Motley Crue was formed in 1980 by Nikki Sixx bass Guitar, Tommy Lee drums, Mick Mars Guitar and Vince Neil vocals. Ignored by all the big record labels of the time Motley Crue released their first album Too Fast For Love in 1981 on they’re own independent record label, Leathur Label. The album although being of poor quality caught the attention of Elektra Entertainment, which signed the band and re-released Too Fast For Love in 1982.
In 1984 the band released their sophomore effort Shout at the Devil. In December 1984 Vocalist Vince Neil was involved in car accident which ended the life of Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle. Vince was found to be over the legal limit of Alcohol consumption and later plea-bargained and received a 30-day jail sentence. Motley Crue continued on and released their third album in 1985 titled Theatre of Pain featuring the single Home Sweet Home that would go on to become one of Motley Crue’s greatest Singles.
In 1987 Motley Crue reinvented their selves for their fourth album, Girls, Girls, Girls they abandoned the make and hair spray for a more rugged biker look. And took on a more raw sound. It’s at this point that band founder suffered a heroin overdose while on tour with Guns ‘N’ Roses that nearly stop Motley Crue.
They band cleaned up their act and released their fifth album Dr. Feelgood in 1989. Dr. Feelgood went on to become their greatest selling album of all time and Produced by Bob Rock this was the album that brought Motley Crue to the level of Rock Icons. The Feelgood launched a monstrous year long World Tour for the Crue that included the Moscow Peace Festival that drew almost 200,000 fans.
In 1991 The Crue released Decade of Decadence a greatest hits album which included three new tracks and began to make plans for their sixth studio album when in 1992 Vince was unexpectedly fired/quit. Nikki Sixx claims that Vince quit the band Vince maintains that he was fired. Motley Crue replace him with ex-scream member John Corabi in 1994 and released their sixth album titled Motley Crue.
The fans abandoned their support for the John Corabi lead Motley Crue. The album was a total one-eighty from their previous work with Vince Neil. Gone was the flashy hair band that dominated the 80’s it was replaced with a harder more metallic sound. The album failed miserably and the tour digressed with every stop they made. They went from arena’s to amphitheater's to clubs to the lowest point of playing local bars. At one point the members of the band had to pay out of their own pocket to keep the tour alive.
In 1996 with pressure from their record label and continued problems with their management the Crue brought back Vince Neil in 1996. Also in 1996 Tommy Lee was gaining more than his share of press attention from his Marriage to Baywatch star Pamela Anderson. He was arrested for supposed spousal abuse and would eventually serve a six-month jail sentence.
John Corabi who had since been let go would go on to file a lawsuit against the band claiming he was never paid monies promised to him. Through the press surrounding the two events Motley released their seventh album Generation Swine and made a dramatic return on the American Music Awards. The album eventually went nowhere as the Crue was trying to hard to keep with the ever changing musical world.
The Crue’s next offering was their Greatest Hits album with two newly recorded tracks. A tour followed that lead to another member departing from the group. A confrontation with Vince and Tommy that lead to a fistfight sealed Tommy Lee’s future in the band. He eventually quit late in 1999 to pursue his Methods of Mayhem project and was replaced with Randy Castillo of Ozzy Osbourne fame.
The Crue came together to make New Tattoo that brought the band full circle back to the sound and style that made them famous. Their autobiography The Dirt was released the Next year in 2001. The bands future was put on hold in March of 2002 following the death of Randy Castillo from stomach Cancer.
