Mick Burston. R.I.P. Speed metal guitarist, model railway enthusiast and blues afficionado.

Mick (Wurzel) Burston was the most charismatic and flamboyant of all the Motorhead guitarists. I first knew him in Cheltenham in the mid '70's where we both coincided in local bands. He was a technically astonishing speed metal guitar player and obviously destined for great things. Why mention him here? (You all chorus!!) Let me explain. He and I were both fans of Rory Gallagher and he had gone into everything Gallagher to an extraordinairy level. He had sought out all of Rorys influences and built up a fine record collection which read like a history of the blues. It put my modest knowledge (Gleaned over a period of time after my early encounter with 'Folk ,Blues, and Beyond') to shame! Mick was also a model railway enthusiast and had a whole basement room dedicated to a colossal train set. He didn't drink during that period so would invite his mates around to play railways, drink tea. (OK and the occasional smoke) and listen to everything from Robert Johnson via muddy Waters to modern heavy metal, all of course, interspersed with liberal dollops of Rory. He also listened to stuff I had to offer from the likes of Nic Jones and Fairport etc. He and I shared an open view of music which I still possess to this day. He did not differentiate between early blues and rock guitar but saw then as one continuous thing. Joined at the hip. He auditioned for Motorhead in 1984 and, after being called back several times, he got the gig. I saw him every now and then after that until the band decamped to Los Angeles to reinvent itself. He was never happy there and it eventually lead to his quitting the band. We reconvened at one point to play on a mates album at ( of all places) Woodworm Studios and I never set eyes on him again after that. The last email was about seven years ago and both cryptic and funny. I replied and did not hear back from him. I'm very sad and about to raise a cup of tea in his memory.
Rest in noise. Wurzel.