Seven years ago - Motorhead pioneer Lemmy Kilmeister dies

the last two years of his life, Motorhead Frontline commander Lemmy Kelmister He had health problems. Yet the rock and roll legend, who apparently spent half his career with a tall glass of lightly flavored Jack Daniels with Coca-Cola in his hand, appears indestructible. To the end, he strived to live up to the role, performing a series of eardrum-burst concerts in Europe during the last month of his life, not knowing that his body was riddled with an aggressive form of cancer. And although he felt like he wasn't like that all along, he still plans to return to Europe in January to continue touring.

But just two weeks after he attended a star-studded party at Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles to celebrate his upcoming 70th birthday — which took place on December 3. 24. Kilmeister succumbed to his illness and died on December 4th. 28, 2015

Kelmister lived on the rocks and shook to live. He was the living, breathing embodiment of heavy metal, though he refused to embrace the term, claiming he was only performing an intense version of rock and roll in the tradition of his heroes - Little Richard, Chuck Berry and the Beatles. It's amazing that Kilmister was able to summon strength throughout 2015 to play shows and even record a full and final album, Bad magicwhich was released in August. 28, 2015, exactly four months before his death. The man was a natural songwriter and performer and his bravery was practically unparalleled. He even wrote and recorded his predecessor Bad magic2013 after shockwhen he was suffering from a serious heart disease and diabetes.

The title was a black humor alluding to an irregular heartbeat. He underwent surgery in 2013 and was given a miniature defibrillator that sent an electrical jolt to his heart when it detected an irregular heartbeat. Lemmy canceled some Motorhead shows when absolutely necessary, but persevered for most of them, even when he needed a stick to get from the backstage area to the stage.

Following his health concerns, Lemmy was ordered by doctors to adjust his lifestyle and he complied... somewhat. He quit smoking and replaced his craving with eating blueberries out of a carton, causing his body to retain fluid and Lemmy to gain weight. At first, the doctors were baffled, but when they figured out what was causing the weight gain, Lemmy dropped the berries and went back to cigarettes—albeit just one pack a week—down to two a day.

He also switched from a 40-year-old habit of drinking half a gallon of Jack Daniels a day to four to five glasses of vodka and orange juice a day. Two days after the giant 70th birthday party in his honor at the legendary Whiskey a Go Go - which he attended scale downAnd the Billy IdolAnd the Sebastian BachAnd the Lars UlrichAnd the Zak Wilde And Countless Other Celebrities - Lemmy suffered from chest pains and was treated at the hospital, but doctors discovered something was amiss.

Concerned by Lemmy's slurred speech, his longtime manager Todd Singerman asked doctors to perform a brain scan. Lemmy's management was concerned that he might suffer a stroke. Considering all the blood tests and other medical procedures Kilmister underwent, the CatScan results were shocking. Lemmy had cancerous tumors all over his brain and neck. Doctors determined the condition untreatable and expected him to live between two and six months.

Motorhead management prepared to issue a simple statement announcing that Lemmy was seriously ill and unable to tour. But the rocker asked his therapist to issue an honest press release, stating that he suffers from an aggressive form of cancer. Reportedly, Lemmy took the news in stride. He had cheated death many times in the past and had lived a hard and fast life that he never expected to stay for long.

The owner of Lemmy's favorite establishment, The Rainbow Bar & Grill, brought video slot machines to Kilmister's apartment and nurses were hired to take shifts and administer morphine as Lemmy's pain got worse.

Singerman and others began calling friends and family. Lemmy told his colleagues at Motorhead and everyone immediately planned a visit. Ozzy Osbourne It is said to be due to fall on the 29th or 30th.

in December. 28 Rainbow owner Mikael Maglieri came over while Lemmy had been playing his video game for hours. Then Kelmister fell asleep and died. In the days that followed, the music community mourned the loss of one of rock and roll's most iconic figures.

"I lost one of my good friends, Lemmy, today," Osbourne wrote on Twitter. “We will miss him dearly. He was a warrior and a legend. I'll see you on the other side.”

And she wrote on Twitter, "Lemmy: rest in peace." Gene Simmons. "Shaking the heavens, my friend."

Maybe anthrax guitar player Scott Ian Lemmy made a statement that he would agree with most. “He lived the dream life and came out on top. He was Motorhead and played ROCK & ROLL!!!”

Loudwire contributor Jon Wiederhorn is an author Raising Hell: Behind the Scenes Tales from the Lives of Metal LegendsCo-author of Louder than Hell: The Definitive Metallore Oral Historyas well as the co-author of the biography Scott Ian, I Am the Man: The Story of That Man from Anthraxal jourgensen biography, Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen The Agnostic Front book my riot! Grit, courage and glory.