VACATION!

Off to Florida!

See ya next week!

MOTLEY CRUE - Live: Entertainment or Death

Motley Crue - Live: Entertainment or Death (1999, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:

DISC 1
1. “Looks That Kill” … 6:06
2. “Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid” … 3:35
3. “Too Young to Fall in Love” … 3:57
4. “Live Wire” … 4:19
5. “Public Enemy #1″ … 4:53
6. “Shout at the Devil” … 4:19
7. “Merry-Go-Round” … 3:22
8. “Ten Seconds to Love” … 4:46
9. “Piece of Your Action” … 4:06
10. “Starry Eyes” … 4:37
11. “Helter Skelter” … 4:17

DISC 2
1. “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” … 5:18
2. “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” … 4:14
3. “Wild Side” … 5:52
4. “Girls, Girls, Girls” … 4:50
5. “Dr. Feelgood” … 5:13
6. “Without You” … 3:05
7. “Primal Scream” … 5:42
8. “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” … 4:33
9. “Home Sweet Home” … 4:06
10. “Kickstart My Heart” … 5:39

Band:
Vince Neil - Vocals
Mick Mars - Guitar
Nikki Sixx - Bass
Tommy Lee - Drums, Piano

Produced by: Motley Crue

This isn’t one concert, it’s a cut & paste job of performances taken from the 80s and late 90s. Having actually seen Motley played live TWICE now, I can say this album does them no justice at all. I used to enjoy it when it was first released, but it just can’t compare to their live show.

There’s no doubt that all live albums get a little “touch up” in the studio, but I think Vince’s voice in concert today sounds better than some of his parts on here. Good song selection though, there’s a strong presence of early material and “Ten Seconds to Love” is a great live cut.

Highlights: “Looks That Kill”, “Ten Seconds to Love”, “Shout at the Devil”, “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room”, “Without You”, “Home Sweet Home”

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

MOTLEY CRUE - Greatest Hits

Motley Crue - Greatest Hits (1998, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “Bitter Pill” … 4:26
2. “Enslaved” … 4:32
3. “Girls, Girls, Girls” … 4:30
4. “Kickstart My Heart” … 4:43
5. “Wild Side” … 4:40
6. “Glitter” [Remix] … 4:30
7. “Dr. Feelgood” … 4:50
8. “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” … 4:12
9. “Home Sweet Home” … 3:55
10. “Afraid” … 4:08
11. “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” … 4:40
12. “Without You” … 4:29
13. “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” … 3:22
14. “Primal Scream” … 4:44
15. “Too Fast for Love” … 3:22
16. “Looks That Kill” … 4:07
17. “Shout at the Devil” … 3:42

This is Motley’s 2nd compilation, coming 7 years after Decade of Decadence. And do you want to know what got me to buy this album? The World Wrestling Federation! That’s right! Motley did a live performance on WWF TV (on either Monday Night Raw or Sunday Night Heat) and WWF was pushing this album hard for them. WWF also debuted supposed Motley Crue “bodyguard” Test at the same time and tied it into this.

I seem to remember this era for Motley being hyped as a return to form for them (despite the fact that they were only promoting their past). We had the original members, but Generation Swine bombed with it’s experimental modern sound, so they put out a greatest hits and recorded two new songs to prove to the world they could still rock ‘n’ roll!

The two news songs, “Enslaved” and “Bitter Pill”, are pretty good, IMO, and wouldn’t sound out of place on Dr. Feelgood. They won’t go down as all-time Motley classics, but I still liked’em alot back in the day and I still do. The remix of “Glitter” is my preferred take over the original version from Generation Swine. All in all, a solid greatest hits (though it ignores the 1994 album), but I’m a stickler for greatest hits compilations going in chronological order and this one is all over the place. I always thought the cover was pretty cool though.

If you want a grew overview of Motley though, go with Red, White & Crue. I plan on upgrading to that one at some point because it covers more songs, features the two new songs found here, AND includes 3 other new songs.

Highlights: Um… It’s a greatest hits compilation.

