Lemmy

Lemmy was the founder, lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter and only continuous member of the British rock band Motörhead. He was known for his appearance, which included his signature friendly mutton chops, his military-influenced fashion sense, and his gravelly rasp of a voice. He died on 28 December 2015 in Los Angeles, where he had lived since 1990.

About Lemmy in brief

Summary Lemmy Lemmy was the founder, lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter and only continuous member of the British rock band Motörhead. His music was one of the foundations of the heavy metal genre. He was known for his appearance, which included his signature friendly mutton chops, his military-influenced fashion sense, and his gravelly rasp of a voice. Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent and grew up between there, the nearby towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Madeley, and later the Welsh village of Benllech. Alongside his music career, he had minor roles and cameos in film and television. He died on 28 December 2015 in Los Angeles, where he had lived since 1990. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two days before his death. He is survived by his wife, two children, and two grandchildren. The band’s success peaked around 1980 and 1981, including the hit single ‘Ace of Spades’ and the chart-topping live album No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith. The group’s first album, Please Me, was released in 1970, and Lemmy later said of the group, ‘Brian Epstein cleaned them up for mass consumption, but they were from a hard, sea-farin’ town, all these dockers’.’ Lemmy also admired the sarcastic attitude of John Lennon and the Rolling Stones, particularly that of the college boys who were all ‘mummy’’, he said.

He later said that he did not know the origin of the name Lemmy, although some suggested it originated from the phrase ‘lemmy a quid ’til Friday’ because of his alleged habit of borrowing money from people to play slot machines. He also said that the name originated from his alleged ‘borrowing’ habit of playing slot machines, although he himself said he didn’t know how it came to be. He said: ‘I’m not sure if I’ve ever been called Lemmy in my life, but I think I have,’ adding that he had been called ‘the Lemmy of slot machines’ in the past. ‘‘’ ‘If you’re a gambler, and you want to make a living, then you have to play the slot machine, right?’ ‘’’ ‘’’ ‘You’ll have to learn to play it, Lemmy’.’ ’‘You have to be able to do it, because it’d be a lot of work,” he said, adding that it was ‘a lot of fun’%. ‘Lemmister’ was the name he used to refer to himself as a young man, and to his friends and family, and he would say ‘ Lemmister!’ When he was 16, he learned to play guitar.