Rock n' roll and hard rock legend Ian Kilmister, leader of the band Motörhead, died on Monday at the age of 70. A lot of his fans were surprised at the news of his death especially since he died on the same date with another rock legend John 'Brad' Bradbury of The Specials.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the "snarling but affable, hard-living bassist and singer" was most noted with his personality mismatched with his living. Brian May from Queen said, "He was a living mismatch of personality types. His music was roaring, abrasive, uncompromising and his lyrics mostly deliberately gave no hint of sensitivity."
The same source also added that the rockstar was iconic with his lifestyle "fuelled with alcohol and chemicals or content to sit for house at the bar at the Rainbow in Los Angeles playing a videogame."
But even with his undeniable bad habits, his music was considered inspiration to the younger generations, especially on hard rock music. His friends and family including his fans find it hard when they learned that the rockstar has died.
According to The Guardian, former band drummer Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor also died this year. So, it sounded that the only band member survivor Eddie Clarke shared his thoughts on Facebook, "I have just been told that Lemmy has passed away in LA. Like Phil, he was like a brother to me. I was devastated. We did so much together, the three of us."
He added, "The world seems a really empty place right now. I am having trouble finding the words ... He will live on in our hearts. RIP Lemmy!"
He was with Hawkwind with only three studio albums when he started, since he was terminated after being arrested for drug possession.
After his arrest, his unique bass skills were then recognized and his career began to shine. Later on, he became iconic musician because of his approach to the bass. The report described, "To drive the bankd from within, Mr. Kilminster explored the instrument's mid-range and used a double- and triple-stop technique that approximated chords without sacrificing forward motion."
He formed Motörhead in 1975 with a powerful trio, The Guardian reported. They were able to make 22 studio albums with shifting personnel. They were noted for heavy metal and punk.
The Wall Street Journal mentioned that the band inspired metal bands like Def Leppard, Iron Maden and Metallica. Ironically, these younger groups became more successful than the origin. However, they appreciated Ian Kilminster's work although he wasn't able to succeed with fame and fortune like they did.
Guns N Roses, Jane's Addiction, and Foo Fighters were also inspired by Ian Kilminster and Motörhead's works.
Due to a number of people were inspired by his works and contributions to the music industry, a lot of the bands from the younger generation gave a tribute to the legend.
The iconic Ian Kilminster died due to cancer on Monday, December 28, the same date when John Bradbury, another iconic musician, from The Specials died.