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

MOTLEY CRUE - New Tattoo

Motley Crue - New Tattoo (2000, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “Hell on High Heels” … 4:15
2. “Treat Me Like the Dog I Am” … 3:40
3. “New Tattoo” … 4:18
4. “Dragstrip Superstar” … 4:22
5. “1st Band on the Moon” … 4:25
6. “She Needs Rock & Roll” … 3:59
7. “Punched in the Teeth by Love” … 3:32
8. “Hollywood Ending” … 3:43
9. “Fake” … 3:44
10. “Porno Star” … 3:45
11. “White Punks on Dope” … 3:39

Band:
Vince Neil - Vocals
Mick Mars - Guitar
Nikki Sixx - Bass
Randy Castillo - Drums

Produced by: Mike Clink

Wow, has it been 8 years already since this was released? I still remember going to Wal-Mart the very day it was released and picking it up. As excited I was that Motley was making new music, this album just didn’t do anything for me.

“Hell on High Heels” was released online quite sometime before the album’s release and I remember thinking, “that’s it?” To this day, I find the whole album lackluster. It’s not bad, but there’s nothing memorable here that you’ll away from singing or humming. For the most part, New Tattoo is very average hard rock and just doesn’t sound like Motley at all, IMO. The only song that comes close to “classic Motley” is “Punched in the Teeth by Love”.

At least they were on the right track though and would finally score a home run with their next studio album, Saints of Los Angeles, 8 years later. But this? This is Motley’s worst album, I think (yes, even behind Generation Swine that at least had a few really good songs). Kinda surprising that such a bland album was turned in with Mike Clink producing. You’d think putting GNR’s longtime producer with Motley Crue would deliver an instant classic!

This is, of course, the Tommy-less album (because he was too busy trying to be a rap-rock star) so the late Randy Castillo filled in.

Highlights: “Punched in the Teeth by Love”, “Hollywood Ending”

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

MOTLEY CRUE - Theatre of Pain

Motley Crue - Theatre of Pain (1985, Elektra Records; 1999, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “City Boy Blues” … 4:05
2. “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” … 3:22
3. “Louder Than Hell” … 2:31
4. “Keep Your Eye on the Money” … 4:31
5. “Home Sweet Home” … 3:55
6. “Tonight (We Need a Lover)” … 3:35
7. “Use It or Lose It” … 2:38
8. “Save Our Souls” … 4:10
9. “Raise Your Hands to Rock” … 2:49
10. “Fight for Your Rights” … 3:40
BONUS TRACKS:
11. “Home Sweet Home” [Demo] … 4:23
12. “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room” [Alternate Version] … 3:34
13. “City Boy Blues” [Demo] … 4:28
14. “Home Sweet Home” [Instrumental] … 2:57
15. “Keep Your Eye on the Money” [Demo] … 3:48

Band:
Vince Neil - Vocals, Harmonica
Mick Mars - Guitar
Nikki Sixx - Bass
Tommy Lee - Drums, Piano

Produced by: Tom Werman

I had forgotten how good this album was. It’s not as raw and heavy as Too Fast For Love (in fact it’s downright glammy at times) or filled with nonstop classics like Shout at the Devil, but this is still some of Motley’s best work. Again, I have the 1999 reissue and I believe in the liner notes for that version Nikki states that it’s not their best work because the band was too wrapped up in their own lives and drugs.

Oh well, I like it anyway.

The instrumental and demo versions of “Home Sweet Home” are pretty cool listens.

Highlights: “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room”, “Louder Than Hell”, “Keep Your Eye on the Money”, “Home Sweet Home”, “Tonight (We Need A Lover)”, “Use It or Lose It”, “Save Our Souls”

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

MOTLEY CRUE - Generation Swine

Motley Crue - Generation Swine (1997, Elektra Records; 1999, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “Find Myself” … 2:51
2. “Afraid” … 4:07
3. “Flush” … 5:02
4. “Generation Swine” … 4:39
5. “Confessions” … 4:20
6. “Beauty” … 3:47
7. “Glitter” … 5:00
8. “Anybody Out There” … 1:50
9. “Let Us Prey” … 4:22
10. “Rocketship” … 2:04
11. “A Rat Like Me” … 4:13
12. “Shout at the Devil ‘97″ … 3:42
13. “Brandon” … 3:25
BONUS TRACKS:
14. “Afraid” [Swine Mix/Jimbo Mix] … 3:57
15. “Wreck Me” [Previously Unreleased] … 4:19
16. “Kiss the Sky” [Previously Unreleased] … 4:46
17. “Rocketship” [Early Demo] … 1:35

