Lemmy statue to be unveiled in hometown

A statue paying tribute to one of rock music's most enduring and flamboyant frontmen is due to be unveiled in his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent this week.

The memorial to Motörhead lead singer and bassist Lemmy, which has been given the backing of his estate and management company, will also mark 10 years since the musician's death at the age of 70 - and 50 since the band was formed.

Local sculptor Andy Edwards has been working on the statue for the past three years.

"It's probably the most meaningful statue that I'll ever do," he said.

Born Ian Fraser Kilmister in Burslem in 1945, Lemmy first found fame as a member of rock band Hawkwind.

Following his sacking after being arrested for drug possession, he became in 1975 a founding member of Motörhead, which he led for four decades until his death.

Mr Edwards, who has created sculptures of people including The Beatles, Bob Marley, Sir Alex Ferguson, Muhammed Ali and the Bee Gees, said Lemmy was his hero when he was growing up.

"Lemmy's such a big part of my life," he explained. "He deserves a statue in his birthplace. So it's really meaningful to me.

"It's really the pinnacle in a lot of ways."

His statue, funded by the Kilmister estate, is inspired by Lemmy's performance with Motörhead at the Heavy Metal Holocaust festival at Vale Park in 1981.

It depicts him striking an iconic pose, singing up towards the microphone.

Mr Edwards began by modelling it in clay, before a wax cast was made at Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Wales.

"It's made in, I think, 14 sections. And it's quite a feat to get it back to how I had it originally modelled in clay," he said. "But I've been working with these guys for 25 years now and I couldn't be more pleased."

The two-metre tall bronze figure will stand opposite the Queen's Theatre. A community interest group (CIC) with which Mr Edwards is working hopes to help reopen the site as a music venue and arts centre.