Mötley Crüe

Mötley Crüe is an American hard rock and heavy metal group from Los Angeles, formed in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. Guitarist Mick Mars and singer Vince Neil join shortly afterwards, and Sixx remains the only constant member through a long history of lineup changes. The group’s members include Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx, John Corabi, Randy Castillo, John 5 and DJ Larceny.

Sound and image

The band’s early albums, Too Fast for Love and Shout at the Devil, establish a hard rock and heavy metal style. Their third album, Theatre of Pain, marks a move towards glam metal. Their music is also associated with arena rock and metal, and their image is linked to hedonism and androgyny. Live shows feature elaborate staging, including pyrotechnics, roller-coaster drum kits, flame-throwing guitars and other theatrical effects.

Releases and success

Mötley Crüe sells more than 100 million records worldwide. The band earns seven platinum or multi-platinum certifications and places nine albums in the Billboard 200 Top 10. Dr. Feelgood is its only studio album to reach number one on that chart. It also scores twenty-two Top 40 mainstream rock hits and six Top 20 pop singles. The studio albums listed for the group include Too Fast for Love (1981), Shout at the Devil (1983), Theatre of Pain (1985), Girls, Girls, Girls (1987), Dr. Feelgood (1989), Mötley Crüe (1994), Generation Swine (1997), New Tattoo (2000) and Saints of Los Angeles (2008).

Later activity

Saints of Los Angeles is the band’s most recent studio album. The group’s final-concert performance takes place on 31 December 2015 and later appears in theatres and on Blu-ray in 2016. After a period of inactivity, Vince Neil announces in 2018 that the band is reunited and recording new material. Four new songs appear in the soundtrack to the Netflix biopic The Dirt in 2019, alongside the group’s autobiography of the same name. The soundtrack reaches number one on the iTunes All Genres Album Chart, number three on the Billboard Top Album Sales and Digital Album Sales charts, number ten on the Billboard 200, and top 10 positions in several other countries; the autobiography also returns to The New York Times Best Seller list.

Line-up changes and touring

The band goes through several personnel changes over time. John Corabi replaces Vince Neil from 1992 to 1996. Randy Castillo and Samantha Maloney fill in after Tommy Lee leaves in 1999, and Lee returns in 2004. In 2022, the band tours North America with Def Leppard. In October 2022, Mick Mars announces his retirement from touring after 41 years, and John 5 joins as his replacement.