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Lemmy and Slash statues could stand in Stoke-on-Trent

Tuesday, 17 August 2010

Staffordshire University graduate Nile Plumb is campaigning to immortalise rock legends Lemmy and Slash permanently in their native city.

He wants statues of the two famous rock musicians to be erected in Stoke-on-Trent.

Lemmy from Motorhead was born in Burslem and Slash, who used to be lead guitarist with Guns N' Roses, grew up in the city.

So far the Facebook campaign has drawn support from more than 400 people.

Nile insists that Lemmy and Slash are deserving - because of their achievements over long careers, and because both have ties to Stoke-on-Trent.
Speaking on BBC Radio Stoke, he said: "There's a lot of interest and people really want to get behind it".

Simon Warner, who's a lecturer in popular music, agrees that their credentials are pretty impressive in the world of rock music.

"I think in terms of Slash and Guns N' Roses, here we have certainly a 20 year career. He's left a big thumbprint on the American scene.

"And Lemmy's been going even longer, probably closer to 40 years if we go back to his Hawkwind days."

Nile says he was inspired in part by the success of Jon & Tracy Morter's Rage Against The X Factor Christmas No.1 campaign which saw an internet drive surprisingly sweep a song by Rage Against The Machine to the top slot in the charts.

However he says he's undecided as to where in the city the statue should be erected or what it would look like.

To join the campaign, you should visit his Stoke Statues Facebook page

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/stoke/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8921000/8921612.stm