| "When Motley Crue came on the scene, it was
less as a band than as a gang. Wed get d****, do crazy amounts of
c******, and walk the circuit in stiletto heels, stumbling all over the
place." -- Vince Neil . Here is a great tshirt for the modern motley
crue fan.
M?y Cr? formed in 1981, in Los Angeles, after bassist Nikki Sixx left
the band London, which he and Lizzie Grey had started in 1979 after he
was fired from Blackie Lawless band Sister. London was also the first
band for Guns N Roses guitarists Izzy Stradlin and Slash, as well as
Cinderella drummer Fred Coury.
Nikki asked London bandmate Greg Leon about musicians interested in
joining a new band. Leon recommended the drummer Tommy Lee who was at
the time in a band called Suite 19.
Nikki and Tommy met guitarist Mick Mars through a classified ad in an
L.A. music newspaper reading "Loud, rude, aggressive guitarist
available." When they first met Mick, Nikkis first reaction was, "I cant
believe it! Heres another one like us!" Micks equipment was quickly set
up and shortly after, he was playing the opening riff to "Stick to Your
Guns". Mars proceeded to, according to Tommy Lee, "play the shit out of
his guitar." After getting drunk and jamming for an hour, Mick fired the
bands guitarist, who was a musician known only as Robin (a "pansy"
according to Lee).
It was Mick who came up with the bands name. While in his former
band, White Horse, one of the band members walked in and called the
group "a motley looking crew." Mick copied the name down on paper, with
the original spelling Mottley cru. The name was later applied to the
band he was to join in 1981 with Nikki and Tommy. However, there is much
talk about the band floating the name "Christmas" before they settled on
Motley Crue. |
