MOTORHEAD'S LEMMY - OBIT
Heavy metal icon and Motörhead frontman Ian Fraser "Lemmy" Kilmister died from cancer on Monday (Dec. 28), the band's management has confirmed. He was 70. Since founding Motörhead in 1975, Kilmister was the band's sole constant member, known for his powerful bass playing, gravelly vocals, his massive mutton chops and seemingly indestructible constitution, which somehow weathered more than 50 years of hard living, hard touring, cigarettes, alcohol and amphetamines.
The band's longtime manager Todd Singerman praised Kilmister for mustering the energy to finish the Motörhead's recent European tour, saying his passing has caught them all by surprise. He said that neither Kilmister nor anyone on his team knew the rock star had cancer until just a few days ago.
Kilmister's health issues caused Motörhead to cancel or cut short several shows on the band's fall U.S. tour, citing "altitude issues" at the time. Kilmister was a diabetic and in 2013 suffered a hematoma.
Kilmister was famously gruff, quick with his fists and did not suffer fools gladly, but for every story of his badassedness, there were others of him taking the time to sign autographs, make sure his opening acts got decent time for their sets, or giving thoughtful interviews to young rock writers (including this one, several times, many years ago).
"There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer," Motörhead said in astatement posted to Facebook. "He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from The Rainbow which had recently made its way down the street, with his family."
The post continued, "We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words.... We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please…play Motörhead loud, play Hawkwind loud, play Lemmy’s music LOUD."
(Billboard)
---
BIG DAVE MCCLEAN/KEN HAMM
Legendary Blues artists Big Dave McLean and Ken Hamm will bring their most recent tour to the Watson Art Centre's Old Fire Hall on Friday, February 5th.
Ken Hamm is one of Canada's foremost interpreters of traditional roots and blues music. Since 1978, when he began touring solo, Hamm has won a wide following for his stellar guitar work, as well as for his original songs that reflect his rural westcoast life. Along the way Hamm was awarded a Juno for Best Roots & Traditional CD and has been nominated for Recording of the Year and nominated several times for Best Acoustic Act of the Year by the Toronto Blues Society. Hamm was also nominated three years running as Best Acoustic Blues Guitarist by North America's "Guitar Player" magazine and he was the Canadian representative to the Festival of Plucked Strings in Morocco.
A masterful guitarist and top notch harpist, Big Dave McLean’s raw and gravelly vocals bespeak of a life lived to the fullest, and a career spent performing in and around those countless small towns that dot the Canadian prairies. When it comes to the blues, however, McLean’s heart firmly beats to the ghosts of the delta greats--especially the incomparable Muddy Waters, with whom he toured over two decades ago.
Tickets are $26 and should be available soon from the Watson Art Centre. For more info or to charge by phone call the WAC at 204.638.6231.
---
Jonathon Byrd/Corin Raymond Tour Hits Dauphin April 8th
Winnipeg born singer-songwriter Corin Raymond, well known for his Canadian Tire Money fundraising is touring this spring in support of his forthcoming disc, "Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams".
Also on the bill will be North Carolina native Jonathon Byrd. In 2014, Byrd released You Can't Outrun The Radio, a collection of songs inspired by an impromptu song circle in 2009 at the Green Room in Montreal.
Tickets for the WACPAC double bill on April 8th will be available soon from the Watson Art Centre, Dauphin Music & Electronics and the Dauphin Coffee Company (in the mall). You can charge by phone at 204.638.6231.