History:
Motley Crue helped usher in heavy metal's rebirth in the mid 80s while becoming one of the most popular and notorious rock bands in history. This group of misfits got into more trouble, had their way with more women, broke more laws and consumed more drugs then almost anyone and their story reads more like an unbelievable far-fetched soap opera.
  Motley Crue formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981 and consisted of Vince Neil (vocals), Mick Mars (guitar), Nikki Sixx (bass) and Tommy Lee (drums). The band's debut, Too Fast For Love, was released on their own Leathur label, but by 1982 they had managed to create a substantial buzz and got signed to the major label Elektra which re-released the album. Shout At The Devil put Motley Crue on the map nationwide as it raced up to #17 on the Billboard charts, but things were about to come crashing down. On December 9, 1984 Vince Neil was charged with vehicular manslaughter when he lost control of his car while intoxicated resulting in the death of Hanoi Rocks' drummer Razzle. The band was unsure what their future would hold, but after a short jail sentence for Neil the group began to pick up were they had left off.
  The group just kept growing in popularity but the members continued to live outside the norm. Drummer Lee married television sweetheart Heather Locklear in 1986 (and divorced in 1993) and during the tour for Girls, Girls, Girls Sixx overdosed on heroin yet miraculously he survived and got clean. Dr. Feelgood would see the band at their commercial peak as the album would hit #1 on the Billboard charts with the title track becoming their highest charting single at #6. Despite their commercial success, all was not well in the Crue camp. Surprisingly, in 1992 Neil was fired (or quit, depending on which band member you ask) and replaced by ex-Scream man John Corabi. Motley Crue released one largely ignored album with Corabi and Neil pursued a solo career that quickly wore out its welcome. So to no one's surprise the original Motley Crue resurfaced on the American Music Awards in early 1997 and announced they were back again.
  The late 90s would see the band's actions garnering more attention then the actual music. Lee's steamy marriage to Playboy Playmate/actress Pamela Anderson led to two children, one x-rated video, six months in jail for spousal abuse and finally ended in divorce. Neil also found himself as an adult video star when his home movie with porn queen Janine was leaked to the public. Upon his release from jail Lee rejoined the band for the Greatest Hits tour but soon departed to concentrate on his Methods Of Mayhem project. Motley Crue hired former Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo in May of 1999 to finish the tour and record the back-to-roots New Tattoo album. However Castillo was unable to kick off the new tour due to stomach surgery (which was later found to be cancer and would claim his life in 2002) and Hole's Samantha Maloney temporarily takes his spot. Unsurprisingly Sixx would cheat on his Playmate wife Donna D'errico with Maloney before the tour was finished.
  2001 saw the release of the band's tell-all biography The Dirt and Motley Crue was put on hiatus. Neil continued to tour as a solo artist and appeared on the debut season of the popular TV show The Surreal Life, Sixx also wrote and recorded with his highest profile project being the Brides Of Destruction, Lee drifted off into some weird musical territory and Mars suffered from a degenerative bone disease. In late 2004 the original line-up finally sorted through their differences and set upon another successful world tour. If it is a farewell world tour, or if everyone comes back alive, is anyone's guess.

Links:
The Official Motley Crue Page
Chronological Crue
Absolute Motley Crue

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