Another one gone.
- Michael Knoll
- Mar 17
- 4 min read
It was with regret that I learned that another one has left. Phil Campbell, the longest-serving guitarist alongside Lemmy, is now rocking a level higher. Let's take a look at the guitarist's life and work.
Philip Anthony Campbell was born on May 7, 1961, in Pontypridd, Wales. Inspired by greats like Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath, he picked up a guitar at the age of ten.
Before becoming a legend, he played in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal band Persian Risk . The big turning point came in 1984: After Brian Robertson left Motörhead, Lemmy looked for a successor. Campbell prevailed against hundreds of applicants at the audition – together with Würzel, which temporarily made Motörhead a quartet.
Campbell wasn't just a guest musician; he became the backbone of the band. He played on a total of 16 studio albums and accompanied the band through all its highs and lows. His playing style was characterized by a blend of punk attitude, blues roots, and technical virtuosity.
Important albums: Orgasmatron , 1916 , Bastards and the final work Bad Magic .
The Grammy: In 2005, he won the Grammy with Motörhead in the category "Best Metal Performance" for the Metallica cover of Whiplash .
Following Lemmy Kilmister's death in December 2015, Motörhead disbanded. However, Campbell didn't consider retirement. He founded the band Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons , in which he plays alongside his three sons (Todd, Dane, and Tyla) and singer Neil Starr (later Joel Peters).
The band is an integral part of the rock scene and proves that the "riff master" has lost none of his energy. In 2019, he also released his first solo album, Old Lions Still Roar , featuring guest appearances from artists such as Alice Cooper and Rob Halford.
I believe that besides Mikkey Dee, only Brian Robertson is still alive among all the former Motörhead members. Speaking of Brian Robertson, Scott Gorham, his former bandmate in Thin Lizzy, is celebrating his 75th birthday today. So let's briefly bring this Thin Lizzy stalwart back into the spotlight. The American in Dublin (and London)
William Scott Gorham was born on March 17, 1951 (fittingly, St. Patrick's Day) in Glendale, California. In 1974, he came to London to audition for his brother-in-law's band (Supertramp). That didn't work out, but fate had other plans: he ended up auditioning for Phil Lynott. Although he wasn't technically a professional at the time, he impressed Lynott with his charisma and his feel for melodies. He became a permanent member and remained so—the only member besides drummer Brian Downey—until the band's breakup in 1983.
Gorham shaped the most successful albums in the band's history, including:
Jailbreak (1976): With the global hit “The Boys Are Back in Town”.
Live and Dangerous (1978): One of the best live albums in rock history.
Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979): A milestone of melodic hard rock.
His fluid, almost bluesy style formed the perfect counterpoint to the often more aggressive fellow players on second guitar.
After Lynott's death (1986), Gorham kept the band's legacy alive under the name Thin Lizzy in various lineups.
In 2012 , he decided to no longer release new material under the name Thin Lizzy in order to protect Phil's legacy. This led to the formation of Black Star Riders .
In 2021 he left the Black Star Riders to focus fully on sporadic Thin Lizzy projects.
Current status (2026): After a serious health setback some time ago (he almost died during kidney surgery), he has largely recovered. He now devotes more time to his second passion, painting and drawing , but still plans to occasionally return to the stage for select shows.
But someone else is also celebrating a birthday, and now one of the greats – Justin Hawkins. The frontman of glam rockers The Darkness is celebrating his 51st birthday today. The "professional idiot with reasonably good guitar riffs" (as the Brit describes himself) brought back the 70s in the midst of the nu-metal and garage-rock era (thank you for that). Happy Birthday to Switzerland (where he now lives a secluded life).
Van Halen's album III was released on January 17, 1998, of all days. It's the only album Gary Cherone (Extreme) played on. Why the 17th, of all days? On a beautiful day like St. Patrick's Day, you shouldn't have to torture yourself with an album like this. In my opinion, Van Halen were one of the best bands to grace the world with their melodious noise. But this album was completely different; it had nothing, absolutely nothing, of what made Van Halen what they were. I'm assuming I'm not the only blogger on the planet discussing this album today. I also expect opinions to be pretty much in agreement. If I didn't already own it, I wouldn't buy it. But enough of that; I have to be careful not to slip into blasphemy.
Now on to the highlight of the day - the beer.
Today I have the absolute pinnacle of brewing on the menu – Budweiser. I'm referring to the version from Budvar (Czech Republic), not the American beer caricature. It's a beer that speaks for itself. Made with the world-famous Saaz hops, it's aged for a full 90 days. The result is a delight for every palate. Its delicate, refined bitterness gives it a smooth texture that no other beer can match.
Have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day! Stay well, until next time. I'm going to format my hard drive now. Bye!
Comments