Phil Campbell on Slash, playing in Poland, pierogi, singing Bee Gees with Lemmy and why Motörhead is still valid.
Interviewed by Marta Antosz, photos: Romana Makówka
What are your favorite memories from your shows in Poland?
Phil Campbell: Generally, just having a great time. The Polish fans are really a bit special. They’re dedicated rock music fans and we always get an amazing welcome there. It’s a pleasure for me to come and play. We’ve played many times with Motörhead and many times with our new band as well, so we’re looking forward to coming up and eating all the pierogi.
That’s lovely to hear! And, what’s new in the Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons camp? Are you working on a new material?
Phil Campbell: Yeah, we need to find a permanent singer for the tour. Right now, we’re using a friend of ours called Julian Jenkins. He’s got a band called Fury, which is excellent, and he’s helping us out on this tour. He’s really, really good, but we still need to find a permanent singer. We’ve already got songs written for the next album, and we’re planning to record in January, February, and March. Hopefully, by the end of summer, we’ll have a new album out next year. That’s the plan, anyway.
How is writing for The Bastard Sons different from writing for Motörhead?
Phil Campbell: It’s easier for me now. With Motörhead, being the only guitarist meant everyone waited for me to come up with the riffs. Now, my son Todd writes a lot of stuff too, and the other boys bring in ideas. It’s a different dynamic — every band is — but we do it democratically. Motörhead was a democracy too. You work through it, make sure everyone’s happy, and then move on. It’s mostly a lot of fun.
How’s it working with your sons?
Phil Campbell: It’s great! They’re fantastic musicians — I’m the worst in the band, so I have to concentrate to keep up. We’re so tight now, it’s going to be something really special for this tour. I wanted to do something to celebrate 50 years of Motörhead. So many young kids come to our gigs who never saw Motörhead. This way, they get to hear those songs played properly. It’ll never be the same, of course, but close — and the music lives on forever.
What was the best thing about being in Motörhead?
Phil Campbell: There are so many. Just playing night after night, seeing huge audiences go crazy, being on stage with the boys and playing the music we loved. There’s nothing like it. You had to be there to really feel it.
What lessons from that time still guide you today?
Phil Campbell: Never give up. Motörhead had tough times, but we never split up. Lemmy was a great teacher — he taught us to stick to our guns and never follow record company advice. We wrote songs for ourselves, not for labels or even fans. It was real music — no frills — and I think people appreciated that.
How do you keep your songwriting fresh after all these years?
Phil Campbell: It gets harder, honestly. With Motörhead, it was down to me, but now everyone brings ideas — Todd, the bassist, the drummer. I’m quite lazy, but it’s easier now because it’s not all on my shoulders. And there’s no pressure anymore. Todd’s got his own studio near where he lives, so we just go when we feel inspired. When we’ve had enough, we stop and come back later. It’s much better like that.
What’s your guitar setup these days?
Phil Campbell: I’ve got over a hundred guitars now! Recently I’ve been using a couple of Slash Les Pauls and a Peter Green–style “Greenie.” I don’t change my own strings anymore — my super talented techs handle it. I just show up for soundcheck and the gig. I’m getting older, don’t drink anymore, and mostly rest or watch crap TV in hotel rooms. I need the energy for shows! I’ve still got a few years left in me though, I’m sure.
Do you still have guitar influences these days?
Phil Campbell: Definitely. I love Slash — he just gets better all the time. Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi, and Gary Moore will always influence me. I’m not into overly technical playing. I prefer two or three beautiful long notes to a hundred fast ones. I’m basically a loud, bluesy player.
Any new bands you’ve discovered lately?
Phil Campbell: Not really — we’ve been touring too much! I love Rammstein, though. Best live show on Earth. Mostly I listen to old stuff — Zeppelin, Floyd, the Bee Gees. Lemmy loved the Bee Gees too. We used to sing Bee Gees songs on the tour bus! You can imagine what that sounded like…
What keeps you happy off the road?
Phil Campbell: I love normal life. Walking the dogs, going to the beach with my wife, shopping, watching TV. I live away from the city now — it’s quiet and peaceful.
What do you watch?
Phil Campbell: Any old rubbish! I usually fall asleep on the couch watching it. That’s one of my favorite things to do.
What can fans expect from the 50th-anniversary setlist?
Phil Campbell: We’ll definitely play „Ace of Spades” — we couldn’t skip that! There’ll be all the classics and a few surprises. Everyone should leave happy.
Anything from the „1916”?
Phil Campbell: At least one! But I’m not telling you which.
Fair enough! (laughs) What would you say to fans coming to these shows?
Phil Campbell: Thanks for buying a ticket and keeping rock alive. If you never saw Motörhead, this is as close as you’ll get. Come, have fun, forget your worries, and bring me pierogi!
If you could talk to Lemmy one more time, what would you say?
Phil Campbell: I’d probably say, “Why did you play so loud?”
That’s brilliant. (laughs) Thank you so much, sir. It was an honour to talk to you.
Phil Campbell: It’s been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you. Bye-bye.
