Motley Crue is taking steps toward a 2004 tour with all of its original members, the first time the group has done so since 1999. If it happens, the trek will be tied into the theatrical release of The Dirt, based on the notoriously hard-partying band’s 2001 autobiography.
Bassist Nikki Sixx acknowledged the potential obstacles to reuniting in a post this fall on the band’s official Web site. I speak to [drummer] Tommy [Lee], [guitarist] Mick [Mars] and [vocalist] Vince [Neil] quite often, but I know Vince has some resentments that need to be ironed out, he admitted.
But if everybody wants to do a Crue tour, I’m there, he continued. At this point for me, a Motley Crue tour is not about the money. I’d really like to go out and give one last kick a** tour where everybody including the band walk away with a smile on their face.
This month, Hip-O/Universal released the four-CD Crue boxed set Music to Crash Your Car To, Vol. 1, featuring every track from the band’s first four albums. Sixx has also signed a deal with Sanctuary for the March release of the debut album from his new band, Brides Of Destruction, which includes former L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, drummer Scot Coogan and vocalist London LeGrand.
-Jonathan Cohen, Billboard
Three years after going on hiatus, hard rock hell-raisers M tley Cr e plan to reunite for a tour and possible album in 2004. And, for the first time in five years, all four original members will be on board for the ride.
Three years ago, we decided to take time off to recharge, bassist Nikki Sixx said. We put the movie deal in place and planned on a tour when all the original bandmembers were ready to work together again. Everything is pretty much right on time.
Sixx said the 2004 world tour will coincide with the release of the big-screen version of The Dirt, based on the band’s over-the-top 2001 autobiography of the same name. The tour will feature singer Vince Neil, Sixx, guitarist Mick Mars and drummer Tommy Lee.
The reunion is surprising given the notoriously bad blood between Lee and Neil Sixx said the two still have not spoken to each other about the dates.
We plan on recording new music as well, Sixx said. I’d like to see us go heavier. When the four of us are together, something magical happens. That’s something I’ve never felt before. All the drama and bullsh– aside … I love playing in M tley Cr e.
Sixx said that M tley could have returned earlier if they’d accepted the two different slots they were offered on previous Ozzfest tours, but relations between the bandmembers were too strained at those points.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1981, M tley Cr e became one of the most outrageous and notorious bands of the decade, surviving drug overdoses, public feuds and numerous brushes with the law on their way to selling millions of albums. The band had a string of hit records in the mid and late 80s, but parted ways with Neil in 1992, who was briefly replaced by John Corabi.
In 1997, Corabi was fired and Neil returned, but the reunion was brief as Lee left the band after a 1999 greatest-hits tour and formed his short-lived Methods of Mayhem side project. Lee was replaced by former Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo, who died of cancer in 2002 (see Ozzy Osbourne Drummer Randy Castillo Dies ). During the hiatus, Neil mounted a series of solo tours and Sixx began his second career as what he jokingly refers to as the white P. Diddy, writing hit songs for Saliva, Meat Loaf and Faith Hill, among others (see Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx Writes For Backstreet, Meat Loaf ).
A four-CD box set of classic Cr e material, Music to Crash Your Car To, Vol. 1, was released last week. The 70-track set, which is packaged in faux iguana skin, covers the years 1981-1987 and features every track from the band’s first four albums, Too Fast for Love, Shout at the Devil, Theatre of Pain and Girls, Girls, Girls. Among the extras are demos of such classic songs as Shout at the Devil, Looks That Kill and alternate mixes of Too Fast for Love, Live Wire and eight other songs from their debut. The set is the first in a planned chronological 12-CD series that will be broken up into four boxes.
