Phil Campbell, Motörhead Guitarist for 31 Years, Dies at 64 in Wales

2026-03-14 - 15:45

Phil Campbell, the Welsh guitarist who anchored Motörhead’s lineup from 1984 until the band dissolved in 2015, died peacefully on the night of March 13, 2026, in Wales following a complex major operation, his family confirmed. Phil Campbell His family issued a statement through Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, the band he formed with his sons Todd, Dane, and Tyla. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Philip Anthony Campbell, who passed away peacefully last night following a long and courageous battle in intensive care after a complex major operation,” the statement read. “His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever.” Campbell, born May 7, 1961, in Pontypridd, South Wales, had canceled all Australian and European tour dates between March and May 2026 in February on medical advice. The band had cited his health as “our number one priority” at the time. He was also working on new material with Fury vocalist Julian Jenkins at the time of his death. A 31-Year Partnership Campbell joined Motörhead in 1984 and appeared on 16 studio albums, beginning with Orgasmatron in 1986 and ending with Bad Magic in 2015. That run placed him alongside founder Lemmy Kilmister through some of the band’s most commercially successful records, including Rock ‘n’ Roll, 1916, Sacrifice, and Aftershock. The group disbanded after Kilmister died in December 2015. Campbell later spoke candidly about watching Kilmister’s health deteriorate during that final stretch, describing how the frontman had been “ageing a little bit more” and was not quite himself on the road. The loss, Campbell said, closed a period he had known as his professional home for three decades. After Motörhead ended, Campbell continued performing with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, which had begun informally at a birthday party jam session. The group toured with Guns N’ Roses, appeared at Wacken, Hellfest, and Graspop, and released multiple albums. His withdrawal from Takedown Festival 2026, scheduled for April 3 in Portsmouth, was confirmed just days before his death.