Lemmy Returns, Heavier Than Ever

Burslem gives its loudest son the eternal stage, complete with bass, grit, and ashes!

Hundreds of fans made the pilgrimage to Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, over the weekend to witness the unveiling of a long-awaited tribute to rock ‘n’ roll’s most iconic outlaw, Lemmy Kilmister.

Standing at an imposing 2.25 meters, the bronze statue now towering over Market Place was sculpted by artist and devoted Motörhead fan Andy Edwards. Capturing Lemmy in his prime, mid-snarl, bass in hand, and locked into a vocal barrage as he appeared at the legendary 1981 Heavy Metal Holocaust at Port Vale. The statue isn’t just a likeness. It holds a part of the man himself. Some of Lemmy’s ashes were embedded into the structure, escorted to the unveiling by a fleet of bikers in a fitting rock ‘n’ roll procession.

“Lemmy was one of us,” said Stoke-on-Trent Lord Mayor Lyn Sharpe during the unveiling. “He never forgot where he came from. Today, we proudly honour one of our own with this magnificent statue.” Sharpe admitted she'd never met the Motörhead frontman but added, “He liked a party, and I like a party and I think we’d have rubbed along just fine.”

Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell was on hand to pay his respects. Seeing the statue for the first time, he was visibly moved: “It looks fantastic. The stance, the gear, the attitude, it’s Lemmy through and through. It’s like watching him live again.” He added, “The turnout was overwhelming. The whole town came alive. Lemmy’s legacy deserves this, and now that some of his ashes are interred here, part of him will always remain.”

Lemmy’s ashes have become something of a pilgrimage for fans. Portions have been enshrined at the Rainbow Bar & Grill in Los Angeles, scattered at Wacken Open Air in Germany, and are held at Rock City in Nottingham and Stringfellows in London. Bloodstock Festival will also display a portion annually and several silver bullets were filled and given to his closest friends

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One local fan, called the statue “absolutely awesome.” “It’s unbelievable, it looks alive,” he said. “He’s really captured Lemmy. It’s brilliant. Worth the wait. I hope it draws people to Burslem.”

The statue stands as a monument to rebellion, resilience, and a life lived loud. Long live Lemmy.