Gil Kaufman, mtv.com
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Music To Crash Your Car To, Volume 1
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Get ready to rock! The Hip-O Records reissue of the entire M tley Cr e album catalog kicked off April 1, 2003 with the re-release of the notorious band’s 1998 Greatest Hits album, the group’s 10 other albums (four of them in both Explicit and Clean versions), plus two DVD homevideo collections. Eight of the 11 albums include bonus tracks making their U.S. debuts, having previously been heard only on their Japanese editions. For the band’s first seven albums, those tracks join the bonuses previously added for their 1999 remasters. The most recent four albums are reissued here for the first time: Greatest Hits, the rarities collection Supersonic & Demonic Relics, the band’s sole live album Live: Entertainment Or Death, and the studio album New Tattoo, which adds bonus tracks as well.
–Greatest Hits: Considered the best M tley Cr e best of, the original 1998 album superseded the band’s double platinum, #2-charting 1991 compilation Decade Of Decadence 81- 91. The 17-selection Greatest Hits, with Smokin In The Boys Room, Girls, Girls, Girls and ’dr. Feelgood, reached #20 and gold.
–Too Fast For Love: Initially self-released, the down and dirty Too Fast For Love sold a surprising 20,000 copies before its 1982 major label re-release. Today, the album which barely charted Top 80 is certified platinum. A live version of Merry-Go-Round has been added to the previous four bonus tracks.
–Shout At The Devil: Singer Vince Neil, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee broke through with 1983’s infamous Shout At The Devil, led by Looks That Kill. The album reached #17 and today is quadruple platinum. Now joining four previous bonuses is the demo for the album’s Too Young To Fall In Love.
–Theatre Of Pain: With this 1985 album, M tley Cr e became stars. Featuring their first Top 40 pop hit, a cover of Brownsville Station’s Smokin In The Boys Room, and Home Sweet Home, the first power ballad aired on MTV (a 1991 version would go Top 40), Theatre Of Pain shot to #7 and is now quadruple platinum. A never released in the U.S. Tommy Lee drum piece augments five earlier bonus demos and alternate mixes.
–Girls, Girls, Girls: A party-metal sleaze classic, 1987’s Girls, Girls, Girls yielded another hit in the #12 title track and a fan favorite in Wild Side. Peaking at #2, the album became the band’s third straight quadruple platinum. A live performance of the album’s All In The Name Of… recorded in Moscow is now added to four previous bonus tracks.
–Dr. Feelgood: M tley Cr e’s best-selling album, 1989’s Dr. Feelgood went #1 and six times platinum and spun off four Top 30 hits, including two Top 10s. The title track hit #6 and went gold, Without You reached #8, ’don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) was #19 and Kickstart My Heart charted at #27. The demo for the album’s Time For Change is now included with four earlier bonus tracks.
–M tley Cr e: With Neil’s exit, John Corabi was enlisted. Perhaps the band’s most serious album, 1993’s M tley Cr e reached #7 and was certified gold.
–Generation Swine (Explicit/Clean): Neil returned for 1997’s Generation Swine, a #4 charter that was certified gold. The previously unreleased in the U.S. Song To Slit Your Wrist By joins four earlier bonuses.
–Supersonic & Demonic Relics (Explicit/Clean): This 1999 rarities collection now boasts the Knock Em Dead, Kid demo.
–Live: Entertainment Or Death (Explicit/Clean): The band appended its long-time motto to its only live album, 1999’s double-disc Live: Entertainment Or Death.
–New Tattoo (Explicit/Clean): Lee was replaced by Ozzy Osbourne drummer Randy Castillo and the lascivious New Tattoo appeared in 2000. The 2003 edition will add Timebomb and/or bonuses from the Japanese double-disc and single-disc versions which include two demos and six live performances.
The DVDs:
–VH1 Behind The Music: M tley Cr e: In 1999, VH1 broadcast the M tley Cr e chapter of its Behind The Music series, and it became the network’s highest-rated episode to that date. The show was then released on VHS and DVD, and now returns on DVD.
–Lewd, Cr ed & Tattooed: The band’s only concert homevideo, 2001’s gold-certified Lewd, Cr ed & Tattooed was issued on VHS and DVD and now is back in its DVD format. Along with the live tracks are performance videos, a making of New Tattoo, screensavers, a 5.1 Surround Sound mix and more.
