Lemmy

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Lemmy Kilmister
Lemmy-02.jpg
Lemmy performing in 2005
Born
Ian Fraser Kilmister

(1945-12-24)24 December 1945
Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
Died28 December 2015(2015-12-28) (aged 70)
Los Angeles, California, US
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
Other names
  • Lemmy
  • Ian Willis
Occupation
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Years active1960–2015
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • bass
Formerly of
Websiteimotorhead.com

Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015) was an English musician, best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead. He was its only constant member from 1975 until his death. He also played with Hawkwind from 1971 to 1975.

Lemmy was a key figure in the new wave of British heavy metal, recognised for his distinctive gravelly voice, mutton-chop sideburns, military-inspired style, and high-angled microphone stance. His bass technique, using a Rickenbacker to produce a distorted, rhythmic rumble with power chords, shaped Motörhead’s sound. He lived a hard-edged lifestyle marked by heavy drinking, smoking, and drug use.

Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Lemmy grew up in Staffordshire and Wales, influenced by rock and roll and The Beatles. He played in bands like The Rockin' Vickers before working as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and joining Hawkwind. After being sacked from Hawkwind in 1975 over a drug arrest, he formed Motörhead, achieving peak success in 1980–1981 with hits like "Ace of Spades" and the live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith.

Lemmy died in Los Angeles in 2015, days after a prostate cancer diagnosis, aged 70. His ashes were later scattered or crafted into memorial items for friends.

Early life

Lemmy was born on 24 December 1945 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent.[1] His father, a former RAF chaplain, left when Lemmy was three months old. He moved with his mother to Newcastle-under-Lyme and later Madeley. At 10, his mother remarried, and they relocated to Benllech, Wales.[2] He attended Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones in Amlwch, earning the nickname "Lemmy". Inspired by The Beatles, he took up guitar and later pursued music full-time.

Career

1960–1971: Early bands

Lemmy began playing in Stockport with the Rainmakers and Motown Sect before joining The Rockin' Vickers in 1965, releasing three singles. In 1967, he moved to London, roadied for Jimi Hendrix, and joined Sam Gopal and Opal Butterfly.

1971–1975: Hawkwind

Lemmy joined Hawkwind in 1971 as bassist and vocalist, contributing to their hit "Silver Machine". He was fired in 1975 after a drug arrest in Canada.[3]

1975–2015: Motörhead

Lemmy founded Motörhead in 1975, blending punk and metal influences. The band peaked with "Ace of Spades" and No Sleep 'til Hammersmith. He toured until his final show in Berlin on 11 December 2015.[4]

Personal life

Lemmy had two sons: Sean, adopted out at birth, and Paul Inder, whom he later met. From 1990, he lived in Los Angeles near the Rainbow Bar and Grill. Known for claiming over 1,000 sexual partners, he drank heavily—favoring Jack Daniel’s—until health issues forced moderation in 2013.[5] He collected German military memorabilia but rejected Nazi ideology, identifying as an anarchist and agnostic.

Illness and death

Lemmy faced health declines, including diabetes and a 2013 haematoma, requiring a defibrillator. On 28 December 2015, he died of prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, and heart failure, diagnosed two days prior.[6] His funeral was held on 9 January 2016 at Forest Lawn, with ashes later distributed in bullets and scattered at Wacken Open Air.[7]

Legacy

Lemmy’s influence spans heavy metal, with tributes from Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and others. He won a Grammy in 2005 for "Whiplash". Asteroids, a crocodile species, and a Download Festival stage bear his name.[8]

Discography

  • The Rockin' Vickers: "Dandy" (1966)
  • Sam Gopal: Escalator (1969)
  • Hawkwind: Doremi Fasol Latido (1972), Space Ritual (1973), Hall of the Mountain Grill (1974)
  • Motörhead: See Motörhead discography

Filmography

References

  1. ^ "Lemmy: White Line Fever". BBC News. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  2. ^ Clerk, Carol (2004). The Saga of Hawkwind. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-101-8.
  3. ^ "Lemmy dies, aged 70". Songwriting Magazine. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Mikkey Dee: 'Motörhead Is Over'". Blabbermouth.net. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Motörhead's Lemmy: 'If I Died Tomorrow, I Couldn't Complain'". Blabbermouth.net. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. ^ Childers, Chad (19 January 2016). "Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister Official Cause of Death Revealed". Loudwire. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Motörhead icon Lemmy's ashes scattered in mud at Wacken Festival". NME. 3 August 2023.
  8. ^ "243002 Lemmy (2006 TG119)". JPL Small-Body Database Browser. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

External links

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