Fresh from their show at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Savatage hopped into Europe and took time at Hellfest 2025 to talk about their memories of Lemmy and Motorhead before their set today. The question was can they top what in London was “one of the musical performances of the year.”
“We were playing, I think it was Mind Over Matter in Austria in 2001,” Chris Caffery said. “I looked on the side of the stage. Johnny [Lee Middleton]… one of his first years out with Savatage, the band had toured with Motörhead. That was his first one I believe that he had done with the band, and they loved watching Chris Oliva.”
“Phil and Lemmy came up to me after the show, and they said, look, we watched you playing, and there’s a ghost in you. They said there’s only been 11 people in the past that have ever played on stage with Motörhead. We would like you to be number 12.
“So that night, I got to go in the dressing room and sit down with them and have a shot of Jack Daniels [laughs]. I think I did Killed By Death when I got on stage for them. It was a really great experience.
“Those guys were really nice. I saw them on the road, they’re really cool. They’re great guys.”
“Yeah, my first, and Savatage’s first European tour, we opened for Motörhead,” Johnny Lee Middleton said. “I’ll never forget our gear showed up like an hour before we’re supposed to play. There’s 4,000 kids chanting ‘Motörhead’. I’m getting Deutschmarks bounced off my freaking head, and we haven’t played a note.
“So we went into the dressing room and we grabbed the set list and just totally ripped it up. It was like, OK, we can’t do this shit, or we’re not getting out of here alive. So we started the City Beneath The Surface, and as soon as Chris came out there and did an Eddie Van Halen hammer-off, the crowd started smiling.
“After the first night… when you’re in an opening slot it depends on who you’re opening for. Sometimes, you don’t get a whole lot, and sometimes, they help you out. Phil loved Chris and so did Lemmy, and so they were just like, whatever you guys need, just ask. So it immediately turned into a friendship and we had a great time.
“It was on the Orgasmatron tour and it was our first experience in Europe. We were opening for these guys, and they literally, literally… he [Lemmy] was so nice to us. Literally, anything we wanted. We needed extra time for sound check? No worries. Because it’s Motörhead. As good as you are, you’re not going to be Motörhead, and Lemmy was sweet to us.
“I’ll never forget that because we’d always see him at festivals and stuff, different bills and stuff. Just a kind soul. Yeah, just a great guy.”
HELLFEST 2025
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2025 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
MetalTalk Hellfest 2025 coverage can be found at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2025.
This year’s MetalTalk team is:
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