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Music To Crash Your Car To, Volume 1
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I give 2 out 4 stars. Not bad, but needs more grit! – said The White Wookie on Nov 11, 2003
Hey Jarrod, Are you a big Crue fan? I grew up on the Crue, and still love the guys! I won tickets and Bar-B-Crue passes for their tour with the Scorps a few years back! It was like a dream come true! We didn’t get to get autographs or anything, KLOL wouldn’t allow us to bother the guys! Anyway, I got to meet Randy Castillo then, and he died shortly after. He was awesome!! Sorely missed! Can’t wait for a reunion tour! Shadows Fall ended with Live Wire the other night, too! I’d seen em do that before, awesome!!!! – said metalshane on Nov 11, 2003
JASON HOOK (VINCE NEIL BAND, BULLETBOYS) Jason Hook is a Renaissance man who has made a name for himself on his chops and versatility. From his work with teen-dream Mandy Moore to his position as guitarist in the Vince Neil Band, he has garnered accolades from both fans and fellow musicians. Electric Basement spoke with him on the eve of the current Vince Neil tour, about everything from Web design to the lasting impression made on him by Poison bassist Bobby Dall. Due to the upcoming Motley Crue reunion, will you still be working with Vince? What I’ve heard so far is that Motley has not secured any details. According to Vince, they haven’t secured any details relative to the tour. I know that Nikki is out giving interviews, saying that the whole thing is secured and that there’s a record that’s going to be included, etc.. But when I talked to Vince, he’s like they haven’t really come to an agreement on everyone’s splits and shares, managers commissions, etc. I’m not sure when that’s gonna happen. What I DO know is that Vince has signed a deal with a promoter for 120 solo shows that will probably have to be broken into pieces. And we’re starting the first piece this summer. Vince has a lot of demons… . What’s it like working with him? I don’t have a problem with Vince on a personal level. Yes, he can drink his ass off, and the rest of the band doesn’t really drink that much, so I think he’s more compelled to care about what we’re doing, because the rest of us are sort of on target. I haven’t had a problem with the guy he’s always been really nice and friendly to me. I think he’s a really sweet man, actually. The problem is, with some of these rock stars that I’ve had the opportunity to work with they have tremendous power. And when things upset them, they tend to get a little exaggerated with their temper. Add alcohol to that and you ll get these sort of flare-ups; the drinking makes him normal for where he’s been. I have certainly worked with some other people that have been a LOT worse. Vince is primarily a nice, generous, and easy-going guy. Speaking of other people you’ve worked with, do you sometimes get frustrated by people focusing on the dichotomy between your gig with Mandy Moore and your time with rockers such as Vince and the Bulletboys, rather than focusing on your actual playing with these people? I sort of understand how that would be more interesting. It’s kind of like actors in Hollywood get the most press when they start dating ’somebody , instead of the last five movies they’ve done. So is that your next step, then? To date an actress? [laughter] Oh no, I’ve BEEN through all that and it’s pretty unfulfilling in the long run. Hollywood women are distorted. [laughter] What are the current developments on the solo album you’ve been talking about for the past few years? You had, previously, stated that you were not interested in doing an all-instrumental album, and would prefer to recruit a variety of singers on the tracks. Actually, I’m working on it right now. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything creative. I’ve had several bands that I put together in LA, worked really hard on, and it’s very hard to get the attention of labels out here. The last record I put out was a couple of years ago the Monkeyhead one and I haven’t really done anything since. After doing Vince’s band, I knew that if I had the opportunity to record with him, it would be a great one. He seems to be really game for it. The problem is, the only time I see Vince is when we’re touring, which is not conducive to a lot of creativity. And I think, now, he’s got the Motley Crue thing in the back of his mind, so I’m not sure when I can put the record together. But I started some work on material for him, and then sort of figured, after speaking with him he was thinking I would put a record out for NEXT summer, not this summer, but for 2005, after the Motley thing or whatever. So I figured I would just start focusing more towards a record that I can put out before we tour THIS summer. And that’s just sort of where I’m at now; I go in every single day with my Starbucks and I’m adding drum tracks