Legendary metal band Motorhead cancelled a show Wednesday after a series of abbreviated performances amid renewed health concerns for famously hard-living frontman Ian Fraser Kilmister, more popularly known as Lemmy.
The English rockers left the stage in Austin, Texas after playing three songs on Tuesday, with the 69-year-old Lemmy telling the crowd, “I can’t do it,” according to social media postings.
The band, which also cancelled or cut short two other recent shows, said it would not perform a scheduled concert on Wednesday in San Antonio.
It said that Lemmy was suffering from altitude sickness after a performance in the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado.
“Lemmy will resume duties the moment he is PROPERLY rested and firing on all cylinders again,” Motorhead said on Facebook.
The 40-year-old metal band has won a loyal fan base for its high-decibel guitar rock and Lemmy’s instantly recognisable gravelly voice.
Lemmy, also known for his lambchop sideburns and facial moles, was long synonymous with the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. He has said he used to drink a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey every day and that he has slept with more than 1,000 women.
But Lemmy has faced a series of health concerns including diabetes in recent years, forcing Motorhead to postpone a European tour in 2013.
Lemmy has said he has cut down on drinking and quit smoking. Motorhead is on an extensive tour of North America and Europe that is scheduled to include a heavy metal cruise — dubbed the Motorboat — sailing from Miami later this month.
