'One hell of a character': Motorhead drummer ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor dead at 61

Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor, the former drummer of Motorhead, has died, the British iconic heavy metal group said.

Taylor, who was 61, was with the hard rock band from 1975 to 1984 - with frontman Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister and guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke, considered the group's classic line-up - and was back in the band from 1987 to 1992.

He played on the band's legendary 1980 song “Ace of Spades”.

The cause of death was not immediately clear.

“My dear friend and brother passed away last night,” Clarke wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

“He had been ill for sometime but that does not make it any easier when the time finally comes. I have known Phil since he was 21 and he was one hell of a character.