Lemmy Kilmister – the lead singer of the influential rock band Motörhead – has passed away at the age of 70.
Almost as well known for his reckless lifestyle as for his inimitable vocal stylings on metal classics such “Ace of Spades,” Kilmister succumbed to an undisclosed form of cancer less than 48 hours after being diagnosed.
The official Motörhead Twitter page broke the news to fans moments ago with the following statement:
“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.
We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.
We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please…play Motörhead loud, play Hawkwind loud, play Lemmy’s music LOUD. Have a drink or few. Share stories. Celebrate the LIFE this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself…HE WOULD WANT EXACTLY THAT.“
The news comes as fans continue to mourn the passing of the band’s drummer, Phil Taylor, who passed away last month.
In addition to his time with Motörhead, Kilmister was an early member of the UK space rock outfit Hawkwind.
Regarded by many as one of the great rock vocalists of all time, Kilmister continued to perform with Motörhead until the end of his life.
