Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), commonly known by Lemmy, was a British musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He was best known as the bassist of the heavy metal band Motörhead.

Early years 
Lemmy was born in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. He went to school at Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones in Amlwch, Wales. At age 16 he attended a concert by The Beatles in the Cavern Club. Lemmy liked the sarcastic attitude of the Beatles, especially John Lennon. Around that time he began playing guitar in small local bands like The Sundowners.

In mid-1960, he played guitar in bands like The Rainmakers, then The Motown Sect, playing clubs in the north. In 1965, he joined the band The Rockin 'Vickers, and signed a contract with CBS. The band released three single albums and toured Europe. In 1967, he moved to London and got a job as a roadie on The Jimi Hendrix Experience. In 1968, he recorded an album titled Escalator with the band Sam Gopal. After that, Lemmy met Simon King in a shopping center in Chelsea and then joined the band Opal Butterfly for a short period.

Lemmy joined the Ladbroke Grove rock band Hawkwind as a bassist and vocalist. He gained experience as a bassist, because until then he had only worked as a guitarist. Lemmy was also lead vocals on several songs for the band.

Motörhead 
In 1975, Lemmy founded a new band called Bastard with guitarist Larry Wallis and Lucas Fox on drums. Later, Lemmy changed the name of the band to Motörhead. Wallis and Fox left the band and were replaced by the guitarist Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. This new formation would begin Motörhead's success in live performances. In 1977, the band recorded their first album, Motörhead, released 24 September 1977. The second album, titled Overkill, contained two songs that would become Motörhead classics: "Louie Louie" and "Overkill". The peak of the band was 1980 and 1981 with a series of chart hits in the UK, including the classic single "Ace of Spades", one of the biggest hits of the band. 

Motörhead's members changed throughout the band's career, but Lemmy remained on bass and vocals from their start 1975 until today.

Acting career 
Lemmy's career as an actor began by playing small roles in low-budget UK films Eat the Rich (1988) and Hardware (1990). His credits include Terror Firmer (1998), Frezno Smooth (1999), and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000).

Death 
On 28 December 2015, Lemmy died of prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure at his home in Los Angeles, California at the age of 70.

References

Other websites 

 Motörhead official website
 Lemmy: The Movie Official website
 
Interview with Lemmy Kilmister in REVOLUTIONART Magazine 22
 The Rockin' Vickers 
 Myspace profile for Lemmy's new band The Head Cat
 Lemmy interview with BIZARRE magazine 
 Gallery of Lemmy with Motorhead 
Lemmy Interview in SPIN
 Lemmy Interview  on the Jekyll and Hyde Show, 106FM Jerusalem

1945 births
2015 deaths
British bass guitarists
Cancer deaths in Los Angeles
Cardiovascular disease deaths in Los Angeles
Deaths from congestive heart failure
Deaths from cardiac arrhythmia
Deaths from prostate cancer
English rock guitarists
English singer-songwriters
Musicians from Staffordshire
People from Stoke-on-Trent