A memorial to rock legend Lemmy was delivered in true style in Manchester, as a procession of around 20 bikers escorted a fruit machine and a portion of his ashes to the O2 Apollo. The event, which took place on June 16, 2026, saw members from the Stockport-based Southsiders Motorcycle Club and the Grumpy's bike club take part in the tribute.
Manchester's Special Connection with Motörhead
Manchester was always a special place for heavy rock band Motörhead, according to their long-time manager. The band connected with the city's 'working class rock and roll culture', with the O2 Apollo having hosted 23 of the band's headline shows from 1979 to 2014. Now, part of Lemmy's ashes will be housed inside the venue for fans to pay their respects to 'one of the most recognisable voices in rock'.
Having made the pilgrimage from Download Festival, which was held in Leicestershire at the weekend, Lemmy's ashes will now be displayed throughout the year at the O2 Apollo. They sit alongside a slot machine that was gifted to the musician and became a staple of his dressing room, even becoming 'the fifth member of the Beatles' for the band.
Why Manchester and Why Now?
Lemmy's former PA and security guard Alan Hungerford explained the decision: 'This place is steeped in Motörhead history. I didn't even realise just how many times they had played here until recently. Manchester was a staple on the touring cycle every time they performed in the UK - Manchester was the one that everyone looked forward to the most.'
He added: 'Manchester is steeped in music history, there are so many bands that have come out of here across all genres. Every decent band in the last 30 years has pretty much come from here. So, it felt fitting when management made the decision to have this memorial here.'
Manchester Rituals and Memories
Alan recalled a particular Manchester ritual: 'I remember whenever we would play the Apollo, we would always sneak off to the Apsley Cottage pub during Mikkey's drum solo. It was about eight minutes long so we had just enough time to get out and back in time. A group of us - me, Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Victor, who looked after Phil - would all dash out the stage door, have a pint or a Jack Daniels and coke and then get back on the stage by the time he'd finished. It was our Manchester ritual - the drinks were pre-ordered and ready for us whenever we got there.'
Lemmy's Legacy Lives On
Alan said he hopes the memorial will see fans from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Manchester to pay their respects. 'I genuinely believed Lemmy was going to live forever,' he explained. 'I thought I'd still be hanging out with him when I was 70, but time gets to us and here we are. Like his fans, we all still have such a strong connection with him and that's the important thing - they followed him around forever and meant the world to him.'
He added: 'As long as he had a Jack Daniels and Coke by his side, I think he'd enjoy what has been done here in Manchester. He always loved the noise, he was always a man of the people. I think he'd appreciate it.'
