Lemmy Kilmister
| Lemmy | |
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Lemmy performing in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ian Fraser Kilmister |
| Also known as |
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| Born |
24 December 1945 Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England |
| Died | 28 December 2015 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, United States |
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| Years active | 1965–2015 |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | imotorhead |
| Notable instruments | |
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Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy, was an English musician, singer, and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motörhead. His music was one of the foundations of the heavy metal genre. He was known for his appearance (including his friendly mutton chops), his distinctive gravelly voice and distinctive bass playing style. Alongside his music career, he also had many minor roles in film and television.
Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent and grew up in North Wales. He was influenced by rock and roll and the early Beatles, which led to him playing in several rock groups in the 1960s, including the Rockin' Vickers. He worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and the Nice, before joining the space rock band Hawkwind in 1971, singing lead on their hit "Silver Machine". After being fired from Hawkwind for drug possession, he founded Motörhead as lead singer, bassist, songwriter and frontman. Motörhead's success peaked in 1980 and 1981 and included the hit single "Ace of Spades" and the top charting live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith. Lemmy continued to record and tour regularly with Motörhead until his death in December 2015 in Los Angeles, where he had lived since 1990.
Aside from his musical activities, Lemmy was well known for his hard-living lifestyle, chain smoking, and regular consumption of alcohol (notably Jack Daniel's) and amphetamines. He was also noted for his collection of Nazi memorabilia and use of Nazi symbolism, although he said he did not support Nazi ideals and was a libertarian or anarchist.
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