Phil Campbell’s cause of death has been revealed

Former Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell passed away on March 13 at the age of 64 due to multi-organ failure following complications from necessary surgical procedures, details revealed during a coroner’s inquest today, October 2, as per Blabbermouth. The official cause of death was delivered at St Pancras Coroner’s Court in inner north London, which investigates sudden, unexplained, or complex deaths within its jurisdiction. Campbell performed with the legendary heavy metal outfit from 1984 through 2015, playing an instrumental role in shaping the band’s sonic legacy alongside Lemmy Kilmister for over three decades.

Further details presented during the coroner’s inquest revealed that Phil Campbell — who had maintained seven years of sobriety prior to his passing — suffered severe complications following a series of complex surgical procedures. Earlier this year, the guitarist underwent two liver transplants and bowel surgery at London’s Royal Free Hospital. Although the second liver transplant was initially successful, subsequent medical complications arose, requiring emergency bowel surgery. Following the procedure, Campbell was transferred to intensive care, where his condition deteriorated rapidly.

My view is that there is nothing here to suggest his death could have been prevented. – Coroner Dr. Richard Brittain

On February 8, 1984, following the departure of Brian Robertson, Motörhead held auditions to recruit a new guitarist, narrowing the field down to two finalists: Michael “Würzel” Burston and Phil Campbell. Although founder Lemmy Kilmister initially intended to hire a single guitar player, hearing the duo perform together prompted him to enlist both musicians. Just days later, on February 14, 1984, the newly minted lineup made a memorable television appearance on “The Young Ones” episode “Bambi.” This era was further solidified with the September 15 release of their acclaimed compilation album, “No Remorse”. Campbell went on to tour globally with the heavy metal legends, remaining a core member until the band’s end. Following the death of Lemmy on December 28, 2015, drummer Mikkey Dee officially announced the following day that Motörhead had permanently disbanded.