Motorhead men join Saxon for Lemmy tribute

Lemmy Kilmister
Lemmy Kilmister (Image credit: Getty)

Motorhead men Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee will join Saxon for a Lemmy tribute concert after a motor race in Sweden in September.

The final of this year’s V8 Thunder Cars series has been renamed the Lemmy 500 in honour of the Motorhead mainman, who died in December.

After the night race at Ljungbyhed on September 24, Saxon will perform a full-length show with guest appearances from guitarist Campbell and drummer Dee.

Frontman Biff Byford says: “This event is something unique – we’ve never before played a concert at a race track on a race day. It will also be a chance to pay tribute to our friend Lemmy, along with Mikkey and Phil.”

Dee comments: “This is going to be a night to remember. Playing some of Motorhead’s greatest hits together with Saxon is going to be a great tribute. The Lemmy 500 will go down in history as the rockiest race championship final ever.”

Championship contender Alexander Graff predicts the event will be “one hell of a final,” adding: “There will be no other race more prestigious to win than the Lemmy 500 in Sweden.”

Last month Dee – who’d previously confirmed Motorhead’s career was over – vowed he and Campbell would stage a proper memorial for their late bandmate, but that they wanted to wait until the time was right. He said: “The fans have been eating hamburgers for 40 years, so maybe you don’t want to have hamburger the first year after Lemmy’s death. Some time has to pass until people say, ‘Fuck, I’d really like to hear some cool Motorhead songs live on stage again.’”

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.