Joe GallopDHP Family’s Bloodstock Open Air (cap. 20,000) is to permanently memorialise the late Lemmy Kilmister of rock band Motörhead by housing some of the musician’s ashes at the heavy metal festival.
Bloodstock, by arrangement with Motörhead management, will become one of only a few places globally to house some of Kilmister’s ashes, with the festival commissioning a bust of Kilmister to incorporate the ashes.
Once the festival is over in August, the bust will move to Nottingham’s 2,000-capacity live music venue Rock City, also run by DHP Family. The venue has hosted 10 Motorhead shows spanning more than four decades from 1987 to 2006.
The Lemmy bust will return every year to its primary home at Bloodstock at Catton Park. Fans will be able to view the installation in the RAM Gallery on-site.
Bloodstock festival director Vicky Hungerford said, “We were humbled and honoured to be approached by Motörhead management to have Lemmy’s ashes at Bloodstock. Lemmy holds a very special place in everybody’s heart, but to myself and my husband he was the reason we met and fell in love. Nothing will mean more to us and the Bloodstock family than to honour his legacy and have Lemmy forever at Bloodstock.“
The memorial will be part of a wider theme for the festival this year to celebrate the legacy of Kilmister and Motörhead. The RAM Gallery on site will be extended this year to accommodate an expanded Motörhead theme, including a full wall of Motörhead artwork and archive memorabilia.
Bloodstock will also welcome Motörhead’s Phil Campbell to the festival, which takes place from 8-11 August.