Stoke-on-Trent’s “forever” link with rock star Lemmy will be marked on Friday 9 May, in the so-called Mother Town of The Potteries, Burslem.
At the same time Stoke-on-Trent celebrates 100 years of city status, rock giants Motörhead will hit the historic 50-year milestone in 2025.
Both anniversaries will be marked by their own line-ups of special events and will come together on 9 May (the day following International Motörhead Day) when a statue of Ian Fraser Kilmister (“Lemmy”) is unveiled in his birthplace of Burslem.
Local sculptor and huge Motörhead fan Andy Edwards has previously created statues of The Beatles, Bob Marley, The Bee Gees, Brian Clough and Peter Taylor at Derby County’s Pride Park and Sir Alex Ferguson at Aberdeen’s Pittodrie Stadium.
Crafted from Staffordshire clay, the statue will be cast in bronze. Depicting Lemmy at the height of his fame in the ‘80s playing one of his beloved Rickenbacker basses, the 2.2 metres tall statue will stand on an eight-foot plinth.
Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell will be there to mark the occasion.
An official statement from Motörhead added: “Phil Campbell will be there to mark the placement of Lem’s ashes in a magnificent statue created by local sculptor and huge Motörhead fan, Andy Edwards.
“We are delighted to see Lemmy Forever in his birthplace, and there are many more details to share in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye out for further updates”.
One of The Potteries’ most famous sons, Lemmy formed the British heavy metal band in 1975 and was singer and bassist with them until his death from cancer at the age of 70 in 2015.
Often said to have one of the most recognisable and iconic voices in rock, he went on to record more than 20 studio albums with the band, which is probably best known for the 1980 single Ace of Spades.
The statue unveiling comes during a year that Stoke-on-Trent marks 100 years of its city status. Commemorative events are set to be staged throughout 2025 in the city, which is also undergoing a multi-million-pound regeneration, culminating in a Centenary Celebration Weekend on 7 and 8 June (https://sot100.org.uk).
For more information on Stoke-on-Trent as a destination, see www.visitstoke.co.uk
Photo: ‘IRK Legacy’
