When you think of rock icons, few names come to mind faster than Dee Snider of Twisted Sister and Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead. What you may not know is the tale behind their friendship and the day Snider discovered Kilmister’s ashes on his doorstep, as told by the frontman in an appearance on Pop! Talk. This startling scenario, as told by Snider, is based on the history of these two rock titans. The Wrexham Rock Festival, which took place on July 24, 1982, has its own page in rock and roll history books from the 1980s. Twisted Sister were invited to join the line-up at this performance before they had even produced an album, thanks to their manager’s friendship with Motörhead. It was a bit of a risk, because Sister’s style was out of the ordinary, and Snider was well aware that they might not get a warm reception from the audience. Enter Motörhead’s famous frontman, Lemmy Kilmister. He possessed an uncanny ability to perceive things that others couldn’t. He anticipated the possible criticism and opted to personally introduce Twisted Sister to the audience. Twisted Sister’s set went off without a hitch thanks to Lemmy’s seal of approval. Lemmy’s backing helped the band attain industry exposure and respect. Snider acknowledges that he owes a lot to the Motörhead legend to this day.
But Dee and Lemmy’s friendship didn’t end there. Kilmister had a one-of-a-kind farewell desire when he died. He desired that his ashes be distributed among his friends. Yes, it was a rumor, but it was confirmed when Snider discovered a small box from Kilmister’s management company on his doorstep. When Dee Snider opened the box, he discovered a ‘Lemmy bullet’ – a keepsake containing Kilmister’s ashes. Despite their closeness, Snider had not anticipated being invited to such a private farewell. He was overcome with emotion as he witnessed this ultimate act of kindness from beyond the grave. The Twisted Sister vocalist described receiving Lemmy’s ashes as follows: “The object you’re asking about around my neck… This is a really valuable possession. This is a ‘Lemmy bullet,’ and Lemmy is from the band Motörhead, of which I know you have a Funko pop-up. We were close. When he died, it was rumored that he wanted his ashes divided and distributed among his friends. Even though we were friends, I never imagined I’d be deserving of something so valuable.
You’d think there’d be so many people in front of you, and I know other friends got them as well, but when the doorbell rang, it was special delivery, and I got this little box, I was cried up. He was reaching out from the grave, saying, ‘I remember you, and you meant something to me,’ because Lemmy is such a wonderful person. We could go on and on about it.” This souvenir was more than simply a way for Snider to remember his friend. It was a touching reminder of their shared history and the bond they’d formed. Kilmister gave one last nod, indicating that their friendship mattered as much to him as it did to Snider.