Lemmy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lemmy Kilmister
|
|
|---|---|
Lemmy performing in 2005
|
|
| Born |
Ian Fraser Kilmister
24 December 1945 |
| Died | 28 December 2015 (aged 70) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park |
| Other names |
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1960–2015 |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres |
|
| Instruments |
|
Ian Fraser Kilmister (born December 24, 1945 – died December 28, 2015), known as Lemmy Kilmister or just Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, and bassist for the rock band Motörhead. He was the only member who stayed with the band from beginning to end. Before Motörhead, he was a member of Hawkwind from 1971 to 1975.
Lemmy was famous for his unique look, including his special sideburns. He also had a very recognizable, deep voice. People often said it was "one of the most recognisable voices in rock." He played the bass guitar in a special way, using his Rickenbacker bass to create a powerful, distorted sound. He often used loud amplifiers by Marshall.
Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. He grew up in different towns nearby and later in a village in Wales. He loved rock and roll music and was inspired by early bands like the Beatles. This led him to play in several rock groups in the 1960s. He even worked as a roadie for famous musicians like Jimi Hendrix. In 1971, he joined the space rock band Hawkwind and sang on their hit song "Silver Machine".
In 1975, Lemmy left Hawkwind and started Motörhead. The band became very successful around 1980 and 1981. Their hit song "Ace of Spades" and their live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith were very popular. Lemmy continued to make music and tour with Motörhead until he passed away on December 28, 2015. He had been living in Los Angeles since 1990. He also had small roles in movies and TV shows.
Contents
Early Life
Lemmy was born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, on December 24, 1945. When he was very young, his parents separated. He moved with his mother and grandmother to Newcastle-under-Lyme, then to Madeley. When Ian was 10, his mother married George L. Willis. They later moved to a farm in the Welsh village of Benllech.
He went to school in Amlwch, where he got the nickname "Lemmy." Some people think the name came from him asking to borrow money, but Lemmy himself said he didn't know where it came from. He soon became very interested in rock and roll music.
At school, Lemmy saw a student with a guitar who was surrounded by girls. His mother had a guitar, so he took it to school. He was also surrounded by girls, even though he couldn't play yet! By the time he finished school, his family had moved to Conwy. He worked different jobs, like at an electric appliance factory. He also played guitar for local bands. When he was 16, he saw the Beatles play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He then learned to play their first album on his guitar.
Music Career
Early Years (1960–1970)
In Stockport, Lemmy joined local bands like the Rainmakers and the Motown Sect. In 1965, he joined The Rockin' Vickers. This band signed a record deal and toured Europe. They were one of the first British bands to visit Yugoslavia.
In 1967, Lemmy moved to London. He shared a flat with Noel Redding, who was the bassist for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Lemmy got a job as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix's band. In 1968, he joined the psychedelic rock band Sam Gopal and recorded an album called Escalator. He later joined another band called Opal Butterfly, but they broke up quickly.
Hawkwind (1971–1975)
In August 1971, Lemmy joined the space rock band Hawkwind as a bassist and singer. He had never played bass before! He learned quickly and developed a special style. He often played chords on his bass, which was unusual for bass players. His bass playing was a big part of Hawkwind's sound. He also sang lead vocals on some songs, including their biggest hit, "Silver Machine", which reached #3 on the UK charts in 1972.
In May 1975, during a tour in North America, Lemmy was arrested at the Canadian border. He was released without charges. However, the band decided to fire him because they were worried about his behavior. Lemmy later said he liked being in Hawkwind and would have stayed if he hadn't been kicked out.
Motörhead (1975–2015)
.jpg)
After leaving Hawkwind, Lemmy started a new band. He named it "Motörhead" after the last song he wrote for Hawkwind. Soon, the band's lineup changed to include guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. This lineup became very successful.
Lemmy's rough singing voice was unique in rock music at the time. The band's sound appealed to fans of both rock and punk rock. Lemmy felt more connected to punk musicians than to heavy metal musicians. Motörhead's biggest success came in 1980 and 1981. They had several UK chart hits, including the famous single "Ace of Spades." Their live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith reached #1 in the UK. Motörhead became one of the most important bands in heavy metal.
