There’s been a lot of talk about a big ol’ Lemmy erection standing hard and tall in the town square of Burslem, England in honor of the late Motörhead founder and frontman Lemmy Kilmister. It had to first be approved by the council, then it it had to be constructed, and now after all the hubbub and hooplah, it’s finally firmly up for fans to ogle in perpetuity.
The unveiling of the “Lemmy Forever” statue was help this past Friday at 4 p.m. at the town square in Burslem, Stoke on Trent, England. Fans from all over gathered to watch the moment happen, but in true Lemmy style, the last real rock and roll icon seemingly played one last trick on his fans, as the tarp or parachute covering the statue got stuck during the big reveal, forcing a worker to climb up Lemmy and uncover him manually.
One fan, who went by the name Nobby, told BBC Radio Stoke that he’d been following Motörhead since he was a teenager and that getting to see the statue’s unveiling was “absolutely awesome.”
“It’s unbelievable — it looks alive. Looking at it now, he really has captured Lemmy to a tee. It’s brilliant. It’s well worth the wait, well worth everything and I hope it brings people to Burslem to see it.”
The man behind the sculpture, local sculptor Andy Edwards, said he was thrilled to have added Lemmy to his repertoire of musician sculptures that includes The Beatles, Bob Marley, and the Bee Gees, among other figures.
“Of all the figures in music, there aren’t that many that have the unique stature that Lemmy does. He’s like an avatar of the purest spirit of rock and roll — he’s one of us. I think it’s right that it [the statue] has been made locally.”
So any time you’re in Burslem, be sure to check out Lemmy’s statue and celebrate his life and music.
