Mötley Crüe: American metal band

Heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, California. Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee founded the band with ex-Quiet Riot guitarist Greg Leon. Vince Neil and Mick Mars later replaced him on lead vocals and guitar respectively. They were one of the big glam metal bands of the 1980s. What was planned to be their final show took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on December 31, 2015.

Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe from left to right: Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Heavy metal, glam metal, hard rock
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Mötley, Eleven Seven Music, Elektra, Leathür, Warner Music Group
Members	Nikki Sixx Mick Mars Tommy Lee Vince Neil
Past member(s)	John Corabi Randy Castillo Greg Leon
Website	www.motley.com

Mötley Crüe was formed at the start of 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. At first the band consisted of vocalist-guitarist Greg Leon, bassist Nikki Sixx, and drummer Tommy Lee. After auditions they found singer Vince Neil at a party and guitar player Mick Mars through an ad in a paper. They released their first album, Too Fast For Love, in 1981. The band later got signed to a major label. The band built success over the next few years with their next three albums, Shout at the Devil, Theatre of Pain and Girls, Girls, Girls, which had hit songs like "Shout at the Devil" "Home Sweet Home" and "Girls, Girls, Girls". However, the band created some negative attention because of their use of illegal drugs, large amounts of sex with women, and how they looked, including wearing make-up and several tattoos. Nikki Sixx took an overdose of heroin in 1987 and was legally dead for two minutes before getting an adrenaline shot, making him conscious again. The band stopped using drugs and drinking shortly after and released their most popular album, Dr. Feelgood, in 1989.

They released a greatest hits album in 1991 so fans had something to listen to before they brought out a sixth album. However, the band started arguing. Vince Neil left the band in 1992 because of this. So, the band found a new singer named John Corabi, who also played guitar and wrote lyrics with the band. They released their self-titled album in 1994. It created a mixed response from fans who preferred Vince Neil as the band's singer, and did not like the music itself, which sounded less like glam rock and more like hard rock. John Corabi left in 1996 and Vince Neil came back. The band released Generation Swine in 1997, but the album created a mixed response due to the musical experiments on the album.

Tommy Lee was unhappy with Vince Neil back in the band and further arguments between band members caused Lee to leave the band, being replaced by Randy Castillo. The band released their least successful album, New Tattoo, in 2000. It sounded more like the band's 80s albums rather than the more experimental albums they released in the 90s. After the album, Randy Castillo became ill and Samantha Maloney had to drum during some of the band's concerts. Randy Castillo died in 2002, and the band did not do much for the next two years.

Mötley Crüe made a comeback with Tommy Lee in 2004, and were once again successful, touring worldwide and releasing another greatest hits album called Red, White and Crüe. They released another album of new songs in 2008 called Saints of Los Angeles. They disbanded after their last concert on December 31, 2015. They got back together in 2018.

• Too Fast for Love (November 1981)
• Shout at the Devil (September 1983)
• Theatre of Pain (July 1985)
• Girls, Girls, Girls (May 1987)
• Dr.Feelgood (September 1989)
• Mötley Crüe (March 1994)
• Generation Swine (June 1997)
• New Tattoo (2000)
• Saints of Los Angeles (June 2008)