Motorhead Guitarist Wurzel Dies

Michael Burston, 61, better known to Motorhead fans as the band’s longtime guitarist, Wurzel, died July 9 of cardiomyaphathy.

Burston was considered the face of the band, outside of bassist/founder “Lemmy” Kilmister and was known for his unassuming nature.

Burston, as the story goes, was working as a builder when he read that Motorhead guitarist Brian Robertson had left the group.

“I wrote [Lemmy] a letter and sent a tape, and he phoned me up for audition,” Burston told the Guardian. “He also said, ‘We’ll probably end up with an unknown guitarist,’ and there was no one in the country who was more unknown than I was.” He was with the band since 1984.