Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister dies at 70, the band says

Longtime Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister has died after a "short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer," the band said on its official Facebook page on Monday.

Agent Andrew Goodfriend confirms to The Associated Press that Kilmister died on Monday in Los Angeles after a brief battle with aggressive cancer.

The band writes on its Facebook page that the British rocker learned of the cancer on December 26.

"We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren't words," the band writes. "We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please...play Motörhead loud, play Hawkwind loud, play Lemmy's music LOUD. Have a drink or few."

Ian Kilmister known simply as "Lemmy" to most, was as famous for his mustache, mutton chops and the mole on his face as his music.

But he was deeply respected and revered as a rock master and innovator, from his time with the seminal psychedelic band Hawkwind in the early 1970s to his four decades in Motorhead, best known for their 1980 anthem "Ace of Spades."

Almost immediately tributes began pouring in on social media.

Motorhead is a British metal band known for helping create the "speed metal" genre.

Each of the band's legendary live shows would begin with Kilmister's loud announcement: "We are Motorhead! We play rock and roll!"