Band:
Vince Neil - Vocals
Mick Mars - Guitar
Nikki Sixx - Bass, Vocals (”Rocketship”), Co-Vocals (”Find Myself” and “Beauty”)
Tommy Lee - Drums, Piano

Produced by: Scott Humphrey

So Corabi is out, Vince is in again. And once again, Motley delivers something different. Different can be good (like Corabi’s one-time outing with the band), but in this case, not so much. It’s just a weird mix of alternative metal, industrial metal and trippy pop that isn’t suited for Vince’s voice. But I guess in the alternative rock-infested 1997, Dr. Feelgood II would’ve failed as well, so it was pretty much lose-lose for Crue at this point.

Sometimes, the songs work though. “Beauty” and “Glitter” (though I prefer the remix version found on Greatest Hits) are weird, beautiful songs and “Find Myself” is, lyrically, pretty close to the roots of Crue. “Shout at the Devil ‘97″ is kind of a pointless re-recording, but there’s nothing wrong with it, so I give it a pass. “Brandon” is hands down the worst Motley Crue song ever. Sorry, Tommy, I know you meant well.

I picked this ‘99 reissue up pretty cheap, brand new for around $6.99 at FYE, and this was shortly after the reissues were released! So that tells you how badly the album sold. Definitely not an album I ever have the urge to listen to. 

Highlights: “Find Myself”, “Afraid”, “Beauty”, “Glitter”, “A Rat Like Me”, “Shout at the Devil ‘97″

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

CRUE FEST - 07/15/08

Crue Fest featuring Motley Crue, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, SIXX:A.M., Trapt (07/15/08, DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan)

Yesterday’s show was a blast. If you’ve never been to DTE, it’s a pavilion that seats 15,000 and some odd change (about 8,000 of that are lawn seats) out in a nice quiet place called Clarkston, Michigan. Despite Detroit being miles away, no music acts ever play Clarkston when they’re at DTE, they play Detroit. It’s more prestigious sounding that way. A pretty nice & clean outdoor place, with tons of shops inside the gates to blow your money on heavily overpriced beer, margarita, snow cones, merchandise, mini-fans, and pizza. Just like Disney World!

MOTLEY CRUE - Motley Crue

Motley Crue - Motley Crue (1994, Elektra Records; 1999, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “Power to the Music” … 5:12
2. “Uncle Jack” … 5:28
3. “Hooligan’s Holiday” … 5:51
4. “Misunderstood” … 6:53
5. “Love Shine” … 2:36
6. “Poison Apples” … 3:40
7. “Hammered” … 5:15
8. “Til Death Do Us Part” … 6:03
9. “Welcome to the Numb” … 5:18
10. “Smoke the Sky” … 3:36
11. “Droppin Like Flies” … 6:26
12. “Driftaway” … 4:05
BONUS TRACKS:
13. “Hypnotized” [Previously Unreleased] … 5:29
14. “Babykills” [Previously Unreleased] … 5:26
15. “Livin’ in the Know” [Previously Unreleased] … 4:23

Band:
John Corabi - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Mick Mars - Guitar, Bass, Sitar, Mandolin
Nikki Sixx - Bass, Piano
Tommy Lee - Drums, Piano

Produced by: Bob Rock

Misunderstood. It’s the name of a song on this album and that very same word could be used to sum up the album as a whole. When I first bought this, when it was reissued, I didn’t like it at all. The only track that stood out to me was “Hooligan’s Holiday”, and the rest just seemed like a totally calculated “let’s join the grunge/alternative bandwagon” move. I wasn’t in the mindset to listen to a more experimental Motley. I wanted sleaze and decadence.

Looking back, I like this album alot. John Corabi is a great vocalist and his voice fits the more serious and dark sound of the album. I definitely couldn’t see him fitting typical Motley sound and I’m glad they didn’t even try. If you took the band’s name away from this album, I think it would’ve sold better and been better reviewed. This would’ve been a nice side project for Nikki, Mick and Tommy while they tried to patch things up with Vince, but since they went ahead and said this was the new Crue, it backfired on them big time. So they had to go back and get Vince in the band again anyway!

