  Mötley Crüe formed in 1981 in
Los Angeles and consists of: Vince Neil
Wharton (lead vocals), Mick Mars (aka Bob
Deal - guitar), Nikki Sixx (aka Frank
Ferranno - bass), and Tommy Lee Bass (drums).
Mötley Crüe became one of the most
successful heavy metal groups of the 1980s,
back when heavy metal success meant scantily
clad women in the videos, mixed meanings in
the lyrics, big hair and lots of make-up.
Heavy metal in the 80s is now referred to as
"glam rock" and Mötley Crüe fit
the mold.
 Mötley Crüe's conception began
when Sixx and Lee wanted to form their own
band and found Neil and Mars. Their first
effort together was a successful independent
LP, Too
Fast For Love. Their success continued with
offers from record companies and the eventual
signing with Elektra records. Too
Fast For Love was then re-leased.
 Mötley Crüe released Shout
At The Devil. As the band became more
successful, without any help from the
critics, their reputation for partying began
to surface.
Neil found himself in trouble
for vehicle manslaughter and drunk driving
when his car crashed and killed 2 passengers.
Neil was found guilty but only required to
spend 30 days in jail, provide community
service and pay a $2.6 fine.
 Theater
Of Pain was released. Hits from the LP
included "Smokin' In The Boys Room"
and their famous power-ballad, "Home Sweet Home."
 # 97
Singles Artist of the Year
Girls
Girls Girls was released with the
controversial video for the title track and
the hit tracks "You're All I Need"
and "Wild Side." A successful tour
that followed was hampered when Sixx suffered
from a near-fatal drug overdose.
December 22: Nikki Sixx was
prematurely pronounced 'dead on arrival' when
his heart stopped beating for 2 minutes in an
ambulance.
 # 99
Singles Artist of the Year
 Dr.
Feelgood was released and gave
the band their most successful LP hitting #1.
Mötley Crüe hit the Top 40
with "Dr. Feelgood."
Mötley Crüe hit the Top 10 with "Dr. Feelgood."
 # 27
Singles Artist of the Year
Mötley Crüe hit the Top 40
with "Kickstart My Heart."
Mötley Crüe were nominated for
2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Artist
and Favorite Heavy
Metal/Hard Rock Album (Dr.
Feelgood).
 Mötley Crüe were nominated for
a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Dr. Feelgood" ).
Mötley Crüe hit the Top 40
with "Without You."
 Mötley Crüe hit the Top 10 with "Without You."
Lee was injured when he fell 20
feet from a lighting rig.
Mötley Crüe hit the Top 40
with "Don't Go Away Mad (Just
Go Away)."
The video for "Kickstart My Heart" was nominated
for a MTV Video Music
Award for Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Video.
Mötley Crüe won an American Music
Award for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Album
(Dr.
Feelgood) and were nominated for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Artist.
Mötley Crüe were nominated for
a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Kickstart My Heart").
Mötley Crüe released a
greatest hits compilation titled Decade
Of Decadence: '81-'91 including 3
new tracks.
A new version of their classic
"Home Sweet Home" was released and
finally made it onto the Top 20 of the pop
charts.
February 18: Neil was fired from
Mötley Crüe for lack of commitment to the
music. Neil said of the split: "I just
want the fans to know that I'm still Vince
Neil the rock n' roller and I'm still going
to put out music for as long as people want
to listen to me." Neil later released 2
solo LPs, Exposed and Carved In
Stones to little success.
 Neil was replaced with John
Corabi and by March, Mötley Crüe released Mötley
Crüe with their new lead
singer and an attempt at more alternative
sounds. Poor sales of the LP were blamed on
the new band line-up as well as the change in
music tastes away from heavy metal bands.
Corabi was ushered out of the
group and Neil was back in as lead singer.
Neil told Burrn! magazine:
"People having given up listening to
music singing about everyday things and
negative gloomy stuff. That's all finished!
It's time to have a great time again. People
know us from ten or eleven years ago putting
on big shows and having a good time. We made
mistakes, we understand, but it's time to
forget, right? Let's rock n' roll!" The
reunited band made an appearance at the
American Music Awards in January to much
hype, but little response after that as the
new LP was delayed until the summer.
 Patience apparently paid off
when their new LP, Generation
Swine was released and debuted at #4
on the Billboard charts.
Unfortunately, the group also found out the
same week that Corabi had filed a lawsuit
against the band for over $1 million dollars
claiming breach of contract and fraud. To add
to the misery, their LP plummeted out of the
Top 20 the following week.
