Motörhead

Motörhead was born in London in 1975, under the command of Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, shortly after his departure from Hawkwind. With the distorted bass taking up the space of a rhythm guitar and Lemmy's harsh voice leading the way, the band blurred the lines between heavy metal, punk and rock and roll. The classic lineup with “Fast” Eddie Clarke and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor consolidated this identity on Overkill, Bomber and Ace of Spades, three albums that converted speed, volume and attitude into method. The live album No Sleep ’til Hammersmith captured Motörhead in their natural environment: stage, amplifiers on edge and no concern for civilized finishing. Constant line-up changes did not alter the group's axis, which found lasting stability with guitarist Phil Campbell and, later, drummer Mikkey Dee. Over the course of 22 studio albums, concluded by Bad Magic in 2015, the band preserved a recognizable sound without transforming consistency into bureaucratic repetition. Lemmy's death in December 2015 immediately ended Motörhead. There was no possible replacement because he was not just the vocalist or founder, but the point of convergence between sound, image and principles. The band's influence spans thrash, speed metal, hardcore and practically every form of heavy rock played at high speed. Lemmy insisted that Motörhead was a rock and roll band. It was correct. The rest of metal spent decades trying to keep up.