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This Hard-Rock Pop-Metal band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California
USA, when bassist Nikki Sixx, real name Frank Carlton Serafino Ferranno
and drummer Tommy Lee, born Thomas Lee
Bass come together to make music; soon after guitarist Mick Mars, real
name Bob Deal joined the ranks of Mötley Crüe and vocalist Vince
Neil, born Vince Neil Wharton, completed the line-up.
That same year the band recorded in three days their debut album, "Too
Fast For Love", which was issued on the independent label Lethur
Records.
In the following months the quartet inked a new deal with Elektra Records
who released their major debut album in 1983; "Shout At The Devil"
cracked the top 20 of The Billboard Top 200 chart and by the time reached
the triple platinum mark; the title-track entered the top 30 of The Mainstream
Rock and was followed by two Billboard's Hot 100 charting tracks: "Looks
That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love".
In the summer of 1984, Neil, driving under the influence of alcohol, caused
a deadly car crash; the singer spent 30 days in jail and the band was
forced to take a hiatus; the group's next release, 1985's "Theatre
Of Pain", peaked at #7 on The Billboard Top 200 Albums list thanks
to their first American top 40 hit: the power-ballad "Home Sweet
Home"; the third LP also included the single "Smokin' In The
Boys Room" which rose to #16 and #7, respectively, on Billboard's
Hot 100 and Active Rock charts.
Mötley Crüe returned two years later with "Girls, Girls,
Girls", the record peaked at #2 in U.S. and spawned two charting
singles: the title-track rose to #12 on The Billboard Hot 100 and "You're
All I Need" scraped the bottom of the same list; the band supported
the album with their headlining international tour, but the European dates
were canceled because Nikki Sixx overdosed and was declared clinically
dead.
After a period of rehabilitation, the foursome headed back to the studio
to record "Dr. Feelgood". Mötley Crüe soared to new
heights with their fifth album, it was released in September of 1989 and
shot to #1 on The Billboard Top 200 chart, the record included no less
than five smash singles: firstly the title-track hit #6 and #7. respectively,
on Billboard's Hot 100 and Mainstream Rock charts, "Kickstart My
Heart" hit the top 30 on U.S. Hot 100 and peaked at #18 on the Active
Rock chart, "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" broke the top
20 on both these charts, "Without You" was another huge hit
as it climbs up to #8 on The Billboard Hot 100 and to #11 spot on The
Mainstream Rock Tracks list; the final single, "Same Ol' Situation
(S.O.S.)", entered the latter chart at #34.
In 1991, the band issued the compilation "Decade Of Decadence '81-'91"
which rose to #2 on The Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, the disc featured
some re-worked tracks and three new songs; "Primal Scream",
released as a single, reached the #21 position on The Mainstream Rock
chart.
Mötley Crüe started up their own label signing with Elektra
Records a new deal and in March 1994 the group released their eponymous
album which was recorded without Neil who was fired because of his excessive
drinking, John Corabi was hired to replace him; the record hit #7 on The
Billboard Top 200 and the main single, "Hooligan's Holiday",
rose to #10 on the Active Rock chart and was followed by the minor hit,
"Misunderstood".
Another three years passed before the band returned to the spotlight,
during this time Vince Neil rejoined the Crue that made their first live
appearance since the reunion in early 1997 and by the next summer they
had "Generation Swine" ready for release, it peaked at #4 on
The Billboard 200 Albums chart while its lead single, "Afraid",
hit the top 10 of The Mainstream Rock Tracks and "Beauty" scraped
the lower regions of the top 40 on the same chart.
A year later the band split from Elektra and decided to release another
CD-collection, simply titled "Greatest Hits" which made it to
the top 20 in North-American charts and the previously unreleased track,
"Bitter Pill", reached the #22 slot on The Mainstream Rock chart.
Around this time the band was on the road, but was forced to stop touring
when Tommy Lee was incarcerated for spousal
abuse against wife Pamela Anderson; in 1999, he finally left the band
to pursue solo projects; Ozzy Osbourne
drummer, Randy Castillo was chosen as his replacement.
In mid-2000 the group resurfaced with "New Tattoo", the record
failed to enter the top 40 of the Official U.S. Albums chart and generated
only one Active Rock top 20 single, "Hell On High Heels"; the
band embarked on tour with Megadeth, but Castillo
was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, he checked in to a hospital
to undergo treatment for serious illnesses; Hole's
drummer Samantha Maloney joined to complete the live line-up. Sadly, Castillo
passed away on March 26, 2002, at the age of 51.
Mötley Crüe original members Neil, Mars, Sixx and Lee announced
dates for a world tour in 2005 and in February released the greatest hits
collection, "Red, White & Crue" which crashed into the top
10 of The Billboard 200; the first single off the double-CD set, "If
I Die Tomorrow" hit #4 on The Mainstream Rock list and another previously
unreleased song, "Sick Love Song", entered the top 30 on the
same chart.
That same year, Mötley Crüe recorded a new version of their
classic "Home Sweet Home" with Linkin
Park's Chester Bennington a twenty-five member Gospel choir and twenty-six-piece
orchestra to help Hurricane Katrina victims. The track was due to be made
available for download through iTunes, with all proceeds going to Katrina
relief efforts.
The Hot Mainstream Rock top 5 smash "Saints Of Los Angeles"
is Mötley Crüe's first single from their ninth album of original
material; the song, which also includes backing vocals by Buckcherry's
main-man Josh Todd, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa
Roach, James Michael from Sixx:A.M.
and Trapt frontman Chris Brown , is the title-track
of the group's latest album, released in June 2008 through Mötley
Records.
Mötley Crüe biography is an exclusive of 100xr.com
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