Mötley Crüe felt some heat
from a concert "mishap." A
pornographic video was played during the
opening performance at a Crüe concert.
The event, possibly a practical joke, was
being reviewed in terms of decency laws in
that city. Later in the evening, Crüe
drummer, Tommy Lee appeared on stage
with a video camera encouraging women in the
crowd to bare their breasts for the camera.
While on tour in the fall,
Mötley Crüe continued to stir up
controversy. In North Carolina, bassist Nikki
Sixx reportedly took out his frustrations on
a security guard at the concert. Apparently,
Sixx watched a security guard antagonize a
couple fans and starting yelling obscenities
and racial slurs at the black security guard.
The security service that employs the guard
is considering legal action against the band.
About 2,500 fans were reportedly kicked out
of the show, and MTV reported that several
fans accused the security guard of some rough
handling.
2 members of Mötley Crüe were
arrested for misdemeanor assault. Lee and
Sixx were arrested after Lee encouraging
hundreds of fans to take the stage with the
band at their performance in Phoenix, and Lee
and Sixx allegedly tackled a security guard
trying to prevent the crowd from reaching the
stage. The band had also reportedly been
ridiculing the security guards to the
thousands of concert attendees. The two band
members spent the night in jail and were
released on bail the next morning. A reported
$10,000 in damage and 10 injuries was caused
by the incident.
Tommy Lee pleaded no contest
when he was in court accused of beating a
photographer who was shooting video of Lee
and his wife coming out of a night club. Lee
was ordered to undergo anger management
counseling, ordered to pay the photographer
over $17,000, ordered to perform 200 hours of
community service, and on 2 years probation.
Lee found himself in trouble
(again) and was thrown in jail after his
wife, actress Pamela Lee, called the police
and accused Lee of assault. Lee was still on
probation from a previous assault charge. Two
days later, the alleged actions of Lee
against his wife, resulted in Pamela filing
for divorce, and charges against Lee ranging
from spousal and child abuse to illegal
possession of weapons. The divorce was filed
citing "irreconcilable
differences." A statement released
through Pamela's publicist stated:
"Tommy Lee assaulted and battered
Pamela... while she was holding their 7-week
old child, Dylan, and in the presence of the
20-month old son, Brandon... causing her and
Dylan physical injuries and severe emotional
distress and causing Brandon emotional
distress... Pamela asked for and was granted
an emergency protective order against Tommy
that prohibits him from contacting her."
Tommy Lee later released a statement
regarding the issue: "I am completely
devoted to Dylan and Brandon, and it is
extremely painful and unsettling for me to be
cut off from them at this difficult time.
Lee plead no contest to spousal
abuse charges and would be serving at least 6
months in jail.
Lee asked that he be able to
hide any traces of a swastika tattoo he once
had on his arm when he goes to trial for
allegedly using that arm to assault a Jewish
photographer. Lee's lawyers stated that
"...it was simply a stupid tattoo
obtained several years ago... (and)
insignificant to Mr. Lee, and he eventually
removed it..."
Lee settle the civil lawsuit
against him by a cameraman who claims was
assaulted by Lee in September, '96.
Lee was sentenced to 6 months in
prison for the assault of his wife, Pamela
Anderson. Lee was also ordered to serve 3
years probation, refrain from drugs and
alcohol during probation, perform 200 hours
of community service, and donate $5,000 to a
women's shelter. Lee was also ordered to stay
at least 100-yards from Anderson and was
warned by the judge that any violations of
the terms will result in a 3 year sentence.
Another lawsuit was filed
against the band by a woman claiming injuries
stemming from a incident when Nikki Sixx
smashed his guitar during a performance at a
Florida rock festival last year. The woman
was reportedly struck in the head and taken
to the hospital.
Lee of was released from jail
after serving 16 weeks of a 6 month prison
sentence for spousal abuse.
 The band released another hits
collection, Greatest
Hits, with 2 news tracks:
"Enslaved" and "Bitter
Pill" - with a tour starting soon after
the release.
Lee spoke out about his recent
turbulent times by denying domestic violence
accusations ("I grabbed her, I shook
her... which is wrong, I'm not saying that's
right... but for God's sake, I never hit
her...") and talking about his wife,
Pamela Lee ("She's not as healthy as
everybody thinks she is.").
