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UNAUTHORZIED '80S WITH DAVID S. GRANT PRESENTS: MOTLEY CRUE 
The story of Motley Crue is not a well kept secret. In fact, there have been several books written, including an autobiography by the band titled The Dirt. As one of the kings of the eighties glam movement, each story has a different take -- a different version of the truth. The common thread throughout is the amazement that these four are still alive and making music together. This is the story of founder Nikki Sixx (bass), Vince Neil (vocals), Tommy Lee (drums), and Mick Mars (guitar).
In 1981 Motley Crue released the album Too Fast For Love on their label Leathur Records. A mix of hard rock, glam, and punk, TFFL was essentially a demo tape (because it was their own label) until Elektra picked it up and re-released it in 1982. The raw energy on this album laid the foundation for THE eight studio albums to follow. The album only released one single, the first track "Live Wire". There was also a video for "Live Wire" that has recently been revived, receiving airplay in the early morning hours and causing stoners and insomniacs to say out loud, "That's what they used to look like?" Other songs included "Take Me To The Top", a video has circulated for this song showing Vince Neil shaking his hips more than Elvis Presley and Shakira combined, then of course there was "Piece Of Your Action", the B-side that made every slightly overweight girl start smoking cigarettes to lose weight just in case down-the-line they would get a chance to hook up with Vince. The title track, "Too Fast For Love", is buried deep in the album -- but it doesn't matter, "She puts her leg up / Well, calls it good luck / Do you know what I mean?" Everyone just nods approvingly. The Crue's next album was Shout At The Devil, and this was Nikki Sixx's black magic time. This is most often labeled as the greatest of the Crue albums from die-hard fans and featured two videos -- "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love". The later featured a fight between Tommy Lee and a Ninja that was the most unrealistic fight since anything from the TV show The A-Team. After the Shout At The Devil tour Vince Neil was convicted of manslaughter for killing his friend Nicholas 'Razzle' Dingley (from Hanoi Rocks) while driving intoxicated. No worries though, the judge decided the best thing for Vince was to go out and tour with his band. The next album was Theatre Of Pain, one that established Motley as a glam band -- too much glam for most diehard fans. The first single was a cover of "Smoking In The Boys Room" and in the video (and on tour) Nikki Sixx wore a long black and white body suit. Reasons? 1. Vertical stripes are slimming (actually heroin is slimming, so he had this covered)? 2. Trying to capture Elvis jailhouse rock look? 3. Out of his mind due to heroin use? 4. All of the above? 
Theatre Of Pain also gave the world the ballad "Home Sweet Home". Accompanied with a video that would stay at the top of MTV for months, this song became a top hit for the band and launched them into the spotlight -- which apparently they took as a sign to do more drugs. This was the song that made it okay for the eighties hair bands to go soft every now and then, the positive consequences of course being that you will double your fan base as radio listeners and women begin following. The classic video started by characterizing the band members of Motley Crue so distinctly it was as if they had already been typecast (it reminded me of watching an episode of My Two Dads -- one was uptight and you knew this because he wore a suit and had a job, the other had long hair and wore colorful shirts so he was the free spirit dad). First Vince Neil plays the beach bum role, complete with a visor -- next Mick Mars is apparently living like The Adams Family -- then Nikki gets a call at a bar where it is assumed he is waiting for his dealer -- and finally Tommy Lee, who is at either a really fun party with plenty of young girls or on the set for a Dateline special and Chris Hansen is going to be showing up soon (this is still not clear to me), gets the call. Eventually, 'they are all on their way' and we get to the song with bitter sweet lyrics that make you want to reach into your pocket, pull out your lighter, and then hold it up until it is too hot to hold any longer. Did this song make girls like hair bands? Maybe, maybe not. What we can conclude from the video is that Motley Crue, or at least Vince Neil, has no problem going for the slightly overweight version of the females, even letting them help sing the chorus. Vince has always been a giver.
Girls, Girls, Girls was the next album aimed at toning down the glam side, placing the focus on motorcycles and strippers. In the video for the title track Nikki Sixx immediately harasses an old dude by pulling a switch blade to take his front row table at the strip club. Midway through the song, Nikki knocks the head of another old dude. Finally, near the end we see Nikki and an old dude enjoying the show, nodding together. Some say this is a video about strippers -- that may be true, but it is also a song about Sixx learning to appreciate old dudes inside strip clubs. There was also a live video for the song "Wild Side" in which Nikki spins around with his guitar flying on a string. I can't figure out the purpose but it works, the same way Cinderella spins their guitars over their shoulders, which is every Cinderella video I've ever seen. Also, this video settles the argument of which fans had bigger breasts: Motley Crue or Bon Jovi (Fact: It was Motley Crue). 
