Lemmy was known for his distinctive playing style and appearance.
Ian Fraser Kilmister -LRB- 24 December 1945 -- 28 December 2015 -RRB- , better known as Lemmy , was an English musician , singer , and songwriter who founded and fronted the rock band Motorhead .. Motorhead. Motorhead. His music was one of the foundations of the heavy metal genre .. heavy metal. Heavy metal music. He was known for his appearance -LRB- including his friendly mutton chops -RRB- , his distinctive gravelly voice and distinctive bass playing style .. friendly mutton chops. sideburns. Alongside his music career , he also had many minor roles in film and television .. Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent and grew up in North Wales .. Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke-on-Trent. North Wales. North Wales. He was influenced by rock and roll and the early Beatles , which led to him playing in several rock groups in the 1960s , including the Rockin ' Vickers .. rock and roll. rock and roll. Beatles. the Beatles. He worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and the Nice , before joining the space rock band Hawkwind in 1971 , singing lead on their hit `` Silver Machine '' .. Hawkwind. Hawkwind. roadie. Road crew. Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix. the Nice. the Nice. space rock. space rock. Silver Machine. Silver Machine. After being fired from Hawkwind for drug possession , he founded Motorhead as lead singer , bassist , songwriter and frontman .. Motorhead. Motorhead. Hawkwind. Hawkwind. drug possession. drug possession. Motorhead 's success peaked in 1980 and 1981 and included the hit single `` Ace of Spades '' and the top charting live album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith .. Motorhead. Motorhead. Ace of Spades. Ace of Spades ( song ). No Sleep 'til Hammersmith. No Sleep 'til Hammersmith. Lemmy continued to record and tour regularly with Motorhead until his death in December 2015 in Los Angeles , where he had lived since 1990 .. Los Angeles. Los Angeles. Motorhead. Motorhead. Aside from his musical activities , Lemmy was well known for his hard-living lifestyle , chain smoking , and regular consumption of alcohol -LRB- notably Jack Daniel 's -RRB- and amphetamines .. chain smoking. chain smoking. alcohol. alcoholic beverage