April 29: Lee announced that he
had left Mötley Crüe after 18 years with
the band to "...embrace... family and...
new projects." A statement released by
the band announced: "Tommy will not be
touring with the band this summer on their
'Maximum Rock' amphitheater tour and has
given notice to leave the group." Lee
would be working with his own project called
"Methods Of Mayhem."
The remaining members of the
group announced that Randy Castillo would be
drumming for them on their "Maximum
Rock" tour this summer.
 Nikki Sixx was
arrested in North Carolina for 2-year old
charges of inciting a riot at a performance -
a charge that is also waiting for Tommy Lee
upon his return to the state.
The live LP Live:
Entertainment Or Death was released.
 Mötley Crüe's next LP, New
Tattoo, (first 1 without Tommy Lee)
was released.
Neil was hit in the head with a
bottle by a concert goer while performing.
VH1: 100
Greatest Artists of Hard Rock included Mötley Crüe
at # 29.
An arrest
warrant was issued for Vince Neil for alleged
assault of a record producer from an
incident.
 VH1: 100
Sexiest Artists included Tommy Lee at
# 46.
Motley Crue released a 4 CD box
set Music
To Crash Your Car To, Volume 1.
# 299 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
 Motley Crue released Red,
White, & Crue.
Red,
White, & Crue was certified
platinum.
Motley Crue performed on ReAct
Now: Music & Relief - a benefit
program shown on music video channels to
raise money for those affected by Hurricane
Katrina.
VH1: 100
Greatest Songs of the 80's included "Dr.
Feelgood" at # 41.
 Tommy Lee quit the band again
over a lawsuit against Lee's manager filed by
Mars, Neil, and Sixx.
The original members of Motley
Crue (Neil, Sixx, Mars, Lee) released a new
LP, Saints
Of Los Angeles and began touring
North America.
Motley Crue were nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Saints Of Los
Angeles").
Motley Crue announced they will
be breaking up after their next tour.
|
Too Fast For Love
Released: 1981
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 77
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Live
Wire" - "Come On And
Dance" - "Public Enemy #1"
- "Merry-Go-Round" - "Take
Me To The Top" - "Piece Of Your
Action" - "Starry Eyes" -
"Too Fast For Love" - "On
With The Show" - "Toast Of The
Town" - "Tonight" -
"Too Fast For Love" (Alternate
Intro) - "Stick To Your Guns" -
"Merry-Go-Round" (live) |
|
Shout At The Devil
Released: August, 1983
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 17
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "In The
Beginning" - "Shout At The
Devil" - "Looks That Kill"
- "Bastard" - "God Bless
The Children Of The Beast" -
"Helter Skelter" - "Red
Hot" - "Too Young To Fall In
Love" - "Knock 'Em Dead,
Kid" - "Ten Seconds To
Love" - "Danger" -
"Shout At The Devil" (Demo) -
"Looks That Kill" (Demo) -
"Hotter Than Hell" (Demo) -
"I Will Survive" - "Too
Young To Fall In Love" (Demo) |
|
Theater Of Pain
Released: 1985
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Tracks: "City Boy
Blues" - "Smokin' In The Boys
Room" - "Louder Than Hell"
- "Keep Your Eye On The Money"
- "Home Sweet Home" -
"Tonight (We Need A Lover)" -
"Use It Or Lose It" -
"Save Our Souls" - "Raise
Your Hands To Rock" - "Fight
For Your Rights" - "Home Sweet Home" (Demo) -
"Smokin' In The Boys Room"
(Alternate Guitar Solo Rough Mix) -
"City Boy Blues" (Demo) -
"Home Sweet Home"
(Instrumental Rough Mix) - "Keep
Your Eye On The Money" (Demo) -
"Tommy Drum Piece From Cherokee
Studios" |
 |
Girls Girls Girls
Released: 1987
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 2
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Wild
Side" - "Girls, Girls,
Girls" - "Dancing On
Glass" - "Bad Boy Boogie"
- "Nona Listen" - "Five
Years Dead" - "All In The Name
Of..." - "Sumthin' For
Nuthin'" - "You're All I
Need" - "Jailhouse Rock"
(live) - "Girls, Girls, Girls"
(Rough Mix) - "Wild Side"
(Rough Mix) - "Rodeo" -
"Nona" (Demo Idea 2) -
"All In The Name Of Love"
(live) |
|
Dr. Feelgood
Released: September, 1989
US: 6x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 2 weeks)
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "T.N.T.
