Lemmy, founding member and frontman in the British heavy metal band Motörhead, has died at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer.

Motorhead announced on their Facebook page that Lemmy learned of the disease on the 26th December, and was at home when he died.

The band requested fans “play Lemmy’s music LOUD. Have a drink or few. Share stories. Celebrate the LIFE this lovely, wonderful man celebrated so vibrantly himself: “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 learned of the disease on 26 December, and was at home, sitting in front of his favourite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made it’s way down the street, with his family.”

“We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness; there aren’t words. 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.” “Ian ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister 1945 -2015  Born to lose, lived to win.”

Ozzy Osbourne paid this tribute on Twitter: “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.”

Lemmy had struggled with deteriorating health in recent years and accordingly somewhat wryly changed his lifestyle switching from Jack Daniels whiskey to vodka to aid his search for improved health. The Motorhead singer underwent surgery to have an implantable defibrillator placed in his chest in 2013, and has cancelled shows in recent years due to exhaustion and a haematoma. Motorhead had been scheduled to tour the UK and France in early 2016.

Lemmy was born in Burslem, Staffordshire, on Christmas Eve in 1945. His musical career began in the early 1960s and he was, for a time, a roadie for Jimi Hendrix. He played in several rock bands, including the Rockin’ Vickers, Sam Gopal and Hawkwind, before founding Motörhead.

Motörhead’s loud, fast style was a pioneering force in heavy metal. Lemmy’s signature growling, gravelly vocals and aggressive bass playing has been emulated by countless other bands, but the singer joked that he largely learned on the job, telling Spin in 2012 that “the volume’s loud so nobody really notices that much”.

The band’s highest-rating record was the live album No Sleep ’Til Hammersmith, which peaked at No1 on the UK album charts. Motörhead’s second and third albums, Overkill and Bomber, were probably the pinnacle in terms of studio albums ( both recorded in 1979 ) but Lemmy will be best remembered by the general public for the The Ace of Spades single, which reached No15 in the UK charts in 1980.

The Record Press author was a huge fan of Lemmy, so much so that I would place two of his songs in this Top 5 Best Heavy Rock Songs –

Top 5 Best Heavy Rock Songs

1) Black Sabbath – Paranoid ( 1970 )

2) Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love ( 1969 )

3) Motorhead – The Ace of Spades ( 1980 )

4) Hawkwind – Silver Machine ( 1972 )

5) Deep Purple – Smoke On the Water ( 1972 )

What are your favourite Lemmy songs and why? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

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