and laying down guitars. It’s going to be just a completely self-indulgent, high-energy, super-syncopated tight performance guitar circle. I’m going with the saying, Let it turn into whatever it turns into. I don’t know enough singers right now, so I was planning on singing some of the stuff myself. But I’m not a great singer, so I don’t want to take away from the exciting element that I can bring to the record, which is probably my guitar playing. I don’t want to take away from that by trying to be a singer. If I sing one or two things and I think it’s good enough to go on there, then fine. If I find a singer or somebody that comes into town wants to sing a song, then that’s great, too. I’m just gonna roll along and let it grow into whatever it grows into. My plan, so far, is to try to make the best piece of work that I can make to try to put together the best product that I can make, with no expectations other than just to make myself happy. I think that what happens is we all get lost in the partying and the special treatment and we all forget what it’s like to gain simple pleasure just from making music. So, really, as far as putting the record out, I have a few key people that I will ask to help. If it doesn’t appeal to anybody, that’s fine, too. I ll just put it out I’m pretty savvy with the Internet and web skills and stuff. So I will launch a small campaign myself and make it available through my website for anybody who cares. Like I said, I really don’t have any expectations, I just need to do it for myself, because it’s been too long. You mentioned your Web skills. With Shotput Media and Five Finger Media, are you taking on new clients, or is Web design just something you do for a hobby? Shotput Media was the first company I started. I had a partner, but I got sucked into the music thing and so I let him take that. He’s a great guy, my friend Dmitri I let him take the name, to go and do whatever he wants with it. I said, Look, the music thing is really starting to take off for me. I was doing Mandy and the BulletBoys, and I didn’t want to sit there at a computer, so I said, You go and run with it. So I had left that with him, and then I came back and I had some downtime, so I figured I would start doing some websites again. I started my own company, Five Finger Media, which has sort of been the Web umbrella that I’ve done all my work under. I was really impassioned about it in the beginning. I did a crash course on it I sought out every Web designer I could find, and sort of sucked their brains. I learned the whole thing, A to Z, in a very short period of time. My biggest problem now is that I have a nerve condition in my right arm that doesn’t really allow me to sit at a computer for very long. And, really, it’s kind of been a downer for me, because as soon as I start working on the mouse, or typing, or sitting at the desk where the pressure is on my forearm, I have all sorts of numbness and burning. It’s a nerve condition called ulnar neuropathy, which is not great for being a guitar player. But, thank God, it doesn’t really flare up when I play guitar, only when I do Web work, so it’s kind of kept me off the computer. When you’re designing, do you code by hand, or do you use a development environment? I learned how to code by hand, in the beginning. I didn’t even know there were HTML editors like DreamWeaver and FrontPage. My roommate, who happened to be my partner in ShotPut, gave me a book when I started getting into it Learn HTML in 24 Hours. I just kept watching him do great stuff, and I was like, Jesus, that’s cool. And so I read this book and started geeking around with things like how to make titles in bold, simple shit. Once you start to gain control over that, it’s like an addiction; you want to go all the way. Who would you consider the greatest rock and roll band of all time, and why? I go through phases. Now that I’m older, I really put a lot of stock in real bands: bands that just existed as real bands no outside assistance from songwriters or ghost musicians or production. I would definitely say, right now, I’m on a MAJOR Deep Purple kick. I know that Deep Purple probably wouldn’t end up being a first choice for all people; Led Zeppelin is very predictable for me. I’m not so much of a Zeppelin fan, but I know most people would say Zeppelin. I LOVED Kiss, actually still do all the early records. But they’re so distorted with their reality that I can’t really name them any more. Van Halen, in the beginning, certainly. In the early days, they were just a genuine backyard party, where you just have fun with it where everyone has their role and everyone has a unique sound that they bring to the package. So I would definitely say Deep Purple now, and then go with Van Halen.. It’s funny that you mentioned Kiss, because I was wondering: If Gene Simmons tapped you on the shoulder tomorrow, and said, [Tommy] Thayer’s out, would you be willing