LOS ANGELES – Legendary Motörhead frontman and bassist Lemmy has died of cancer, his bandmates have announced. He was 70.
Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister, who was also a member and sometime vocalist of the band Hawkwind in the 1970s, found that he was suffering from “an extremely aggressive” form of cancer on December 26 — the day after Christmas. He died at home with his family.
Known for his hard-drinking, hard-living lifestyle as much as his distinctive, gravelly vocal style, Lemmy was the sole constant member of the seminal rock band, which formed in 1975 and spanned 40 years.
He is survived by bandmates Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee.
The band was hugely influential in the 1970s British rock scene and continued to shape the way hard rock and heavy metal was both played and appreciated worldwide.
Tributes flooded in from fans and fellow rock stars.
