Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Motley Crue


Rock group. Original members include Tommy Lee (b. October 3, 1962, in Athens, Greece), Nikki Sixx (b. December 11, 1958, in San Jose, California), Mick Mars (b. April 3, 1956, in Huntington, Indiana), and Vince Neil (b. c.1961 in Hollywood, California). One of top rock acts of the 1980s, Mötley Crüe became famous for their over-the-top live shows and hard-partying ways. The group was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles. Drummer Tommy Lee (originally Tommy Lee Bass) and bassist Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Ferranno) started out calling themselves Christmas. They found Mick Mars (born Bob Deal) through a classified ad that read: “Loud Rude Aggressive Guitarist Available.” Soon after, the trio became a quartet with the addition of vocalist Vince Neil.

The group was renamed Mötley Crüe by Mars and set out to make their first recording. Independently produced, their first recording was later released by Elektra Records as Too Fast for Love in 1982, which hit No. 77 on the Billboard charts the following year. At the time, Mötley Crüe was part of the L.A. heavy metal club scene that also included such bands as Poison. These so-called “hair metal” acts were as well known for their hard rock sound as their fondness for wearing heavy makeup on stage and having long, teased hair.

After their debut, Mötley Crüe continued to attract new fans. Their growing audience helped 1983’s Shout at the Devil reach the Top 20 on the album charts. Their next effort, Theatre of Pain (1985), put the band at the top with the hit “Smokin’ in the Boys Room.” The video for the power ballad “Home Sweet Home” received frequent airtime on MTV, making the quartet even more famous.

Off stage, Mötley Crüe was infamous for their romantic lives, often dating models and actresses. Their quest for a good time was also legendary. But their love of drugs and alcohol had tragic consequences. Neil got into a car accident while intoxicated in 1984, injuring two passengers and killing drummer Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley of the band Hanoi Rocks. A judge later convicted Neil of vehicular manslaughter. After serving a short jail sentence, Neil had to do community service and was ordered to pay $2.6 million to Dingley’s estate and to the two other victims.

The band also nearly lost another member in 1987, when Sixx almost died of an illegal drug overdose. He explained the course of events to People magazine later, saying, “When I did the last hit of smack, I already had Valium, heroin, cocaine, whiskey and beer in me. I kinda remember waking up [and a paramedic] telling me I'd died, then been revived. Vince was called and told that I'd be DOA at the hospital. They shot adrenaline into my heart, and I pulled through.”

While the band struggled personally, they continued to thrive commercially. They released Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987. The title track became a No. 1 single, and the album hit No. 2. After nearly losing their bandmate in 1987, the members of Mötley Crüe decided to clean up their act.

Source : biography.com

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