Lemmy Kilmister
Lemmy Kilmister, iconic singer/bassist for veteran rockers Motörhead, has passed away at the age of 70 after a very brief battle with cancer.
His passing was first announced by veteran Rock radio and TV host Eddie Trunk. Shortly after, an official statement was released on the band’s Facebook page. It reads, “There is no easy way to say this… our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from the Rainbow which had recently made its way down the street, with his family. We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words. We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please… play Motörhead loud.”
Lemmy (born Ian Fraser Kilmister) just turned 70 years old on Christmas Eve. He had suffered from a number of health troubles in recent years and Motörhead had been forced to cancel a number of shows. However, the band toured and recorded steadily and just released the album Bad Magic last summer.
Lemmy had been in a number of bands throughout his 20’s and even served as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix. He joined psychedelic rockers Hawkwind as their new bassist in 1972 and later formed Motörhead in 1975. He was the only consistent member of the group, which merged heavy metal, punk and hard rock to create an instantly identifiable sound.
Motörhead’s biggest hit was the anthem “Ace of Spades” and they famously influenced bands from Metallica to Foo Fighters. In addition to their music, Lemmy became known for his hard drinking lifestyle and drug use (along with his signature facial hair and mole). A documentary on his life and career, simply titled Lemmy, was released in 2010. In his later years, when not on the road, he could always be easily found playing video games in his favorite L.A. hangout, the Rainbow Bar and Grill.
Former Motörhead drummer Phil Taylor, who had two stints in the band, passed away last fall.