(Terror 'N Tinsletown)" - "Dr. Feelgood" -
"Slice Of Your Pie" -
"Rattlesnake Shake" - "Kickstart My Heart" - "Without You" - "Same
Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)" -
"Sticky Sweet" - "She Goes
Down" - "Don't Go Away Mad
(Just Go Away)" - "Time For A
Change" - "Dr. Feelgood" (Demo
Version) - "Without You" (Demo
Version) - "Kickstart My Heart" (Demo
Version) - "Get It For Free" -
"Time For A Change (Demo Version) |
 |
Decade Of Decadence:
'81-'91
Released: October, 1991
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 2
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Live
Wire" (Kick Ass '91 Remix) -
"Piece Of Your Action"
(Screamin' '91 Remix) - "Shout At
The Devil" - "Looks That
Kill" - "Home Sweet Home" ('91 Remix)
- "Smokin' In The Boys Room" -
"Girls, Girls, Girls" -
"Wild Side" - "Dr. Feelgood" - "Kickstart My Heart" (live) -
"Teaser" - "Rock N' Roll
Junkie" - "Primal Scream"
- "Angela" - "Anarch In
The UK" |
|
Mötley Crüe
Released: March, 1994
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 7
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Power To
The Music" - "Uncle Jack"
- "Hooligan's Holiday" -
"Misunderstood" -
"Loveshine" - "Poison
Apples" - "Hammered" -
"Til Death Do Us Part" -
"Welcome To The Numb" -
"Smoke The Sky" -
"Droppin' Like Flies" -
"Drift Away" -
"Hypnotized" -
"Babykills" - "Livin' In
The Know" |
|
Generation Swine
Released: June, 1997
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 4
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Find
Myself" - "Afraid" -
"Flush" - "Generation
Swine" - "Confessions" -
"Beauty" - "Glitter"
- "Anybody Out There" -
"Let Us Prey" -
"Rocketship" - "Rat Like
Me" - "Shout At The Devil
'97" - "Brandon" -
"Afraid" (Swine Mix/Jimbo Mix)
- "Wreck Me" - "Kiss The
Sky" - "Rocketship" (Early
Demo) |
|
Greatest Hits
Released: October, 1998
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 20
Tracks: "Bitter
Pill" - "Enslaved" -
"Girls, Girls, Girls" - "Kickstart My Heart" - "Wild
Side" - "Glitter" - "Dr. Feelgood" - "Same
Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)" - "Home Sweet Home" -
"Afraid" - "Don't Go Away Mad
(Just Go Away)" - "Without You" -
"Smokin' In The Boys Room" -
"Primal Scream" - "Too
Fast For Love" - "Looks That
Kill" - "Shout At The Devil
'97" |
|
Live: Entertainment Or
Death
Released: December, 1999
Billboard
peak:
# 133
Live Tracks: "Looks That
Kill" - "Knock 'Em Dead,
Kid" - "Too You To Fall In
Love" - "Live Wire" -
"Public Enemy #1" - "Shout
At The Devil" -
"Merry-Go-Round" - "Ten
Seconds To Love" - "Piece Of
Your Action" - "Starry
Eyes" - "Helter Skelter" -
"Smokin' In The Boys Room" -
"Don't Go Away Mad
(Just Go Away)" - "Wild
Side" - "Girls, Girls,
Girls" - "Dr. Feelgood" - "Without You" -
"Primal Scream" - "Same
Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)" - "Home Sweet Home" - "Kickstart My Heart" |
|
New Tattoo
Released: June, 2000
Billboard
peak:
# 41
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Hell On
High Heels" - "Treat Me Like
The Dog I Am" - "New
Tattoo" - "Dragstrip
Superstar" - "1st Band On The
Moon" - "She Needs Rock 'N
Roll" - "Punched In The Teeth
By Love" - "Hollywood
Ending" - "Fake" -
"Porno Star" - "White
Punks On Dope" |
|
Music To Crash Your Car
To, Volume 1 (box set)
Released: November, 2003
Tracks: "Live
Wire" - "Public Enemy #1"
(Original Mix) - "Take Me To The
Top" (Original Mix) -
"Merry-Go-Round" (Original Mix)
- "Piece Of Your Action"
(Original Mix) - "Starry Eyes"
(Original Mix) - "Stick To Your
Guns" - "Come On And
