Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister, the charismatic frontman of heavy metal group Motörhead, has died of cancer, the band announced on Facebook. He was 70 years old.
“There is no easy way to say this…our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer,” the post reads.
The venerable singer and bassist celebrated his birthday Thursday; Lemmy found out about his cancer two days later, according to the Facebook post.
Lemmy was born Dec. 24, 1945 in Staffordshire, England.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com