Metallica frontman James Hetfield has solidified his love for Motörhead legend Lemmy Kilmister with one of the most metal tattoos imaginable – it contains a portion of Lemmy’s ashes.
James Hetfield Lemmy tattoo
Hetfield unveiled a new tattoo on his middle finger, a mix of black ink and a “pinch” of Kilmister’s ashes combined into a design featuring the iconic Ace of Spades within an Iron Cross. Kilmister, who passed away in 2015 at age 70 following a brief battle with cancer, left behind a monumental rock ‘n’ roll legacy.
Bullet Casings
Upon his passing, Kilmister’s ashes were placed into bullet casings and gifted to close friends, including Whitfield Crane, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and Michael Monroe.
“With the steady hand of friend and tattoo artist @coreymillertattoo, this tattoo. A salute to my friend and inspiration Mr. Lemmy Kilmister,” Hetfield wrote in an Instagram post. “Without him, there would be NO Metallica.”
Hetfield added, “Black ink mixed with a pinch of his cremation ashes that were so graciously given to me.”
Fan reactions to this ultimate tribute have been overwhelmingly positive, with one commenter declaring it “Absolutely the most badass tribute possible.”
