There was, simply put, no one quite like Lemmy. The frontman of Motörhead was a hard-living icon, combining a rough and ready lifestyle with a deep and abiding love of music. His voice, style, and songs have been often imitated but never, ever duplicated. And on December 28, four days after his 70th birthday and two days after being diagnosed with cancer, Lemmy passed away. The world has lost a rock legend. See how his famous friends and fans are remembering the Motorhead frontman who changed the face of rock music.

Metallica

The heavy-metal band owes so much to Lemmy, and they made sure the world knew about it when they paid tribute to the man that inspired them. But unlike most of us who only get to admire our heroes from afar, Metallica actually got to perform with Lemmy. That certainly must have been a dream come true.

Andrew W.K.
 

The hard-rocking, hard-partying singer had a simple but beautiful statement to make about Lemmy. Andrew W.K. encourages partying, loving life, and celebrating the world at all times (even in the face of sad events). But this time, he asks his followers to party with a special person in mind.

Gene Simmons
 


The KISS frontman and rock legend in his own right shared a surprisingly sweet photo of himself and Lemmy, remembering happier days between the two music heavyweights. The two have a long and colorful history; Lemmy even covered some of KISS's biggest hits, proving that the theatrical tunes of the band could handle a harder heavy metal edge.

Edgar Wright

The director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz eagerly shared two fun stories on Twitter that highlighted not only Lemmy's quirky sense of humor, but his kindness to his fans. You didn't have to be a member of the music industry to be struck by Lemmy's genuine big-heartedness (or to rock out to his music).

Nikki Sixx


This rock and roll star is no stranger to hard living, wild times, or insane tunes. But what the Motley Crue member mourned most about his friend Lemmy was not the legend, but the man with whom he shared good times and conversations. That being said, when the two got together (along with some other metal luminaries to honor their friend and colleague Slash) they could rock like no one else.

Stephen Fry

It might seem a strange combination: the utterly proper and hilarious British comedian Stephen Fry swapping stories over a drink with the Ace of Spades himself. And yet these two pop culture icons got along like a house on fire (and if you haven't seen Lemmy's appearance on the classic show The Young Ones, you're absolutely missing out.

Ozzy Osbourne
 

Perhaps one of the most heartfelt tributes of all came from Black Sabbath frontman and metal star Ozzy Osbourne. The two had been close friends for nearly 40 years, through all the highlights and lowlights of their respective careers and personal lives. While the world lost a musical legend, Ozzy Osbourne lost something far more precious: a true friend.

Tags: lemmy motorhead Music heavy metal motorhead