to perform in the Ace Frehley makeup? Of course! I’d be a fucking idiot not to! It’s hard to say, but of course, I would have to. I mean, everything that I’m doing now I consider stuff that is way beyond what I ever imagined. Given the opportunity, who would you like to work with that you haven’t yet? There’s a couple of singers that I would love to do a couple of songs with. I was just thinking about the Hughes Turner Project, Glenn Hughes of course being the former bass player and vocalist for Deep Purple. I’ve followed Glenn’s career, but I’ve never met the man, though. I’m a huge fan of his; I would love to do some music with Glenn. And obviously, Joe Lynn Turner’s got an amazing voice. I’ve just recently been checking out some of the Rainbow stuff with Ritchie Blackmore and Joe Lynn. So I’d love to work with Joe Lynn. Definitely Dave Grohl he’s like IT, man. He is the shit not only does he not take himself so seriously, but he can seriously deliver on the guitar and vocal level. He’s the only one out there that’s sort of doing that. Newer bands that I dig? There’s a band called Switchfoot; I like bands like Third Eye Blind melodic rock type stuff. Now, when we interviewed Dave Sabo, this is what he had to say about you: the guitar player in his band, Jason Hook, is tremendous. It inspires me personally because it makes me want to be that much better. That’s pretty heady praise. Do you have any reaction to that? Those guys are the nicest guys and they far exceeded my expectations as far as human beings. Dave definitely ended up being everyone’s favourite on tour, because he’s just as sweet and an extremely entertaining individual. I made great friends with those guys, and it’s very nice to hear that he said that. But I still feel very competitive. Every third day, I would look over and see Scotti and Dave on my side, staring at me playing and giving me the thumbs up. And so it was like… .that was pretty intimidating! I mean, the two of them would say, You can REALLY play, and that’s real nice to see. I was very flattered, but I would also remind them that they have also written songs that have topped Billboard charts and that’s something that I haven’t even come close to, so I’m very envious of them as well. Just really nice individuals and it’s nice to hear they said that. I was afraid that you were going to say, Jason Hook came into our bus to do beer bongs every night. There’s been some controversy about the recent Bulletboys disc, Sophie. Has that situation been resolved yet? When I joined the BulletBoys, Marq and I were at very different points in our life. He was anxious to get creative and to do something new, and I can’t say that I blame him. He had been singing the same BulletBoys songs for years. Marq doesn’t drink, so Marq’s always go this sort of high energy thing, looking to be creative and looking for something other than girls and booze. That’s the great part about Marq Torien’that he’s got a tremendous amount of energy and he’s got a fantastic, creative mind. But I just wasn’t there in MY head. I had exhausted my creativity; I had failed at numerous bands in LA and I really just wanted to go out and play rock star through the summer, and nothing more. So I think, right out of the gate, he was a little frustrated with me. Eventually, we got off the road, and I was still in the band and we got into a situation where he and I were isolating and writing songs and coming up with material. The thing that pisses me off is that when I left BulletBoys to go to Vince Neil’s gig, I tried to tell Marq that it was going to happen. And Marq is a very short-tempered individual, and as a result of that, he is probably the most self-destructive human being I’ve ever met. For the most part, Marq and I got along fine, but I’ve watched him come unglued on people time and time again where it was just so over the top that it would permanently, irreparably destroy relationships with cool people all day, every single day. Anyway, I was nervous about telling him that I was going to do Vince’s gig, and certainly, when I told him, my predictions came true. He got very upset with me and as a result, he has elected to now go and finish the record that I started with him and Andy Johns. I co-wrote more material on that record than he has credited me for. So my whole position is I don’t know what to do. I kind of feel cheated. I’m not that concerned about the money, I just think on an ethical and moral basis, just for my own principles, I have to do something about it. Not for the money, but just on principle. Credit where credit is due? Credit where credit is due, and also to show somebody that they can’t just start projects and co-write with people and then claim ownership once that relationship breaks apart. Do you get tired of all the attention that gets focused on your looks? You know, it’s funny, because I used to read interviews by guys like [Jon] Bon Jovi, and I