanely good. And on the album – Motorhead's best – it leads directly into the smashing opening fill of one of my favorite of their songs, Stay Clean.

Here's to the memory of a great musician.
posted by koeselitz at 6:31 PM on November 12, 2015 [12 favorites]


Man, I listened to the Lemmy interview with Marc Maron a little while back, and even though he was more articulate and engaged than I've ever heard him (which isn't saying much because: Lemmy)

Really? He's seems pretty deaf but I wouldn't have described him as "inarticulate" at any point. But yeah he's clearly in pretty bad shape now.
posted by atoxyl at 6:32 PM on November 12, 2015


You may have taken Philthy from us, Death - you may someday even take Lemmy - but you will never, ever get rid of Motörhead.
posted by ryanshepard at 6:34 PM on November 12, 2015 [3 favorites]


.. indeed

Also
posted by carter at 6:35 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


AHHH THAT'S SO GOOD
posted by koeselitz at 6:37 PM on November 12, 2015


Goddamnit, what an awesome drummer Philthy was.

Selected tributes from the YouTube comments:

I tried doing the double bass with my legs during the entire song, it feels like I've ran a mile.

It was only for 15 minutes, but he was one of the funniest guys I've ever met. He asked me for a smoke, and that thing was down to the filter in 4 drags. You changed rock n roll forever. We will miss you.

Tried to move my legs during this whole song like i'm playing the double bass, now I can't walk without pain. RIP Phil, what a legend!

And my personal favorite:

Animal Taylor monster batery sound! perpetual! MotOrhead!
posted by ryanshepard at 6:48 PM on November 12, 2015 [8 favorites]


\m/ . \m/
posted by Ber at 6:48 PM on November 12, 2015


Yup, 'the greatest rock song of all time' is kind of a cliche and also totally subjective but Overkill is right up there, especially the album version. Thirty five years ago, too.
posted by carter at 6:54 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


Greetings earth people! We are from the planet monstermachine in the mechanokiller constellation. We have followed this signal to your planet in search of the source of this sound! We must have more sounds like this to tune our advanced machinery! You must help us find the source of these lifegiving sounds!

(from the first youtube link. \m/ to Philthy, now enthroned as the lifegiver of the mechanokiller galaxy.)
posted by Sauce Trough at 7:32 PM on November 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


Regarding Phil's dancing in the "Please Don't Touch" video:

[Please Don't Touch] was recorded while Motörhead's drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor was recovering from a neck injury sustained playing "who can lift each other up the highest" with a large Irishman, so Girlschool drummer Denise Dufort played [drums]

.
posted by anazgnos at 8:17 PM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]


.
posted by spinifex23 at 8:37 PM on November 12, 2015


.
posted by Token Meme at 10:34 PM on November 12, 2015


.
posted by bongo_x at 11:25 PM on November 12, 2015


.
posted by El Brendano at 12:23 AM on November 13, 2015


.
posted by dougzilla at 1:03 AM on November 13, 2015


Not bad at the old darts either.
posted by kersplunk at 2:04 AM on November 13, 2015


.
posted by DanCall at 2:34 AM on November 13, 2015


DJ Mark Radcliffe reckoned he had a vodka optic as part of his drum kit... god, I hope that was true.

The 'Ace Of Spades' episode in the television documentary series Classic Albums was definitely one of the best episodes. It used to be on youtube but parts of it are blocked now (you might be able to piece it together if you really go hunting)

And still The Best Thing On The Internet
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:35 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]



posted by Gelatin at 4:06 AM on November 13, 2015


.

Love the early/mid eighties Motorhead. Unvarnished and non-commercial.
posted by zerobyproxy at 6:52 AM on November 13, 2015


Overkill . . . double bass drums . . .

Came here to mention "Locomotive". The drums on "Overkill" are more 'subtle' (?) but "Locomotive" . . . how much more double bass drums can a song get?

None, I say unto you. None more.

But turns out that it was Pete Gill who played drums on "Locomotive". Oh, well here it is anyway. Think of it as a time-traveling-retro-tribute salute to Philthy.
 
posted by Herodios at 6:54 AM on November 13, 2015


\m/
posted by shmurley at 7:42 AM on November 13, 2015


\m/ \m/
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 7:59 AM on November 13, 2015


\m/
posted by mirthe at 10:07 AM on November 13, 2015


"Hello this is Lemmy from Motörhead. I'm feeling very sad at the moment, in fact devastated because one of my best friends died yesterday. I miss him already. His name was Phil Taylor, or Philthy Animal, and he was our drummer twice in our career. Now he's died and it really pisses me off that they take somebody like him and leave George Bush alive. So muse on that. We're still going, we're still going strong, it's just first Würzel and now Philthy, it's a shame man. I think this rock n roll business might be bad for the human life. Oh well."

Lemmy on the Motorhead facebook account
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:46 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]


First place I saw Motörhead, and it blew my young mind.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:42 AM on November 13, 2015 [2 favorites]


Aww, man. Strength to your arm, Lemmy.
posted by persona au gratin at 11:46 AM on November 13, 2015


Thanks for posting this, jonmc. I was going to post an obit as well, so here's what I've been watching over the past couple of days:

On the Young Ones in 1984 just before he quit the band the first time

Motörhead live on Rockstage at Nottingham Theatre Royal in 1980

"Best of Phil" documentary, full of him telling various stories: Part 1 + Part 2.

And Lemmy sums it up in this tribute from him and others: "Now he's died and it really pisses me off that they take somebody like him and leave George Bush alive. So muse on that."

He died on 11/11, and I find that appropriate cause Motörhead had everything turned up to eleven. REST IN THE LOUDEST PEACE POSSIBLE, PHILTHY PHIL!!
posted by not_on_display at 1:06 PM on November 13, 2015 [3 favorites]


No one asked if he was killed... by death?

Sadness.

I'm the type of person who should hate Motorhead.
But, I own the T-shirt.
And I love bands who fuck the orthodoxy.

I can't quite pick what makes Motorhead's drumming stand out (but, considering Creaming Jesus had two drummers, mad respect), but I have love Motorhead since the Young Ones.

I assume there is no Katie-Jane Garside/Motorhead song because the world isn't ready.
posted by Mezentian at 4:51 AM on November 14, 2015


« Older Old habits ...die hard.   |   Recognize emotions from a photo Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments