Lemmy Kilmister: The Revolutionary Bassist Who Defined Motörhead’s Sound

Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister’s approach to the bass guitar fundamentally changed how the instrument could be played in heavy music. His aggressive tone, unorthodox technique, and refusal to conform to conventional bass playing rules created a sonic foundation that made Motörhead one of the most influential bands in heavy metal and punk.

Far from being just the frontman of Motörhead, Lemmy’s bass playing represents a masterclass in how the instrument can be reimagined as a driving, dominant force rather than merely providing rhythmic support. His distinctive sound, characterized by heavily distorted Rickenbacker basses run through Marshall stacks, became as recognizable as his gravelly voice and iconic appearance. This comprehensive exploration examines Lemmy’s revolutionary bass techniques, his distinctive gear choices, and the lasting impact he’s had on generations of bass players across rock, metal, and punk genres.

The Evolution of a Bass Legend

Ian Fraser Kilmister was born on December 24, 1945, in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, and would later become known simply as “Lemmy.” His musical journey began not on bass but as a guitarist, playing in various bands throughout the 1960s. At age 16, Lemmy attended a performance by The Beatles at the Cavern Club, which proved influential in his musical development, particularly drawing inspiration from John Lennon’s sarcastic attitude. During the mid-1960s, Lemmy played guitar with bands including The Rainmakers, The Motown Sect, and later The Rockin’ Vickers, who even secured a contract with CBS and released three singles.

Lemmy’s transition to bass came unexpectedly when he joined the space-rock band Hawkwind in 1971. Despite having minimal experience as a bassist, he adapted quickly to the instrument, developing a unique approach that would later become his signature style. During this period with Hawkwind, Lemmy began experimenting with a more aggressive bass sound that would eventually evolve into the thunderous tone that defined Motörhead.

Leaving Hawkwind

After being dismissed from Hawkwind in 1975 following an arrest for drug possession on the Canadian border, Lemmy formed his own band, initially called “Bastard,” before changing the name to Motörhead. The band went through several lineup changes before settling on the classic trio formation with Eddie Clarke on guitar and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor on drums. This lineup would record some of Motörhead’s most iconic material, including their self-titled debut album released in 1977 and the landmark “Ace of Spades” in 1980.

Interestingly, the song “Motörhead” was originally written by Lemmy for Hawkwind before his departure, but it became the namesake track for his new band and helped establish them as a group that both punk and metal fans could embrace. From 1975 until his death on December 28, 2015, Lemmy remained the one constant member of Motörhead, serving as the band’s bassist, vocalist, primary songwriter, and unmistakable identity.

Lemmy’s Revolutionary Bass Technique

What set Lemmy apart from virtually every other bassist was his approach to the instrument as if it were a rhythm guitar. This fundamental difference formed the backbone of Motörhead’s distinctive sound and changed how bassists could approach their role in rock and metal bands. “My technique was based on guitar,” Lemmy once explained. “I found out about drone strings, where you let the A or the D string ring and play the melody on the G. It falls in very well behind the guitar.”

Power Chords

One of the most striking aspects of Lemmy’s playing was his extensive use of power chords, simple chords consisting of the root note and the fifth, sometimes with octaves of those notes. While power chords are common among guitarists, they’re rarely employed by bassists due to how muddy they can sound in the lower register. However, Lemmy frequently used power chords, particularly on the higher portions of the neck where they sound brighter and more distinct. This technique gave Motörhead’s music a uniquely aggressive edge and contributed to the wall of sound that was their trademark.

Open strings featured prominently in Lemmy’s playing style. He frequently added the higher octave of the root note to main riffs, effectively doubling the sound and creating that unmistakable Motörhead feeling. This technique led Lemmy to favor writing songs in the keys of E, A, and D, which allowed him to take full advantage of the open strings on the bass guitar. This strategic approach demonstrates how Lemmy’s distinctive sound didn’t just happen by accident but was carefully cultivated through specific compositional choices.

Lemmy liked staying Busy and Constant

Unlike many bassists who adhere to the “less is more” philosophy or focus on providing a subtle foundation, Lemmy took the opposite approach. His playing was deliberately busy and constant, more akin to rhythm guitar playing than traditional bass. He also rejected conventional wisdom about rhythm section roles, often following the hi-hat patterns rather than locking in with the bass drum as most bassists would. This created a unique rhythmic tension in Motörhead’s music, with Lemmy’s bass lines driving the songs forward with relentless energy.

Lemmy’s picking technique was equally distinctive. He used a pick, specifically Dunlop 1.14 nylon picks, which contributed significantly to his aggressive attack on the strings. He positioned his picking hand close to the neck where the strings are softer, making it easier to execute his power chords and rapid-fire playing. This positioning choice facilitated his unique style and helped him achieve his characteristic tone. When soloing, Lemmy typically stuck to pentatonic and blues scales, keeping his melodic approach straightforward yet effective.

The Gear Behind Lemmy’s Legendary Sound

Lemmy’s bass rig was relatively simple compared to many modern setups, yet it produced one of the most recognizable sounds in rock history. The foundation of his sound came from his beloved Rickenbacker basses, primarily the 4001 and 4003 models. These instruments were perfect for his aggressive style, offering a bright, cutting tone that could slice through even the heaviest guitar distortion. Rickenbacker eventually honored him with a signature model, the 4004LK. In some of his instruments, Lemmy replaced the stock pickups with Gibson Thunderbird pickups in the neck position, further customizing his sound.

The Amplifier

The other essential component of Lemmy’s sound was his amplification. He favored hot-rodded Marshall JMP Superbass II amplifiers from the late 1960s and early 1970s, running them through Marshall 4×12 speaker cabinets and a custom 4×15 cabinet. This setup produced massive volume and distortion without relying on effects pedals, Lemmy plugged straight into his amps, keeping his signal chain remarkably clean despite his dirty tone. In recognition of his iconic sound, Marshall released the “1992LEM” in 2008, a signature series copy of his 1992 100 Watt Super Bass Unit nicknamed “Murder One.”

Perhaps most surprising about Lemmy’s tone was his unusual amp settings. Rather than boosting the bass frequencies as one might expect from a bassist, Lemmy turned the bass control off completely. He also turned the treble off, ran the middle control at full, set the presence at approximately three o’clock, and the volume at around two o’clock on both of his Marshall stacks. These unconventional settings contributed to his distinctive midrange-heavy sound that cut through the mix like a chainsaw.

Demonstrating his distinctive approach in a one-minute video, Lemmy once showcased the difference between conventional bass playing and his style: “The basic difference is, most bass players sound like this,” before contrasting it with his own aggressive tone, adding, “Whereas I sound quite different.” This understated comment perfectly encapsulated his revolutionary approach to the instrument.

Iconic Basslines: The Heart of Motörhead’s Sound

Among Lemmy’s vast catalog with Motörhead, certain basslines stand out as particularly exemplary of his unique style and approach. “Ace of Spades,” Motörhead’s most successful song, features one of rock’s most recognizable bass intros. The track was built around Phil Taylor’s ferocious double kick drum pattern, but it’s Lemmy’s driving bassline that gives the song its unstoppable momentum. Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan noted, “Lemmy’s bass playing was just so insane and his tone so huge that you can’t talk about distorted bass without mentioning this track”.

Interestingly, Lemmy himself downplayed the song’s significance, telling Mojo magazine in 2011: “Ace of Spades is unbeatable, apparently. It’s not the best song we ever did by any means, but it’s the one everybody knows”. Nevertheless, the isolated bassline reveals the power and precision of Lemmy’s playing, demonstrating how his approach functioned as both rhythmic foundation and melodic force.

The song “Motörhead” itself contains another of Lemmy’s finest basslines. Originally written for Hawkwind before they fired him, the track was re-recorded and released on Motörhead’s 1977 debut album5. The bassline exemplifies his heavy metal approach, helping the band become known as one that both punk and metal fans could embrace. The aggressive, driving quality of Lemmy’s playing on this track represents heavy metal bass perfection.

“Stay Clean” from the 1979 album “Overkill” stands out for featuring one of Lemmy’s most accomplished bass solos. The track showcases his ability to step forward from his rhythmic role and deliver melodic bass work that remains faithful to his aggressive style while demonstrating his often-overlooked musicality.

Recreating the Lemmy Sound

For bassists looking to channel Lemmy’s distinctive sound, understanding both his technique and equipment is essential. The foundation begins with the right instrument, ideally a Rickenbacker bass, though any bass with bright, cutting pickups can work as a starting point. The next crucial element is a high-gain amplifier with strong midrange capabilities, preferably a tube-driven head like a Marshall bass amp running through 4×12 cabinets for maximum punch and presence.

Regarding amplifier settings, conventional wisdom about bass tone should be abandoned. Following Lemmy’s approach means cutting both bass and treble frequencies while maximizing the midrange. This unconventional EQ profile creates the aggressive, guitar-like tone that defined his sound. Using a pick, specifically a heavy one similar to Lemmy’s preferred Dunlop 1.14mm nylons, is non-negotiable for accurately recreating his attack and articulation.

Lemmy’s Technique

Technique-wise, bassists should focus on playing with aggressive downstrokes, incorporating power chords (particularly on the higher strings), and using open strings liberally to create that characteristic Motörhead rumble. The picking hand should stay closer to the neck than usual, which helps facilitate the power chord technique and produces a slightly softer string response that still maintains aggression when played with force.

For those unable to invest in vintage Rickenbackers and Marshall stacks, modern alternatives exist. Several bass distortion pedals can approximate Lemmy’s sound when paired with a midrange-focused EQ pedal. In 2021, Softube released a plugin emulation of Lemmy’s signature Marshall stack designed in collaboration with Cameron Webb, Motörhead’s Grammy-winning producer. This digital option provides an accessible way to experiment with Lemmy’s tone without the massive investment in vintage gear.

Webb noted during the development of this plugin: “To get his tone, we wanted to make sure we were using his basses and his amplifiers to dial this stuff in. Lemmy loved the way the open A string sounded whenever he played, and part of that was the way it went into the Marshall. It had the perfect tone.” This attention to detail highlights how specific and intentional Lemmy’s sound was, despite its apparent simplicity.

The Philosophy Behind the Playing

Lemmy’s approach to bass playing reflected his larger philosophy about music and life. He famously broke rules not out of ignorance but out of a deliberate desire to forge his own path. As noted in the “Bass Habits” video (see above), Lemmy “didn’t give a [damn] about anything” and “broke all the rules bass players should follow,” yet he remains “remembered as one of the most influential bass players in rock music.”

His technique wasn’t born from formal training but evolved naturally from his background as a guitarist and his desire to create the heaviest sound possible. He didn’t try to fit into conventional bass player roles but instead created his own paradigm. Lemmy’s bass playing demonstrated that a good work ethic could compensate for what some might consider technical limitations, and that attitude and uniqueness often matter more than virtuosity.

Guitarist Eddie Clarke once commented on the challenges of playing alongside Lemmy’s unique bass approach: “There was no bottom end! Especially in those days, a bottom end on the bass guitar was how it was played. Well, we didn’t have any. So that made life very, very tricky.” This observation highlights how revolutionary Lemmy’s approach was—deliberately abandoning the traditional role of the bass guitar as a bottom-end instrument in favor of a more aggressive, midrange-focused sound that functioned almost as a second rhythm guitar.

This unconventional approach forced the entire band to adapt, creating Motörhead’s distinctive wall of sound where traditional roles blurred. The band eventually perfected this approach on “Ace of Spades” under producer Vic Maile’s guidance. The result was a sound that influenced countless metal, punk, and rock bands that followed, demonstrating that breaking established rules can lead to genuine innovation.