Motorhead rocker Lemmy, who died in 2015, will be remembered with a statue containing his ashes set to be revealed in his hometown, to mark 10 years since his passing
A statue of Motörhead frontman Lemmy containing his ashes is set to be revealed in his hometown.
The legendary rocker died back in 2015 from various health issues including cancer and heart failure. Known for his epic rock and roll lifestyle, the Ace of Spades hitmaker died just days after turning 70.
Ian Kilmister, known to his beloved fans as Lemmy, will be honoured in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday (May 9) when a motorcade will travel to Burslem Market Hall for the unveiling. The special ceremony in honour of the Ace of Spades rocker marks 10 years since Lemmy passed away and 50 years of the rip-roaring heavy metal band after its founding in 1975.
The event will be attended by the band’s longest serving guitarist Phil Campbell, who said it will be “wonderful” for a statue of Lemmy to be put up in his hometown. Campbell is also entrusted with placing some of Lemmy’s ashes into the plinth on Friday.
“It’ll be solemn in a way,” he said. With enshrining his ashes, but also a celebration of the music and the fantastic character he was.
“Anything to do with Lem is significant and really special. He’s missed by many. He’s still in my dreams two or three times a week, getting on my case about something.”
The likeness of Lemmy is created from Staffordshire clay by master sculptor Andy Edwards, responsible for the famous Beatles statue that lines the River Mersey in Liverpool. Edwards said it took six weeks for the statue, cast in bronze, to come together after the project first began three years ago when he posted on social media his thoughts about the need for the tribute.
“I made a scale model that was found by various fan groups, and then Motörhead management got in touch,” he said. “They stepped in and said they’d support us. They gave us credibility.”
The statue portrays Lemmy with a Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar and strumming the opening chord to the 1979 Motörhead ‘Overkill’.
Motörhead shared the gut-wrenching update on Lemmy’s passing with fans back in 2015, stating: “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 favourite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made its way down the street, with his family. . We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.”
They signed off with a heartfelt message for the fans: “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.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
