Biography
Heavy metal heroes Motorhead will forever be associated with the sound and personality of singer/bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, its founder and only consistent member. Raised in rural England, Lemmy was an unlikely product of the hippie era: He formed his first band the Rockin' Vickers in 1965, then shared a flat with Jimi Hendrix bassist Noel Redding who recruited him to roadie for the Experience. He joined the psychedelic band Hawkwind in 1971 and sang lead on their only UK hit single, the uncharacteristic rocker "Silver Machine." He was kicked out in 1975 after a drug arrest; he'd later claim he'd gotten even by sleeping with each of their wives. Later that year he formed Motorhead, named after a song Hawkwind had rejected; both the song and the band name referred to his love for amphetamines. The initial Motorhead lineup, with guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox didn't last; soon afterward the band found its classic lineup with guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. Though the group's 1977 self-titled debut went largely unnoticed, the 1978 followup Overkill put them on the UK charts; they also had singlees success with a non-LP cover of the garage-rock anthem "Louie Louie." Thanks to their speed-driven energy and preference for short punchy songs, Motorhead fit equally well into the punk and metal camps; they'd later cover the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" and write a tune called "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." (which the Ramones would in turn cover). The first lineup reached its peak with 1980's Ace of Spades, whose title track became the band's anthem, and its live followup No Sleep Till Hammersmith. The classic lineup fell apart soon afterward, with ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson joining for 1983's Another Perfect Day. Robertson was then sacked for refusing to play older Motorhead songs, and apparently for wearing satin shorts onstage. The lineup shifted for a time afterwards, with the band employing two guitarists and Taylor returning on drums. But by 1992 the band had its second longrunning trio lineup with guitarist Phil Campbell (who'd replaced Robertson in 1984) and drummer Mikkey Dee (with co-guitarist Michael "Wurzel" Burston for the first three years). This lineup was the most prolific, with thirteen studio albums between 1992-2015; and a somewhat darker sound with more metal and less punk/pub rock. By now Lemmy was living Los Angeles, holding court at Hollywood club the Rainbow Bar & Grill, and becoming a beloved figure to a new generation of metalheads. Lemmy also claimed he drank a bottle of Jack Daniels every day for most of adult life, yet he evinced no major health problems until the mid-2010's. The band's 40th anniversary tour in was interrupted when he experienced chest pains; he returned to the road but was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. He died on December 28, 2015; four days after his 70th birthday and 17 days after Motorhead's last gig. Drummer Taylor died earlier that year and the last member of Motorhead's classic lineup, Eddie Clarke died in 2018.
