Motörhead

Lemmy Kilmister formed Motörhead in London in 1975. The band’s first recordings were rejected by United Artists and shelved; they were released in 1979 as On Parole, after the band had found success. The band’s official debut, Motörhead, came out in 1977.

With guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor, Motörhead released Overkill and Bomber in 1979 and Ace of Spades in 1980. Studio albums followed steadily through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, from Iron Fist (1982) and Orgasmatron (1986) to 1916 (1991), Inferno (2004) and Motörizer (2008). Guitarist Phil Campbell joined in 1984, and Mikkey Dee became the drummer in 1992; the band continued as a trio of Kilmister, Campbell and Dee until the end.

In 2005 Motörhead won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their version of Metallica’s “Whiplash”. The Wörld Is Yours followed in 2010 and Aftershock in 2013.

Bad Magic, the band’s final studio album, was released by UDR on 28 August 2015, the year of the band’s 40th anniversary. It was produced by Cameron Webb, includes a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil”, and reached No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart.

Drummer Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor died in 2015. Lemmy Kilmister died on 28 December 2015. The next day Mikkey Dee said: “Motörhead is over, of course. Lemmy was Motörhead.” Phil Campbell, who had gone on to lead Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons with his sons, died on 13 March 2026 at the age of 64.

Last line-up: Lemmy Kilmister (vocals, bass), Phil Campbell (guitar), Mikkey Dee (drums)