Phil Campbell

Born in Pontypridd, Wales, in 1961, Phil Campbell developed a guitar style rooted in heavy metal, hard rock and rock'n'roll, with a direct, nervy sound closely tied to the British scene of the 1980s. After early beginnings in local bands in South Wales, he founded Persian Risk in 1979 and took part in their first singles, before joining Motörhead in 1984 following auditions organized by Lemmy. Initially part of a two-guitar lineup with Würzel, Campbell remained one of the group's pillars until its end in 2015, playing on much of its studio discography — from Orgasmatron (1986) to Bad Magic (2015), including 1916 (1991), Bastards (1993) and Inferno (2004). After Motörhead disbanded, he resumed performing with Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, a lineup that notably includes his sons, playing classic hard rock and heavy metal. The band released an EP in 2016 and the albums The Age of Absurdity (2018), We're the Bastards (2020) and Kings of the Asylum (2023). Campbell also issued a solo album, Old Lions Still Roar, in 2019. He died in 2026 in Pontypridd.