Last night Ian ”Lemmy” Kilmister, iconic frontman of heavy metal powerhouse Motörhead, passed away aged 70. Kilmister had received his diagnosis – an ’extremely aggressive cancer’ – only two days previously on December 26.
The news of his death was met with shock by fellow band mate Mikkey Dee, who has more bad news for any fans hoping to see the legendary rock outfit carry on without the bass guitar-wielding voice of Motörhead:
”Motörhead is over, of course. Lemmy was Motörhead. But the band will live on in the memories of many,” the drummer reveals in a telephone interview.
A final for Motörhead
The band, founded 1975 in London, will cease touring and record no further records after Lemmy’s death, according to Mikkey Dee.
”We won’t be doing any more tours or anything. And there won’t be any more records. But the brand survives, and Lemmy lives on in the hearts of everyone.”
”He spent all his energy”
The last city to host Motörhead was Berlin, earlier this year. Despite already suffering from his illness Kilmister battled his way through to the end of the group’s Europe tour.
”He was terribly gaunt, he spent all his energy on stage and afterwards he was very, very tired,” Mikkey Dee says. ”It’s incredible that he could even play, that he could finish the Europe tour. It was only 20 days ago. Unbelievable.”
Lemmy didn’t give up
As the drummer of Motörhead, Mikkey Dee concedes that Motörhead wrapped up its career in the best possible way.
”It feels fantastic that we were able to complete the tour with him. It’s heartening that we didn’t cancel because of Lemmy,” he says.
”I’m incredibly grateful over the years we had, and that we had such a good time together,” he adds.
Premium
Premium
Premium