There’s no big sing along choruses here, but what they produced is good alternative hard rock and even if this wasn’t the best idea from a marketing standpoint, I gotta respect Motley for going in a totally different direction with a totally different singer when they could’ve just called it quits or found a Vince clone.

Highlights: “Power to the Music”, “Uncle Jack”, “Hooligan’s Holiday”, “Misunderstood”, “Til Death Do Us Part”, ”Welcome to the Numb”, “Smoke the Sky”, “Driftaway”

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

MOTLEY CRUE - Dr. Feelgood

Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood (1989, Elektra Records; 1999, Motley Records/Beyond Music)

Track Listing:
1. “T. N. T. (Terror ‘N Tinseltown)” … :42
2. “Dr. Feelgood” … 4:50
3. “Slice of Your Pie” … 4:32
4. “Rattlesnake Shake” … 3:40
5. “Kickstart My Heart” … 4:48
6. “Without You” … 4:29
7. “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” … 4:12
8. “Sticky Sweet” … 3:52
9. “She Goes Down” … 4:37
10. “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” … 4:40
11. “Time for Change” … 4:45
BONUS TRACKS:
12. “Dr. Feelgood” [Demo] … 4:42
13. “Without You” [Demo] … 4:12
14. “Kickstart My Heart” [Demo] … 4:28
15. “Get It for Free” [Demo] … 4:14

Band:
Vince Neil - Vocals
Mick Mars - Guitar
Nikki Sixx - Bass
Tommy Lee - Drums

Produced by: Bob Rock

Oh how, I love remasters. Especially when they add demoes, b-sides and live cuts to’em. In that regard, KISS has failed me when they released their remasters. >=[ Anyway, I had heard the original ‘89 album a few years before picking up the 1999 “Crucial Crue” edition. One of my best friends owned the original and I borrowed it for what must’ve been close to a year. I honestly hoped he had forgotten about it, but he asked for it back one day, so being the good friend I was, I obliged. It all worked out though ’cause now I have the reissue with the bonus tracks.

Of course I was aware of songs like “Dr. Feelgood”, “Kickstart My Heart” and “Without You” before ever listening to the album, but when I finally had heard the whole album for the first time, I was disappointed. I had started at the very beginning with Too Fast for Love with the ‘99 reissues, and this album fell flat for me compared to what I had heard earlier.

This was Motley’s biggest album in terms of sales, but I just don’t get it. And people say Girls, Girls, Girls was too poppy and slick? Nephew, please, this is total pop metal. I’m not saying it’s not good, but it’s hardly one of Motley’s best, IMO. Motley’s signature sleaze seems to be missing here for the most part outside of “Dr. Feelgood”, “Kickstart My Heart”, and “She Goes Down”. Even “Slice of Your Pie”, which is right up my alley in terms of song titles and lyrics, just doesn’t work for me. And what’s up with the extensive use of female back-up singers (at least where the bonus tracks are concerned)? Gee, that Bob Rock sure does know how to neuter great rock bands, huh?

A few rock ‘n’ roll all-stars lended their voices as back-up singers on the album: Steven Tyler (”Sticky Sweet”), Jack Blades (”Sticky Sweet” & “Same Ol’ Situation”), Bryan Adams (”Sticky Sweet”), Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander & Rick Nielson (”She Goes Down”) and Skid Row (”Time for Change”).

Highlights: “Dr. Feelgood”, “Kickstart My Heart”, “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)”, “Sticky Sweet”, “She Goes Down”

www.motley.com
www.myspace.com/motleycrue

Metal Excess announces MOTLEY CRUE WEEK!

In celebration of going to Crue Fest tomorrow in Detroit, I now declare it MOTLEY CRUE WEEK here at Metal Excess! I’ve got a few more Crue albums laying around and what better time to crank out the posts about them when there’s a new kick@$$ album out and a new tour? There’s no set schedule, but I hope to knock out one or two before I take off tomorrow and then get the rest done by the end of the week. Keep checking back!

I’ve already posted my thoughts on some Crue albums, here’s the links:

Too Fast for Love

Shout at the Devil

Girls, Girls, Girls

Saints of Los Angeles

I’ll fill in the gaps between Girls, Girls, Girls and Saints of Los Angeles throughout the week. And yes, I know I’m missing Theatre of Pain but that’s because I’m literally missing it and I’m gonna try to track it down and spin it again before giving my thoughts on it.