The next album, Dr. Feelgood, became their most popular -- this is also the first album the band created while sober, coincidence? For those concerned about the strippers, don't worry, they were still there. With songs about drug dealers, dying, coming back to life, and blowjobs, Dr. Feelgood became the Crue's first Billboard chart topper. Where else could they go, but down? Shortly after, the band released a greatest hits CD and then Vince left the band/was fired. While Neil pursued a semi-successful solo career and was appearing in amateur porn tapes with future Jesse James squeeze Janine, Nikki and Co. created a self-titled album with John Corabi on vocals that sounded pretty cool, but it just didn't sound like Motley Crue without Neil.
After several years the band got back together for Generation Swine, an honest effort to grow musically and try new things -- despite a couple of minor hits, appearing on the cover of Hustler Magazine and promoting the reunion with a performance at the American Music Awards... it didn't work. The band was at their lowest point, finished with their label, and essentially given their collection of work for nothing. A few years later (without Tommy) the Crue would put out New Tattoo, an attempt to get back to the original Motley Crue sound -- also just not quite there (which is probably directly related to a missing Tommy Lee on drums and substituting with Randy Castillo from Ozzy Osbourne for the album, and Samantha Maloney from Hole for their supporting tour). After their autobiography, and the grunge era dying off, something strange happened -- the fans wanted Motley Crue back. The band started slow, self-funding a greatest hits tour and then followed with another hits tour and then their own festival. Most recently, Motley released Saints Of Los Angeles, originally a record to compliment their autobiography The Dirt -- their ninth studio album delivered, pleasing both their diehard fans as well as a few critics. To go along with their studio albums the band has put out several greatest hits albums over the years, and has sold over 80 million albums world-wide. A lot of single words have been used to describe this band, but comeback, was not a word the critics thought was possible with Motley Crue. 
Today, when the band isn't traveling under the narcissistically named CrueFest festival, the members can be found in many side projects.
Vince Neil has several businesses in the Las Vegas area (tattoo parlor, rock and roll bar, and airline service) as well as a recent autobiography. The pre-released excerpt started with: "The second time I had pot mixed with PCP, a horse tranquilizer known on the street as angel dust." The first sentence insinuates that the second time Vince used marijuana it was no longer just passing a joint around, but rather quickly escalated into a mixture of pot and PCP. I believe Neil and his friends were taking this 'pot is a gateway drug' way to literally. You at least have to go through a couple months of copping nickel bags in the school parking lot before you move on to anything harder -- there are rules. When Vince isn't in jail, showing up on reality TV (Neil was on Skating With The Stars), or promoting his businesses, you can find him wandering around wearing visors, Hawaiian shirts, and a few extra pounds. Nikki Sixx is the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program The Sixx Sense, has written two books on his personal experiences with drugs, and is the founder of his new band Sixx: A.M. Sixx continues to be the definition of the word 'rock star', embracing his past and sharing his stories in a very calculated nature. Mick Mars is also involved in several side projects while he continues to fight off his debilitating bone disease known as Ankylosing Spondylitis (a disease that has lead to a hip replacement and loss of movement in his lower spine). After marrying Heather Locklear and Playboy Playmate Pamela Anderson (with whom he recorded one of history's most popular celebrity sex tapes) you could say Tommy Lee has finally settled down a bit, but that would be a lie. He has formed the band Methods Of Mayhem and can be found anywhere at any time. It has been 30 years since Motley Crue released their first album Too Fast For Love. The album that resonated from the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, from a group of unique rockers that although may not have always been original, always knew how to put on an entertaining show and market their sound as fresh. Who would have guessed "Plug me in - I'm alive tonight" would lead to Dancing with the Stars? About the Author: David S. Grant is the author of several books including Rock Stars (Oak Tree Press), Corporate Porn (Silverthought Press), The Last Breakfast (Brown Paper Publishing), and Happy Hour (SynergEbooks). David lives and works in New York City. For more information go to www.rockstarbooks.net follow David on Twitter: @david_s_grant. |
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