At the Bloodstock Festival, which will take place this weekend, fans will have the opportunity to pay respect to the late Lemmy Kilmister, the frontman of Motorhead, in front of his ashes. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to remember the star through an exhibition of memorabilia and images that have not been seen before.
“Lemmy would want to be remembered as a man of integrity and a true rock’n’roller,” says Phil Campbell, the star of Motorhead, referring to the renowned vocalist of the band. “He was a one-off.”
This coming weekend, fans will have the opportunity to commemorate Lemmy in this manner, as the late music hero will be permanently memorialized at Bloodstock, a metal festival in the United Kingdom. Some of his ashes will now be housed in a bust that was expressly commissioned for the festival.
Lemmy passed away in December 2015, at the age of seventy, just a few days after receiving a diagnosis of cancer and less than three weeks after performing on stage in Berlin for what was going to be the final gig for Motorhead.
Since then, his spirit has been preserved for his pals in bullets that contain sprinklings of his ashes. James Hetfield, the guitarist for Metallica, has enshrined an Ace of Spades tattoo on his right middle finger.
The bust is now being displayed alongside an exhibition of memorabilia, images that have not been seen before, and a replica of the singer’s dressing room at the Bloodstock Festival in Derbyshire. Furthermore, fans will have the opportunity to pay their respects in a manner that is reminiscent of Lemmy.
Campbell, who will be speaking at the event on Friday to pay respect, believes that it is “a great way” to commemorate his friend and “true pioneer,” who is considered to be one of the most iconic rock stars of all time with a stellar career.
“People will be able to go and share their thoughts with Lem or whatever they want to do,” he explained to reporters. Or yell and yell at him, or whatever else you want to do since he is playing too loud. I did so rather frequently.”
“He was one of those characters that you might not believe.”
Bloodstock is one of the few venues in the world that is able to house the ashes of the Motorhead icon, in addition to his Rainbow Bar & Grill, which is a popular establishment in West Hollywood.
Following the conclusion of the festival, they will be transported to Rock City, a concert venue located in Nottingham, by means of a Harley-Davidson escort. However, they will return next year in order to “keep flying the flag for the great guy that he was.”
Lemmy—whose real name was Ian Kilmister—founded the band Motorhead in the 1970s. Overkill, Iron Fist, and Ace of Spades were among the albums that Motorhead released, and the band went on to release more than 20 albums.
It was common knowledge that Lemmy was one of the rock stars who partied the hardest. Todd Singerman, the manager of the band, was quoted as saying, “I still always remember a great quote,” after the musician’s passing. “Lemmy from Motorhead makes Keith Richards from the Stones look like a Golden Girl.”
“One hell of a ride” is how Campbell, who joined the band in the middle of the 1980s to play guitar, recounts the experience. He stated that Lemmy “lived life his own way” during his entire life, but that he “cared a lot” about the fans and the music that he performed.
“When he formed Motorhead, he told me he basically just wanted to form an unforgettable rock’n’roll band,” Campbell stated in his interview. Therefore, I believe that he was successful in achieving his goal there.
Every day, I think about Lem and miss him. There is not a single day that goes by in which I do not think about him. For all intents and purposes, he is just one of those extraordinary characters. Both clever and caring, he possessed a great deal of empathy for other people. This is so funny. It’s not often that you come across people who are like that anymore. Therefore, it is wonderful that he is remembered, and it is certain that he will be remembered all over the world.
The ash bullet caused airport security to act in a panic.
It is also true that Campbell was one among the people who received the infamous Lemmy gunshots. “I used to wear it around my neck,” he adds in response. On the other hand, I had a difficult time passing through security at the airport a few weeks ago. When I presented them with the explanation of what it was, they did allow me to pass, although it took some time to convince them. It was necessary for me to go online and use the internet to demonstrate that it was a piece of jewelry and not a real bullet. As a result, I no longer carry that with me when I travel; however, it’s a wonderful thing.
A musician named Paul Gregory and his three children, Vicky Hungerford, Adam Gregory, and Rachael Greenfield, are the proprietors of the Bloodstock record label. Through Lemmy, Vicky was able to meet her husband Alan, who is currently also working on the festival. Lemmy was working for the music star as his personal assistant and security guard at the time. As is the case with Campbell, they additionally own ashes and bullets to commemorate him.
Alan said, “Lemmy was absolutely incredible.” “Every story you ever hear about him, no matter how fictitious it sounds, I can pretty much guarantee it’s true.”
The cap, the boots, and the chocolates from Milky Way
“I don’t think there’ll ever be another Lemmy,” stated Vicky in response. “There won’t be another, in my opinion, ultimate rock and roll star like Lem.”
Singerman referred to the couple as “basically family of Lemmy” when the details of the Bloodstock tribute were unveiled earlier this year. He also stated that the festival has always held a particular place in the singer’s heart.
The exhibition features a wide range of items, including his well-known hat and bass guitar, as well as personal items such as reading glasses and a jar of his favorite Milky Way chocolates. Additionally, there is a slot machine that he would bring with him to play while he was on the road, and there is a plaque that commemorates the tour that was scheduled to begin one month after his passing.
“Emotional” is the word that both Vicky and Alan used to describe the experience of looking back over the artifacts.
“I think a lot of people are going to find it a very emotional weekend,” said Vicky in response. “We want this to be the biggest celebration of Lemmy and Motorhead, especially in the UK, that anyone’s ever seen.”
“I love it because I looked after him in real life and now I get to look after him partly in the afterlife,” said Alan in response. “So I’m still stuck with him.”
The heavy metal event known as Bloodstock is taking place at Catton Park in Derbyshire from the 8th to the 11th of August. The festival’s headliners include Amon Amarth, Architechts, and Opeth.