Bronze Lemmy Erection Approved by Hometown Council
To many, it’s instantly recognizable. Whether gazing upon it from afar or up-close-and-personal, those of us lucky enough to be there remember where they were when they first saw it. It was just so bombastic, heavy, and oftentimes left us sore the next day.
…Motörhead concerts and frontman Lemmy Kilmister were a sight to behold.
According to BBC News, Lemmy’s likeness will be on display standing tall and proud in his hometown of Burslem, England. The project was formally approved by the local council, giving the go-ahead for the construction of a nearly 7.5 foot (2.25m) bronze sculpture atop a nearly 10 foot (3m) plinth outside the town’s Market Place.
Thanks to the efforts of sculptor Andy Edwards and an ongoing crowdfunding effort, the statue will cost about $63,000 (£50,000) and will be made of Staffordshire clay. As for the plinth, it was originally going to be all black polished granite, but it will instead be sandstone to match the rest of the surrounding area. The plinth will also be designed to look like an overhanging stage, with the Motörhead logo and details about Lemmy fashioned on its face.
The approval came despite concerns from local police, who worried the erection would be a magnet for “good-natured but potentially incident generating attention.” Still, the police said they were fine with the project if some specs were changed to avoid any problems, that way everyone could have something to remember a “celebrated local son.”
Lemmy died on December 28, 2015 at 70 years old after he was diagnosed with cancer.
According to the GoFundMe description for the statue, the idea came about during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns.
“Mark Curran, commercial developer and owner of the Hard Days Night and Zimmerman’s bars in Stoke-on-Trent, began a search for a sculptor worthy of immortalising his hero Lemmy during the lockdown of 2020. He found internationally renowned artist Andy Edwards, sculptor of the world famous Liverpool Waterfront Beatles statue fame on his doorstep also in Stoke-on-Trent. With their combined focus in one direction, a prime site has been agreed in the centre of Lemmy’s home town Burslem directly in front of the iconic and historic Town Hall and its famed Gold Angel and enthusiastic cross party support from Stoke-on-Trent city Council given to the planning application.”
This will make yet another statue in honor of the late Lemmy. There’s one up at one of his favorite bars, the Rainbow Bar & Grill in Los Angeles. Additionally, a Lemmy statue was built at Hellfest in France back in 2016 and eventually replaced with a bigger one six years later in 2022.
And we’re sure it won’t be the last.
