Metallica frontman James Hetfield is carrying a little piece of Lemmy Kilmister with him everywhere he goes.
The ink for the guitarist's new middle finger tattoo contained a small amount of the late Motörhead frontman's ashes.
"With the steady hand of friend and tattoo artist (Corey Miller), this tattoo. A salute to my friend and inspiration Mr. Lemmy Kilmister," Hetfield said in an Instagram post showing off the new ink on Wednesday, April 17. "Without him, there would be NO Metallica."
Kilmister died at age 70 in 2015. His ashes are being interned at music venues around the world.
The tattoo features a black spade, presumably in honor of Motörhead's iconic track "Ace of Spades," inside an iron cross.
"So now, he is still able to fly the bird at the world," Hetfield wrote next the picture of him flipping off the camera.
Lemmy died at age 70 in 2015. His ashes have been making the rounds lately.
Some of the bassist's remains will be enshrined at the Sunset Strip's Rainbow Bar & Grill during a ceremony on Friday, April 19. He was a fixture at the watering hole in the final years of his life. The bar will also be promoting its new Motörhead Whiskey at the event.
Some of Lemmy's ashes will also be interned at the U.K.'s Bloodstock Open Air festival, which will run from Aug. 8 to 11 this year in Derbyshire.
Rock City, a venue in Nottingham, will also receive some of the ashes and plans to erect a bust of the rockstar.
A Lemmy biopic was first announced in June 2020. The film will be directed by Greg Olliver, who worked on a 2010 documentary about the star.
Most commenters were loving Hetfield's tattoo.
"Bro that’s f--king Metal Af!!" one said. "Absolutely the most badass tribute possible," said another.
Others had questions about the use of ashes in a tattoo: "That's sick but is this safe for the skin?"
'Now, he is still able to fly the bird at the world,' the Metallica frontman said of his new middle finger tattoo.
The company Smart Cremation has a page explaining the process on its website.
"This is essentially the same process you would undergo if you were getting a tattoo," they said. "The tattoo artist would take a small amount of cremated ashes, usually less than a tablespoon and mix it with regular tattoo ink."
They added that this is a "very safe" process.
"The cremated ashes were burned at temperatures over 1,750 degrees Fahrenheit. This virtually eliminates the chance of infection, though the exact sterility of cremated ashes have not been extensively studied," the company said.
"The important thing to keep in mind is that the ashes need to be handled properly, in a sterile environment when being mixed with the tattoo ink. Any contamination of the ashes or the ink can introduce risks of infections."
It's important to consult an experienced licensed tattoo artist. Special precautions may be required when handling the ashes. Some people have reported that tattoos with ashes tend to be more itchy than standard ones while healing.
Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent on Christmas Eve in 1945. He began pursuing a music career at age 16 after seeing the Beatles.
Lemmy was born in Stoke-on-Trent on Christmas Eve in 1945. He later moved to Wales with his mother and stepfather.
After seeing the Beatles play in their native Liverpool at age 16, he began learning the guitar and pursuing a career in music.
Kilmister moved to London and got a job as a roadie for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Before joining Motörhead, he played bass and sang in Hawkwind.
Motörhead played an important role in revitalizing the British metal scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were also a key influence for many foundational thrash metal bands.
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