Motorhead co-founder 'Fast' Eddie Clarke has died.
Eddie Clarke
The 67-year-old rocker sadly passed away "peacefully" after suffering from pneumonia, the two surviving members of the group, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee, confirmed on Thursday (11.01.18).
Revealing their devastation of losing another member of the 'Ace of Spades' metal group in a statement posted on the band's official Facebook page, they wrote: "We are devastated to pass on the news we only just heard ourselves earlier tonight...Edward Allan Clarke - or as we all know and love him Fast Eddie Clarke - passed away peacefully yesterday. Ted Carroll (who formed Chiswick Records) made the sad announcement via his FB page, having heard from Doug Smith that Fast Eddie passed peacefully in hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia...
Fast Eddie...keep roaring, rockin' and rollin' up there as goddamit man, your Motörfamily would expect nothing less!!!
RIP FAST EDDIE CLARKE 5th October 1950 - 10th January 2018 (sic)"
Guitarist Phil has been left in a state of "shock" by the news, and hailed Eddie a "true rock 'n' roller".
He wrote: "JUST HEARD THE SAD NEWS THAT FAST EDDIE CLARK HAS PASSED AWAY. SUCH A SHOCK, HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS ICONIC RIFFS AND WAS A TRUE ROCK N ROLLER. RIP EDDIE. (sic)"
Drummer Mikkey had only seen his friend recently and said he was in "great shape".
He said Eddie, frontman Lemmy Kilmister, who died in December 2015 from inoperable prostate cancer at the age of 70, and original drummer Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor - who passed away a month before the singer - would be jamming away together in heaven.
He added: "OH MY F**KING GOD, THIS IS TERRIBLE NEWS, THE LAST OF THE THREE AMIGOS. I SAW EDDIE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND HE WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. SO THIS IS A COMPLETE SHOCK. ME AND EDDIE ALWAYS HIT IT OFF GREAT. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HIM IN THE UK THIS SUMMER WHEN WE COME AROUND WITH THE SCORPS...NOW LEM AND PHILTHY CAN JAM WITH EDDIE AGAIN, AND IF YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR THEM, SO WATCH OUT!!! MY THOUGHTS GO OUT TO EDDIE'S FAMILY AND CLOSE ONES. (sic)"
Eddie kicked of his career performing in the blues band Zeus and came to meet Phil whilst refitting a houseboat, before joining the group in 1976.
However, he decided to quit in 1982, and formed Fastway, who went onto to support the likes of AC/DC.