What Motörhead's Lemmy Thought of AC/DC Icon Bon Scott

When Motörhead icon Lemmy reflected on the early days of AC/DC and their legendary frontman Bon Scott, he spoke less like a rock star reminiscing and more like a witness to something monumental. Long before stadium tours cemented their status, Lemmy caught the band in a London pub while out with a girl, immediately recognizing a rare kind of greatness.

Witnessing the Chaos in a London Pub

Lemmy had spent his life watching bands come and go, placing AC/DC right alongside The Beatles and The Stones as true cultural phenomena. Describing their early live shows, he recalled Bon Scott charging around the stage with Angus Young, generating a whirlwind of pure chaos. What stood out most to Motörhead’s frontman wasn’t the mythology or the surrounding lifestyle, but the sheer physical exertion Bon poured into every performance.

“He always looked knackered, because he gave everything in the stage show,” Lemmy recalled, highlighting a striking image of the singer collapsing between songs only to be pushed right back on stage. To Lemmy, this wasn’t mere recklessness, but the ultimate dedication to the craft.

The Bon Scott Era Favorites

When discussing his favorite AC/DC tracks, Lemmy firmly favored the Bon Scott era. Among his top picks were Can I Sit Next To You Girl, Whole Lotta Rosie (with a particular fondness for the live version), and It’s A Long Way To The Top. Lemmy would later record his own rendition of the latter track alongside former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright, treating it less as a standard cover and more as a salute between fellow road warriors.

Reflecting on Bon during an interview, Lemmy expressed a wish to have known the guys better and to have met them earlier on, acknowledging a deep, instinctive respect for a man who emptied the tank every single night.