Lemmy's final live performance with Motörhead was in Berlin, Germany, on December 11, 2015. This was part of the band's 40th Anniversary Tour.
Personal Life
Lemmy had two sons, Sean and Paul Inder. Paul Inder became a guitarist and sometimes played with his father on stage.
Lemmy lived in Los Angeles from 1990 until he passed away in 2015. His apartment was close to his favorite place, the Rainbow Bar and Grill.
Lemmy collected German military items. He had an Iron Cross on his bass guitar. This led to some people accusing him of having Nazi sympathies. However, he said he collected them because he liked how they looked. He also said he was an anarchist or libertarian. He spoke out against racism many times. He encouraged a young black musician to keep playing metal music, even though the teen's father didn't approve. Lemmy strongly spoke against Hitler and his ideas about race.
Lemmy said he was against religion, government, and established authority. In 2011, he said he was agnostic, meaning he wasn't sure if God existed. He said, "I can find out when I die. I can wait. I'm not in a hurry."
Health and Passing
In December 2000, Lemmy's tour was canceled because he was sick with the flu and a lung infection. In July 2005, he was hospitalized again due to dehydration and exhaustion. As he got older, he had diabetes and high blood pressure. In 2013, he had a heart device put in. His tour was canceled again in July 2013 due to a serious blood clot. Towards the end of his life, he sometimes needed a walking stick. In September 2015, he was hospitalized with a lung infection after having trouble breathing on stage.
On December 28, 2015, just four days after his 70th birthday, Lemmy passed away at his Los Angeles apartment. He died from prostate cancer, a heart rhythm problem, and heart failure. Motörhead announced his death on their Facebook page. The band said his cancer had only been found two days before he died.
Lemmy's doctor had told him he had only a few months to live. The owner of the Rainbow Bar and Grill, a place Lemmy loved, moved a video game machine from the bar to Lemmy's apartment so he could keep playing it.
Funeral and Tributes
Lemmy's memorial service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, on January 9, 2016. The service was streamed live online, and over 230,000 people watched. Others gathered at the Rainbow Bar and Grill. His body was cremated after the funeral. His ashes were placed in a special urn shaped like his famous hat, with the words "Born to lose, lived to win" on it. This urn was later buried at Forest Lawn.
In March 2021, it was shared that some of Lemmy's ashes were put into bullets and sent to his closest friends, as he had wished.
Many other rock stars shared tributes to Lemmy, including Rob Halford, Dave Grohl, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, and the band Metallica.
In February 2016, the Hollywood Vampires performed at the Grammy Award ceremony to honor Lemmy. In June, the Download Festival renamed its main stage the "Lemmy Stage." They also showed a video tribute to him. In November, Metallica released a song called "Murder One" in his honor. In 2017, Lemmy was added to the Hall of Heavy Metal History. An extinct crocodile relative was named Lemmysuchus after him. An asteroid was also named 243002 Lemmy in 2016.
Collaborations and Other Projects
Lemmy worked with many musicians outside of Motörhead. He wrote the song "R.A.M.O.N.E.S" for the band Ramones. He often played this song live to honor them. He also helped write songs for Ozzy Osbourne's 1991 album No More Tears, including "Hellraiser" and "Mama I'm Coming Home." Lemmy said he earned more money from the royalties of "Mama I'm Coming Home" than from all his time with Motörhead.
In 2005, Motörhead won their first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. They won for their cover of Metallica's song "Whiplash." In the same year, Lemmy started recording a solo album called Lemmy & Friends.
In 2014, he started his own record label, Motorhead Music. He wanted to help new bands like Barb Wire Dolls and Budderside.
Film and Television
Lemmy appeared in several movies and TV shows. He was in the 1990 science fiction film Hardware and the 1987 comedy Eat the Rich. Motörhead also made music for Eat the Rich. He appeared as himself in a TV show called The Comic Strip Presents... in 1986. In 1984, Motörhead was the musical guest on the TV show The Young Ones. He also had a small role in the 1994 comedy Airheads.
He appeared in several movies from Troma Entertainment, including Tromeo and Juliet (1996) as the narrator. His last movie role was playing the President of the United States in Return to Nuke 'Em High. He also appeared in a 2001 advertisement for Kit Kat candy bars. In 2015, Lemmy was a main character in the silent film Gutterdämmerung with other famous musicians.
