JACK FM Artist Spotlight: Mötley Crüe

Mötley Crüe was formed on January 17, 1981 when bass guitarist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist/guitarist Greg Leon. Lee had worked previously with Leon in a band called Suite 19 and the trio practiced together for some time with Leon eventually deciding not to continue. The bassist and drummer then began a search for new members. Sixx and Lee soon met guitarist Bob “Mick Mars” Deal. Mars was quickly auditioned and subsequently hired by Sixx and Lee. The newly formed band did not yet have a name.

While trying to find a suitable name, Mars remembered an incident which occurred when he was playing with a band called White Horse, when one of the other band members called the group “a motley looking crew.” He had remembered the phrase and later copied it down as Mottley Cru-. After modifying the spelling slightly, “Mötley Crüe” was eventually selected as the band’s name, with the stylistic decision to add the two sets of umlauts supposedly inspired by the German beer Löwenbräu, which the members were drinking at the time. The group was still in need of a singer. Lee had known Vince Neil from their high school days at Royal Oak H.S. in Covina and the two had performed in different bands on the garage-band circuit. On seeing him perform with the band Rock Candy at the Starwood in Hollywood, Mars suggested Mötley Crüe hire Neil. At first Neil refused the offer. However, as the other members of Rock Candy became involved in outside projects, Neil grew anxious to try something else. When Lee made one final appeal to audition, Neil accepted and was hired.

* Anywhere, USA – Northern California Tour (1981)
* Too Fast For Love Tour (1981-1982)
* Crüesing Through Canada (1982)
* Mötley Crüe World Tour (1983-1984)
* Welcome To The Theatre Of Pain Tour (1985-1986)
* Girls, Girls, Girls World Tour 87/88 (1987)
* Moscow Music Peace Festival (1989)
* Dr. Feelgood World Tour ’89 – ’90 (1989-1990)
* Monsters Of Rock Tour 1991 (1991)
* Anywhere There’s Electricity Tour Of The Americas 1994 (1994)
* Anywhere There’s Electricity Japan Tour (1994)
* Live Swine Listening Party (1997)
* Mötley Crüe vs. The Earth Tour (1997)
* Greatest Hits Tour (1998-1999)
* Maximum Rock Tour (1999)
* Welcome To The Freekshow Tour (1999)
* Maximum Rock 2000 Tour (with Megadeth – 2000)
* New Tattoo Japan Tour 2000 (2000)
* Red, White & Crüe Tour 2005…Better Live Than Dead (2005)
* Carnival Of Sins Tour (2005-2006)
* Route of All Evil Tour (with Aerosmith – 2006)
* Mötley Crüe Tour 2007 (2007)
* Crüe Fest (with Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M. and Trapt – 2008)
* Saints Of Los Angeles World Tour (2008)
* Saints Of Los Angeles Tour (2009)
* Saints of Los Angeles European Tour (2009)
* Crüe Fest 2 (2009)

Motley Crue recently announced a Summer 2011 Tour along with Poison and The New York Dolls, including a stop at Target Center June 24th!