Lemmy Biography

Fast Facts

• Joined the psych-rock band Hawkwind in 1972 and sang on their hit single "Silver Machine" before being kicked out of the band for, as he described it, using "the wrong kind of drugs․"
• Founded Motörhead in 1975 and was the band's sole constant member until his death in 2015
• Performed with several bands in the early 1960s, including the Rainmakers and the Motown Sect, and worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix in 1967
• Quote: "I didn't really want to be in the lifestyle without the music․ And I didn't want to be in the music without the lifestyle․"
• Best known as the founder, frontman and bassist of the heavy metal band Motörhead, whose hit single "Ace of Spades" made them rock legends in the early 1980s
• Was influenced by the Beatles during his early years and once saw them play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool
• His song "No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith," a Motörhead hit that was a favorite at live shows, was the inspiration for the title of the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn․"