Lemmy Film
A documentary film called Lemmy was released in 2010. It was made over three years and included interviews with many of his friends and fans. Some of the famous people in the film were Dave Grohl, Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, and members of Metallica.
In Video Games
Lemmy was the main character in the 1992 video game Motörhead. He also appeared as a character you could unlock in the 2009 game Guitar Hero: Metallica. He provided his voice for the character Kill Master in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend. The Mario character Lemmy Koopa was also inspired by him. In the game DOOM Eternal, a character says, "Lemmy is God!" as a fun reference.
Equipment
Lemmy placed his microphone very high up and angled it so he looked up at the sky when he sang. He said he did this for comfort and to avoid seeing the audience.
He mostly used Rickenbacker basses throughout his career. He liked their look. He used Marshall Amplification amplifiers, which are very powerful. In 2008, Marshall even made a special amplifier model dedicated to Lemmy.
Musical Style
Lemmy described his playing style as unique. He said, "I play a lot of notes, but I also play a lot of chords. And I play a lot of open strings. I just don't play like a bass player. It's not like having a bass player; it's like having a deep guitarist."
His unusual playing style changed how his bands sounded. Hawkwind drummer Simon King said that Lemmy could play a "lead on bass" because he was so energetic. Motörhead drummer Phil Taylor also said that Lemmy was "out on his own because he is what he is."
Discography
- For releases with Motörhead see the Motörhead discography
Member of the Rockin' Vickers
- 1965 – "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" / "Stella" (7" single)
- 1965 – "It's Alright" / "Stay By Me" (7" single)
- 1966 – "Dandy" / "I Don't Need Your Kind" (7" single)
Member of Sam Gopal
- 1969 – Escalator
Member of Hawkwind
- 1972 – "Silver Machine" / "Seven by Seven" (7" single)
- 1972 – Doremi Fasol Latido
- 1973 – "Urban Guerrilla" / "Brainbox Pollution" (7" single)
- 1973 – Space Ritual
- 1974 – Hall of the Mountain Grill
- 1975 – Warrior on the Edge of Time
Side Projects and Groups
- 2000 – Lemmy, Slim Jim & Danny B (aka the Head Cat) – Lemmy, Slim Jim & Danny B
- 2006 – The Head Cat – Fool's Paradise
- 2011 – The Head Cat – Walk The Walk… Talk The Talk
Band Collaborations
- 1979 – The Damned – "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" / "Ballroom Blitz" (with Lemmy on bass)
- 1981 – Headgirl (Motörhead & Girlschool) – St. Valentine's Day Massacre EP
- 1982 – Lemmy & Wendy O. Williams – Stand by Your Man EP
Guest Appearances
- 1989 – Nina Hagen – Nina Hagen – guests on "Where's the Party"
- 1994 – Fast Eddie Clarke – It Ain't Over till It's Over – guests on "Laugh at the Devil".
- 1997 – Ramones – We're Outta Here! – guests on "R.A.M.O.N.E.S."
- 2000 – Doro – Calling the Wild
- 2004 – Probot – Probot – guests on "Shake Your Blood"
- 2009 – Guitar Hero: Metallica (video game) – "Ace of Spades" guest vocalist
- 2009 – Brütal Legend (video game) – The Kill Master (voice)
- 2010 – Slash – Slash – "Doctor Alibi" (vocals and bass)
Film Soundtracks and Tributes
- 1994 – Airheads: Cameo on film and performing "Born to Raise Hell" on the soundtrack
- 1997 – Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen – performs on "Tie Your Mother Down"
- 2001 – WWF The Music, Vol. 5 – "The Game"
- 2004 – The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – performs "You Better Swim"
Videography
DVD
- 1987 Eat the Rich
- 1994 Airheads – cameo as "The Rocker"
- 1997 Tromeo and Juliet – cast as Narrator
- 2001 WrestleMania X-Seven – performing Triple-H's entrance theme "The Game" live
- 2005 Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
- 2010 Lemmy
See Also
In Spanish: Lemmy Kilmister para niños
