“If you're going to be a rock star, go be one. People don't want to see the guy next door on stage, they want to see a being from another planet": Lemmy's life celebrated in new photo book

(Image credit: Rufus Publications)

A new book celebrating the life of Motörhead's late, legendary leader Lemmy goes on sale today, October 6.

Featuring an essay on the great man by Classic Rock's own Dave Ling, Portraits of Lemmy is a coffee table photobook tracing the career of one of rock’s most iconic figures from the early 70’s until his death in 2015 through a series of classic, rare and unseen photographs from Ross Halfin, Fin Costello, Chris Walter, Michael Putland, Mick Hutson, PG Brunelli and more.

The book is 230mm square, case-bound, 240 pages, printed on luxury 170gsm matt-coated paper. It's presented in a black slipcase with a gold foil logo, and comes with a fold out poster. The main edition comes in 666 numbered copies and sells for £55 plus shipping.

In addition to this, a much larger, ultra-limited Leather and Metal Edition measuring 375mm square and presented in recycled leather and a hand welded aluminium metal slipcase with a screen printed logo in a run of 50 numbered copies. This will sell for £500.

Portraits of Lemmy goes on sale today, October 6 at 3pm UK time, and will feature a 10% pre-order discount if ordered before October 31. The books will ship worldwide in December. Pre-order here.

See images from the book below:

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.