Dance" - "Too Fast For
Love" - "On With The Show"
- "Live Wire" - "Come On
And Dance" - " Public Enemy
#1" - "Merry-Go-Round" -
"Take Me To The Top" -
"Piece Of Your Action" -
"Starry Eyes" - "Too Fast
For Love" - "On With The
Show" - "Toast Of The
Town" - "Tonight" -
"Too Fast For Love" (Alternate
Intro) - "Merry-Go-Round"
(live) - "In The Beginning" -
"Shout At The Devil" -
"Looks That Kill" -
"Bastard" - "God Bless The
Children Of The Beast" -
"Helter Skelter" - "Red
Hot" - "Too Young To Fall In
Love" - "Knock 'Em Dead
Kid" - "Ten Seconds To
Love" - "Danger" -
"Shout At The Devil" (demo) -
"Hotter Than Hell" (Demo) -
"I Will Survive" - "Too
Young To Fall In Love" (demo) -
"City Boys Blues" -
"Smokin' In The Boys Room" -
"Louder Than Hell" - "Keep
Your Eye On The Money" - "Home Sweet Home" -
"Tonight (We Need A Lover)" -
"Use It Or Lose It" -
"Save Our Souls" - "Raise
Your Hands To Rock" - "Fight
For Your Rights" - "Home Sweet Home" (demo) -
"Smokin' In The Boys Room"
(Alternate Guitar Solo Rough Mix) -
"City Boy Blues" (demo) -
"Home Sweet Home"
(Instrumental Rough Mix) - "Keep
Your Eye On The Money" (demo) -
"Tommy's Drm Piece From Cherokee
Studios" - "Wild Side" -
"Girls, Girls, Girls" -
"Dancing On Glass" - "Bad
Boy Boogie" - "Nona" -
"Five Years Dead" - "All
In The Name Of..."Sumthin' For
Nuthin'" - "You're All I
Need" - "Jailhouse Rock"
(live) - "Girls, Girls, Girls"
(Rough Mix Instrumental) - "Wild
Side" (Instrumental Rough Mix) -
"Rodeo" - "Nona"
(Instrumental demo) - "All In The
Name Of..." (live) |
|
Red, White, & Crue
Released: February, 2005
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "Live
Wire" - "Piece Of Your
Action" - "Toast Of The
Town" - "Too Fast For
Love" - "Black Widow" -
"Looks That Kill" - "Too
Young To Fall In Love" (Remix) -
"Helter Skelter" - "Shout
At The Devil" - "Smokin' In The
Boys Room" - "Use It Or Lose
It" - "Girls, Girls,
Girls" - "Wild Side" -
"You're All I Need" - "All
In The Name Of..." - "Kickstart My Heart" - "Without You" - "Don't Go Away Mad
(Just Go Away)" - "Same Ol'
Situation (S.O.S.)" - "Dr. Feelgood" -
"Anarchy In The UK" -
"Primal Scream" - "Home Sweet Home" ('91 Remix)
- "Hooligan's Holiday" (Brown
Nose Edit) - "Misunderstood"
(Successful Format Version) -
"Planet Boom" -
"Bittersuite" -
"Afraid" (Alternative Rave Mix)
- "Beauty" - "Generation
Swine" - "Bitter Pill" -
"Enslaved" - "Hell On High
Heels" - "New Tattoo" -
"Street Fighting Man" -
"If I Die Tomorrow" -
"Sick Love Song" |
 |
Saints Of Los Angeles
Released: June, 2008
Billboard
peak:
# 4
Rolling Stone:
Tracks:
"L.A.M.F." - "Face Down In
The Dirt" - "What's It Gonna
Take" - "Down At The
Whiskey" - "Saints Of Los
Angeles" (Gang Vocal) -
"Mutherf***** Of The Year" -
"The Animal In Me" -
"Welcome To The Machine" -
"Just Another Psycho" -
"Chicks = Trouble" - "This
Ain't A Love Song" - "White
Trash Circus" - "Goin' Out
Swingin'" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3
vinyl |
The Dirt Soundtrack
Released: March 22, 2019
Billboard
peak:
# 10
Tracks: "The Dirt
(Est. 1981)" (featuring Machine Gun
Kelly) - "Red Hot" - "On
With The Show" - "Live
Wire" - "Merry-Go-Round" -
"Take Me To The Top" -
"Piece Of Your Action" -
"Shout At The Devil" -
"Looks That Kill" - "Too
Young To Fall In Love" - "Home
Sweet Home" - "Girls, Girls,
GIrls" - "Same Ol' Situation
(S.O.S.)" - "Kickstart My
Heart" - "Dr. Feelgood" -
"Ride WIth The Devil" -
"Crash And Burn" - "Like A
Virgin" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
|
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