While the rock world will never forget the legendary Lemmy Kilmister, late December is an especially poignant time to commemorate his legacy. December 24th marks what would have been the late Motörhead frontman’s birthday, while December 28th marks the anniversary of the passing of one of rock’s all-time great icons.
Few rockers were as instantly memorable and recognizable as Lemmy. Whether it be his lifestyle (pushing life to the max via his party-hearty ways), his looks (long hair, facial hair, and signature facial moles), or his music (penning dozens of headbanging classics that have influenced countless other artists, and have only improved with age), there will never be another gentleman like Ian Fraser Kilmister.
So, what better way to celebrate the life of the late, great Lemmy than with a carefully constructed list of 10 times he was the coolest man on Earth?
10. Crashing Through a Wall
For decades, Lemmy was unquestionably one of rock’s top “biker/tough guys.” And this image was on display throughout the video for the tune “Killed By Death” – including the opening scene, where Lemmy crashes through a wall while a top a chopper! OK, OK, it probably wasn’t really Lemmy (but rather, a stuntman), but since this has never been confirmed nor denied…let’s just go with it.
09. Wearing Short Shorts
In sizzling weather, Lemmy wasn’t afraid to sport a pair of “Daisy Dukes” denim short shorts. Thankfully, we have this video footage of Anthrax’s Scott Ian analyzing what he initially thought was a fashion faux pas … before the man himself offered a very sensible explanation.
08. Singing Rockabilly
Although best known for offering up some of heavy metal’s all-time great tunes, Lemmy was a big-time fan of old time rock n’ roll. And beginning in the late ‘90s, he sometimes filled his downtime fronting the rockabilly trio, the Head Cat, which also featured none other than Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom in its ranks.
