On December 28, 2016 Motorhead legend, Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister died at age 70 after a severe battle with cancer. Motorhead released a statement on their Facebook confirming the devastating news.
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialMotorhead/posts/1107561019276205
Lemmy is a rock and roll pioneer, embodying the music he influenced countless heavy metal/hard rock acts with by living and breathing it as a lifestyle. He’s left one of the largest craters in the industry as the frontman of Motorhead. Lemmy produced a distinctive tone that went on to drive Speed Metal, Thrash and leave an impressionable mark on the NWOBHM movement.
Serving a role as prominent as one of the most iconic singers in rock, his gravelly voice and unparalleled bass line is a destructive combination that flows perfectly within the straight-ahead power of Motorhead. It’s a rush of energy that generates the band’s attitude and compliments Lemmy as a force to be reckoned with.
Motorhead‘s fast and loud assertiveness was born in a convenient time period. During the late 70’s, many ground-breaking bands were losing their edge and needed more inspiration to motivate their aggressive rhythm-based chops. Lemmy’s key position in the band allowed him to push boundaries and uncover a new standard for heavy metal.
One important element in Motorhead‘s career is the fact that they weren’t even categorized alongside the groups whom they impacted. Before 1977, when the band released their debut album, no one had brought forth a sound as intense as Motorhead’s. Although there was plenty of British influence such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, they weren’t making a big splash during this uncertain era in metal. After a few successful album releases and the introduction of the 80’s, acts such as Iron Maiden and Metallica are projecting an energetic tone bred by Motorhead.
Lemmy introduced the ferocity needed to keep the spirit of the heavy metal scene alive and active. He devoted an onslaught of material and gave a generation plenty to incorporate with over a span of decades.
Although Lemmy’s death marks the conclusion of Motorhead, he remains a first-rate figure within rock and roll and a pillar of the community.
R.I.P. Lemmy
Born To Lose, Live To Win
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