Quick Facts
| Canonical Name | Lemmy |
| Born | December 24, 1945 |
| Birthplace | Burslem, City of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Occupations | rock musician, bass guitarist, singer, record producer, composer, guitarist |
| Instruments | bass guitar, voice, bass |
| Gender | male |
| Genres | rock music, heavy metal music, rock and roll, speed metal, hard rock, traditional heavy metal, space rock, awesome, bassist, heavy metal, killed by death, motörhead, rock, rock 'n' roll |
| Associated Acts | Motörhead, Hawkwind, Opal Butterfly, The Rockin' Vickers, The Head Cat, Sam Gopal |
| Active Years | Active since 1965 |
Identity and Aliases
Biography
Lemmy, born Ian Kilmister in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, was a British rock musician whose career stretched from 1965 to 2015. He was active as a bass guitarist, singer, guitarist, composer and record producer, and remained closely associated with Motörhead throughout much of his public life.
Before Motörhead, Lemmy's path included time with Hawkwind, The Rockin' Vickers, Sam Gopal and Opal Butterfly. Those associations placed him across a range of rock styles, from space rock and rock and roll to harder, faster forms of heavy metal.
His work is also linked to The Head Cat, Lemmy & the Upsetters, Headgirl and Motördamm, reflecting a career that moved between band projects and collaborations. MusicBrainz-listed releases and recordings associated with Lemmy include titles such as 'Born to Lose – Live to Win: The Best of Lemmy', 'Damage Case' and 'I've Got to Rock (to Stay Alive)'.
Career Timeline
Musical Roles
Lemmy worked as a bass guitarist, singer, guitarist, composer and record producer. His main instruments were bass guitar, bass and voice.
Bands and Projects
Releases and Appearances
MusicBrainz lists several release entries connected to Lemmy. These entries may include solo releases, guest appearances, live recordings, and catalogued metadata records.
MusicBrainz-listed Releases and Appearances
Recorded Performances & Appearances
MusicBrainz-listed recording entries connected to Lemmy include:
Musical Style and Instruments
Lemmy's work spans rock music, heavy metal music, rock and roll, speed metal, hard rock, traditional heavy metal and space rock. His musical identity is especially tied to bass-driven rock and a rough-edged vocal approach.
Genres
Instruments
Collaborations and Guest Relationships
External Identifiers & Authority Control
Lemmy is associated with profiles on MusicBrainz, Discogs and Spotify, and he also has listed identifiers on Wikidata, IMDb, VIAF, ISNI, GND and the Library of Congress.
Semantic Graph Data (Knowledge Graph)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who was Lemmy best known for working with?
A: He was best known for his work with Motörhead. That association sits at the center of his career.
Q: What was Lemmy's real name?
A: Lemmy was born Ian Kilmister.
Q: When was Lemmy born?
A: He was born on December 24, 1945.
Q: When did Lemmy die?
A: He died on December 28, 2015.
Q: Where was Lemmy born?
A: He was born in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in England.
Q: What instruments did Lemmy play?
A: He played bass guitar and bass, and he was also a vocalist.
Q: What genres is Lemmy associated with?
A: His work is associated with rock music, heavy metal music, rock and roll, speed metal, hard rock, traditional heavy metal and space rock.
Q: Which bands was Lemmy part of?
A: His band history includes Motörhead, Hawkwind, The Rockin' Vickers, Sam Gopal, Opal Butterfly and The Head Cat.
Q: Did Lemmy also work as a producer?
A: Yes. He is also listed as a record producer and composer.