By JOSIE O’BRIEN
Sheridan High School Student
On Sunday, March 24, I watched The Dirt. This modern movie based on the lives of Motley Crue made me want to dig deeper into their legacy, so here we are.
According to David Jeffries, author of the allmusic biography on Motley Crue, the dawn of a new nation began when Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, Jr. changed his name to Nikki Sixx. Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee formed Motley Crue in 1981 in Los Angeles and the band consisted of Nikki Sixx, bassist, Tommy Lee, drummer, Vince Neil, lead singer, and Mick Mars, lead guitarist.
Nikki Sixx was born in San Jose, Calif., under the name Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, Jr. He lost his dad to divorce at a young age and he changed his name so he wouldn’t have to be named after his father. Tommy Lee was born in Athens, Greece and later raised in California. Vince Neil was born in Hollywood, Calif., and in his teenage years, moved to Glendora, Calif., where he met Tommy Lee in school. Mick Mars was born in Terre Haute as Bob Alan Deal and he lived his life with ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative arthritis influenced spine disease.
During their first months, the band struggled to find people to listen to their music, but after a while, they were icons. Motley Crue’s first show was Friday, April 24, 1981. According to lead singer Vince Neil, there was a huge fight due to the crowd’s actions toward the band members and that kicked off Motley Crue’s long-lasting legacy.
One of the most intense tours Motley Crue went on was the Dr. Feelgood Tour of 1989-1990. Their world tour lasted from Oct. 14, 1989 to Aug. 6, 1990. The band members lived their best lives while they were in the band in the beginning. They lived a party lifestyle filled with drugs, drinking and women, all the while performing shows and trying to write new music.
Their music changed the American and world culture. They were a huge feature on MTV and there are movies being made about the band even today, such as the re-creation of The Dirt. Motley Crue consistently did crazy things that people gawked at but admired. The young, fun and unhinged nature of the band members influenced people to be original and wild. They influenced the United States with their “I don’t care” attitude, big hair and bizarre fashion sense that framed the culture of the eighties. The intricate guitar solos within their songs and the high pitched voice of Vince Neil gave their music a different, dark vibe that showcased their alternative nature.
Over time, they gained much success and they became an iconic heavy metal/rock band, but there were still issues.
Prior to the ‘89-’90 tour, Nikki Sixx overdosed on heroin. This happened on Dec. 23, 1987, and he was declared dead for two minutes. He was quite literally brought back to life inside an ambulance due to the actions of an EMT who injected two syringes full of adrenaline into his chest to revive him. After his overdose, Nikki Sixx proceeded to not use heroin anymore. He entered rehab in January 1988.
The rest of the band members also became sober after their manager canceled a European tour in regard to their physical and mental health. After all of the members of Motley Crue were sober, they released Dr. Feelgood, their most famous and successful album. In total, Motley Crue released about 15 full albums.
Their final show was on New Year’s Eve 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the place where it all started. Now, Tommy Lee’s net worth equals $70 million, Vince Neil’s net worth equals $55 million, Nikki Sixx’s net worth is $45 million and Mick Mars’ net worth is $40 million dollars. Some of their most famous songs include “Home Sweet Home”, “Kickstart My Heart”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, and “Dr. Feelgood.”
Motley Crue was one of the most fiercely intense bands to ever exist and their music shaped the lives of thousands, if not millions, of people around the globe, including myself. Ever since that Sunday, I have been listening to Motley Crue every second I’m driving in the car, doing an assignment for school, or just hanging out. The influence of Motley Crue’s music is almost hypnotizing and they will forever be one of the greatest bands to exist.
Josie O’Brien is a junior at Sheridan High School and a member of National Honor Society.