- Phil Campbell, Motörhead’s longest-serving guitarist, passed away peacefully on Friday night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation.
- His death was announced on March 14 via the social media of his band Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, which he formed with his three sons, Todd, Dane, and Tyla.
- Campbell served as Motörhead’s guitarist for 31 years, recording 16 studio albums with the band and contributing riffs to iconic tracks like “Deaf Forever,” “Eat the Rich,” and “Born to Raise Hell.”
The rock world woke up to heartbreaking news on Saturday, and if you grew up with Motörhead rattling your walls, this one is going to hit hard.
Phil Campbell, the guitarist for legendary rock band Motörhead, died on Friday following a battle in intensive care after a major operation. He was 64. His family confirmed the news in a statement that stopped fans in their tracks, and within hours, tributes from across the music world came flooding in.
A Family’s Heartbreak, a Rock World’s Loss
His death was confirmed in a statement posted to the Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons Instagram account, which read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night.”
The statement didn’t stop there. Phil was described as a devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather, known affectionately as “Bampi” by those closest to him. That detail alone says everything. Behind every thunderous riff was a man his grandkids called Bampi. That’s the part that really gets you.
The official Motörhead social media said Phil was a wonderful guitarist, writer, performer, and musician who had Motörhead in his veins, adding that you could not be around him without a chuckle or twenty, because quite simply, Phil loved life and lived it with great joy.
31 Years, 16 Albums, One Irreplaceable Guitarist
Here is the thing, people might not fully realise. Phil Campbell was not just a member of Motörhead. He was the band’s longest-serving guitarist aside from Lemmy himself, having joined in 1984 and staying until the band disbanded following Lemmy’s passing in 2015.
Born on May 7, 1961, in Pontypridd, Wales, Campbell began playing guitar as a child, joining the cabaret band Contrast as a teen, and launched the heavy metal band Persian Risk in 1979 before Motörhead came calling. After that, there was no looking back.
After Würzel’s departure in 1995, Campbell became the band’s sole guitarist, carrying that weight all the way to the end. And when the end did come, he didn’t slow down.
He Kept Going, Even When It Got Hard
After the end of Motörhead, Campbell released his only solo album, “Old Lions Still Roar,” in 2019, and founded Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons with his three sons, Todd, Dane and Tyla. The name alone tells you everything about the man’s personality.
He once told Classic Rock that for about four months after Motörhead broke up, he didn’t know what to do, and was so exhausted he considered retiring completely. But his eldest son Todd’s birthday party reignited something in him, and the Bastard Sons were born from that night.
The warning signs were there earlier this year. Campbell and the Bastard Sons were scheduled to tour Europe, but the tour was cancelled due to medical advice Phil had just received. Fans hoped it was precautionary. It wasn’t.
Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee shared a statement calling Phil his brother and dear friend, adding, “Sleep well, my friend and rock soldier. Say hi to Lemmy, Würzel, Filthy and Eddie. I am sure you’ll be a crazy gang hanging out together again.”
The riff lives on. But today, the amplifier is quiet.
