Motörhead’s Lemmy Dies From Cancer At 70

Rock star Lemmy of Motörhead has died at the age of 70. Details on his death are minimal and the news was first broke by radio personality, Eddie Trunk.

Motörhead has also confirmed the death on their Facebook with the following post:

“There is no easy way to say this… our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made it’s way down the street, with his family.”

Lemmy’s health has been steadily going downhill the past few years. In 2013, Lemmy underwent surgery for an implantable defibrillator placed in his chest. The band has also had to cancel shows due to Lemmy’s exhaustion while suffering with haematoma.

Celebrities have also taken to Twitter to pay their respect for the fallen rock star. Ozzy Osbourne tweeted, “Lost one of my best friends, Lemmy, today. He will be sadly missed. He was a warrior and a legend. I will see you on the other side.” Dave Navvaro posted a photo of Lemmy and captioned it with “Peace and love to Lemmy and family!” with the hashtag #RIPLemmy. 

Lemmy, whose real name was Ian Fraser Kilmister, was the founding member and lead singer of British metal rock band, Motörhead in 1975. The band released 23 studio albums and is best known for their 1980 single, “Ace of Spades.”

Motörhead’s highest rated album was their live album, No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith, which hit number one on the UK charts. This number one spot proved their ability to rock the face and ears off their listeners.

Lemmy was born on Christmas Eve in Burslem, Staffordshire, in 1945. He started his musical journey in the 60s with several different rock bands and different jobs, including a roadie for Jimi Hendrix. Lemmy also published an autobiography, White Line Fever.

Motörhead is known for their loud and aggressive sound. Lemmy’s signature growl and bass lines captivated audiences to turn their stereo as loud as it could go. The band is a pivotal part of rock music history. 

Before his death, the band had a tour scheduled for the UK and France for early 2016.

Earlier this year, he told the Guardian, “I didn’t really want to be in the lifestyle without the music. And I didn’t want to be in the music without the lifestyle.”

PHOTO: GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND – JUNE 26: Lemmy from Motorhead performs on The Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2015 in Glastonbury, England. Now its 45th year the festival is one largest music festivals in the world and this year features headline acts Florence and the Machine, Kanye West and The Who. The Festival, which Michael Eavis started in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just £1, now attracts more than 175,000 people. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)