Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell has died at the age of 64 after “a long and courageous battle following complex surgery,” the family and the band announced in separate statements.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Philip Anthony Campbell,” Motörhead wrote on their social media, alongside a black-and-white photograph of the musician.
“Phil was a wonderful guitarist, songwriter, performer and musician who had Motörhead in his blood. He always stood out for his talent on guitar, but above all, for his heart. It was impossible to be near him without breaking into a smile, or twenty, because Phil simply loved life and lived it with great joy,” the London band added.
Campbell joined Motörhead in 1984 and remained with the band for 31 years until 2015, when the group disbanded following the death of vocalist Lemmy Kilmister. He subsequently formed his own band, Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons, with his three sons, with whom he continued touring for years. He recently played a sold-out concert in his hometown of Pontypridd in Wales.
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“The world has just lost an enormous ray of light and we are devastated,” Motörhead concluded in their statement.
Motörhead, founded in London in 1975, reached their peak in the early 1980s with albums including “Ace of Spades” and “No Sleep ’til Hammersmith” topping the British charts.
