Lemmy Kilmister of Mötorhead may have been known for his hard drinking, but he'll be forever remembered in an ad for a different beverage. Milk.
Just weeks before he died at age 70 from cancer, he shot a TV ad for the Finnish dairy products company Valio. After the rocker's death, Valio ran some of Lemmy's unscripted, improvised material — which wasn't even part of the ad! — as a tribute to the heavy metal icon.
Because I may never get the chance to type this again, I'd just like to say that I partied with Lemmy when I was 15 or 16, and living on the street as a punk rock urchin. He was 100% Lemmy. Totally cool guy. The Ace of Spades.
From the Finnish dairy giant's YouTube:
This is offered in celebration of the life of a lovely, exceptional man – a man who celebrated life so vibrantly himself. We were first shooting a remake of an iconic Finnish milk ad. The tone of this ad that was shot a month ago was changed to make it a heartfelt tribute, however modest. A take that came late in the shoot was selected – one of Lemmy’s brilliant improv moments that was never in the script. This was our magical encounter with a great man – and we’re honoured to share it with the world.
Thank you, Lemmy.
Valion kunnianosoitus Lemmy Kilmisterille | Tribute video for Lemmy Kilmister by Valio, and more about the story behind the ad in the Guardian.
Lemmy died at home in Los Angeles just four days after his 70th birthday after being diagnosed with “extremely aggressive cancer,” according to reports.
Fans have since signed an online petition for his nom de metal to live on through a newly discovered element, a literally heavy metal element. The proposed name: “Lemmium”.
