Motorhead Frontman 'Lemmy' Kilmister Dies At 70
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LOS ANGELES (CBSMiami/AP) — Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, the Motorhead frontman whose outsized persona made him a hero for generations of hard-rockers and metal-heads, has died at age 70.
Kilmister died after a "short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer," the band said on its official Facebook page on Monday.
Agent Andrew Goodfriend confirmed the news to The Associated Press.
Known simply as "Lemmy" to most, he was as famous for his mustache, mutton chops and the mole on his face as his music.
But he was deeply respected and revered as a rock master and innovator, from his time with the seminal psychedelic band Hawkwind in the early 1970s to his four decades in Motorhead, best known for their 1980 anthem "Ace of Spades."
Almost immediately tributes began pouring in on social media.
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.
— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) December 29, 2015
Lemmy RIP….@myMotorhead my condolences to his family..
— Billy Idol (@BillyIdol) December 29, 2015
#RIPLemmy A true rocker from beginning to end. We'll all see you there, soon enough. pic.twitter.com/80wflIsTEf
— Joe Perry (@JoePerry) December 29, 2015
Motorhead is a British metal band known for helping create the "speed metal" genre.
Each of the band's legendary live shows would begin with Kilmister's loud announcement: "We are Motorhead! We play rock and roll!"
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