With a hardcore reputation that was equaled only by Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe's infamous antics made them a force to be reckoned with in the '80s. As one of the first and most influential metal bands of the '80s, Mötley Crüe had a string of hit albums, the biggest and most noteworthy being 1989's "Dr. Feelgood". The band continued to court controversy into the next decade, even when their recording career took a spun out of control through a series of well-publicized mishaps and run-ins with the law.
Mötley Crüe's beginning can be traced back to 1981, when bassist Nikki Sixx (born Frank Ferrana) and drummer "Tommy Lee" Bass decided to leave the bands they were in at the time and pursue a new project together. Bob "Mick Mars" Deal was hired to play guitar and "Vince Neil" Warton was added as vocalist. The band went through several name changes before Mars presented them with Mottley Krue, recalling a time when his previous band was described as a "motley looking crew." After agreeing on the name and altering the spelling, the newly formed group played local clubs and soon became cult favorites, known for their stage theatrics.
The group befriended Allan Coffman, who financed their first album, "Too Fast for Love", on their own small, independent Lethur Records label. The album sold a whopping 20,000 copies. After signing to Elektra Records, the band released "Shout at the Devil" in 1983, which featured the popular smash hit video "Looks That Kill". The record went platinum.
During that same year, the band's success was temporarily brought to a halt when Neil was involved in a deadly automobile accident on August 12. Driving under the influence of alcohol, Neil crashed into another car, killing his good friend and passenger Nicholas Dingley of Hanoi Rocks; the other victims emerged with broken bones and brain damage. Neil was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated, and was incarcerated for 30 days in 1985, in addition to performing community service and settling a huge cash settlement. By the time Neil was sentenced, the band's newest record, "Theatre of Pain", had already been released and soared up the charts, making them massive superstars and producing their first Top 40 hit with a dynamic rendition of Brownsville Station's "Smokin' in the Boys' Room".
After a short break, the band got back together with Neil and filmed the music video for "Home Sweet Home"; the first hit power ballad to be aired on MTV, which became the network's one of the most requested music video for four consecutive months. A 44-minute home video cassette, "Uncensored", was released in 1986, and featured rare live footage and interviews.
During the same year, Tommy Lee married Melrose Place actress Heather Locklear. By 1987, Mötley Crüe released their controversial fourth album, "Girls, Girls, Girls". The Uncensored video for the popular title track was immediately banned from television, not airing until a slightly cleaned-up version was released; the band's notoriety continued to rise, as other songs like "Wild Side" became increasingly popular. The group embarked on a major tour, but the European dates were canceled when Nikki Sixx suffered a near-fatal drug overdose.
Over the next year, Mötley Crüe remained out of the spotlight, as all four members sought out drug rehabilitation. Clean and sober, they returned in 1989 with Dr. Feelgood, which hit number one on the Billboard charts due to the strong singles "Kickstart My Heart," "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)," "Without You," and the infamous title-track, which became their first Top Ten single. After another worldwide tour, in 1991 they released a compilation album, "Decade of Decadence". The album went to No.2 in the charts, and a home video of the same name followed. The group started their own record label, Mötley Records, and signed a new contract with Elektra for $25 million. The rest, as they say, is history.