remember him commenting in Rolling Stone, when he did the Rolling Stone interview way back. He was talking about how I’ve been in a band, putting my heart and soul into it for most of my life, but all they want to talk about is my haircut. It was like, are you going to talk about music, or are you going to talk about my looks and that’s going to be the end of it? And I just remembered that, thinking, C mon dude, RELAX, you’re getting attention. But, honestly, it’s a perk. I mean, it’s flattering. If it helps draw attention to things that are important to me, if I’m healthy and making music if it can help draw attention towards those things, then fine. Let’s take that a little further. In her Sludgette of the Month interview at Metal Sludge, StaticBeth stated her interest in adding you to her world-famous Penis Page which is basically a collection of naked rock stars. You, yourself, have said Any publicity is good publicity , so what’s the likelihood we will be seeing you there sometime? It definitely seems to have increased public awareness of Phil Varone [Skid Row drummer]. [laughter] Wait, you’re going to have to send me the URL for that! What is it, just a bunch of dick shots, or… Basically. When she did that interview, and was asked Who have you not yet gotten on the page that you would like to? , yours was the first name she brought up. You know what? I did a lot of stupid things, and it’s funny how things change. When I first got into BulletBoys, it was … I had never really been in a situation where I could draw that sort of attention to myself. So when I first got into BulletBoys, it was a chance to be known not just nationally, but internationally. We’re talking sort of small-level, compared to what it is now, but my answer to everything was Yes! . Someone wants to take a picture of you naked, great, no problem. Someone wants you to take these 5 shots of Jagermeister, no problem, great, let’s do them all. And I was lost in it. Subsequently, there are stupid photos of me floating around. Now that I just went through the most-fantasized summer tour that any guitar player could ever dream of [Poison, Skid Row, Vince Neil Harder, Louder Faster tour]… I loved it. And now, I feel like I’m coming down off of that, and I’m less likely to do all the crazy shit. And, of course, there’s NO WAY I’m going to put anything of mine up next to Phil Varone’s! What would you say was your most memorable moment during this last year? I can’t remember! [laughter] I think being yelled at by Bobby Dall was kind of unique and interesting. I have since had communication with Bob Dall, and we’re fine. I respect Bob because he’s sober and I know how tough it is in that environment to stay sober and remain in control. There were lines of communication being crossed at all times, but what I figured out towards the end of the tour was that I was blacklisted. It was like, The girls are going to like this puke in the opening band, and he is not to be given free reign roam of the place, and he’s not to be talking to chicks that we’ve put on our guest list. It was that whole girl thing that they do, you know? What I did not know was that every once in a while, I’m walking around backstage with some girl on my arm and the Poison FBI would get on their wireless mics and everyone would be like, He’s got one! I don’t know how it happened, but something happened with the bass player in Poison [Dall] where our bass player [Alan Vine] pissed him off, and Bobby thought that I was included in what had happened. I simply walked into the dressing room one day, and he tore my fucking head off! Whoo… not a big deal, he apologized. The whole thing got sorted out and he apologized for it, but if you want to talk about most memorable experience from the trip, that would be mine. There were a couple of massive venues we played we played Montreal, that was a massive audience. We played Detroit twice, sold out twice that was massive. And I was just sort of standing onstage, looking at this huge rock crowd, thinking, This is one of those moments that you’re going to always hold. I remember playing backyard wrestling with Dave. We’d drink our face off, then try to knock ourselves out by slamming cupboard doors into our skulls. I’m sober now, though, so I can talk about all of the stupidity. Describe yourself in just three words. No more, no less. Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. [laughter] I think Steven Tyler beat you to that one, didn’t he? I know, but you asked for just three! I was GOING to say Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional. No, honestly, let me answer that seriously. In three words: perfectionist, indecisive, and absent-minded. I want to thank you for the opportunity to chat, and if you see the guys from Skid Row, tell them that I said, Hello and thanks for the kind words . – said PAUZED on Apr 04, 2004
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