Motley Crue: goin' on with the show
by Jon Young

"There's a lot more pressure on us now," admitted Motley Crue's blond lead singer Vince Neil on the eve of his group's first U.S. headlining tour. "If no one comes to our show this year, we can't say it's Ozzy's fault, Iron Maiden's fault or AC/DC's fault. It's all up to us this time, but I think we can pull it off" In other words, it's put up or shut up time for the Crue. After watching their second LP, Shout at the Devil, go double platinum and elevate them to superband status; after the widely-publicized accident; after the long-delayed recording sessions with producer Tom Werman, it's time to get back to basics. Neil, bassist Nikki Sixx, guitarist Mick Mars, and drummer Tommy Lee are returning to the fans, the same jury that voted them guilty of rock in the first degree to begin with. With a new Elektra LP, Theatre of Pain, and a torrid tour of the States off and running, the Crue are out to score a direct hit on the following that hasn't heard much good news from the group for 12 months.

Circus Magazine recently caught up with Vince Neil on a rare day off, sounding out the infamous frontman on the band's return to the rock wars. With rehearsals for their Japanese and American tours in full swing at press time, Neil was ready and willing to reflect on his band's chances for staying alive in '85. "This album is more varied than our others," said Neil. "'City Boy Blues' has an Aerosmith feel, while 'Raise Your Hands to Rock' sounds like a cross between Billy Squier and John Cougar Mellencamp. 'Louder than Hell' is back in Judas Priest territory." The lyrics on Theatre, as with previous Crue waxings, continue to come exclusively from Sixx. Being the singer, Neil understandably has some strong opinions about his mate's wordsmithing. Evaluating the lyrics on Theatre of Pain, he commented, "I think they're more suited to me now. Before, Nikki would try to be poetic and end up putting too many words in a line. I'd have to tell him to cut 'em. Since we toured together thirteen months in '83 and '84, he got to know my style better, so there were only minor changes this time." Vince pointed to "Shout at the Devil" as an example of an earlier song that had to be stripped down. "It had words and words and words! There was no way you could fuckin' sing it. I'm not saying the meaning of the song changed - we just used smaller words." Will Theatre of Pain convince skeptics that there's more than one dimension to Motley Crue? Nothing would make Neil happier. "I think people will see more sides to us now," he said. "We don't want to stagnate and there are a million other topics to write about besides sex, drugs, more sex, and fast cars. Sure, 'Tonight (We Need a Lover)' is a sex song, but we also do 'Fight for Your Rights,' which has lines like 'Martin Luther/brought the truth./ The color of our blood's the same.'

"At least now people won't be able to complain that we're preaching about the devil like they did on the last album," said Vince, growing animated. "Not that we ever were in the first place! All we were trying to do was make people realize that the devil was authority, not Lucifer himself. But we don't give a fuck what the parents think. We write the songs for the kids and ourselves." Obviously, the wounds from old controversies heal slowly. Theatre of Pain's most surprising song is "Home Sweet Home," a gentle ballad. Not the least bit embarrassed to show a mellow side, Neil called the song "a nice change of pace. A ballad should be pretty, not like walking through the valley of the shadow of death." According to Vince, fans should expect the song in the new stage show; it will feature Tommy on baby grand piano and Nikki on synthesizer. More in the boisterous Motley Crue spirit is the LP's first single, a raucous cover of Brownsville Station's "Smokin' in the Boys Room." "I used to sing that song when I was in the band Rock Candy," he revealed. "When we first recorded it a few years ago, it sounded like shit, but this time we tried it again and it felt like us."

Overall, Vince was happy with the way the album turned out, even though it took a lot longer than the Motleys planned: "Theatre of Pain was originally supposed to be out in March, but at least we didn't put out a half-assed record. We did the best we possibly could, and I think it was well worth the wait." Tom Werman, producer of both Shout at the Devil and Theatre of Pain, echoed Neil's sentiments, saying, "Usually a band is so strung out on fame and the road that they slap together a follow-up to their big album, but this is definitely an improvement in every way over Shout - and I mean in every way. Everybody's singing and playing better, and the material's better. They're showing a lot more confidence and authority." Getting the LP recorded was only half the battle. Then, it was on to rehearsals, planning costumes, and devising a stage show. Describing all the preparations, Neil sounded like just another hardworking guy, not someone intent on raising as much hell as possible. "We are real serious about our work," he acknowledged. "I still like to have fun, but there hasn't been as much free time lately. There's always something to do the next day." On the brink of Motley Crue's first Japanese tour, Neil reported that rehearsals were going well. "We haven't played together in so long that we thought it would take a long time to get older songs like 'Live Wire' and 'Piece of Your Action' back into playing condition. But they sounded good right away, which surprised everyone. I did have to grab a copy of Too Fast for Love to help me remember some of the lyrics, though," he laughed. For their new costumes, Neil says they've adopted a "glam look. We've gone flashier, with lots of rhinestones and studs. Instead of the 'doom people' with dark lights and leather, we've become the Barnum & Bailey of rock, because we want the people in the nosebleed section of the arena to be able to see us." On Theatre's inner sleeve, Neil's duds are a spangly orgy of pink and white that suggest a prosperous streetwalker's attire. "I got the idea from a cover shot you guys ran of me with a pink background. I got so many compliments on that, I decided to stick with the color scheme. So I guess you could say Circus Magazine helped me design my outfit. But what you see on the record is only a small part-we'll be changing three or four times during the show." Neil wouldn't give away much about the show itself, except to warn that it'll be "huge. Last year, all we had was a backdrop and a couple of ramps. That was nothing compared to what we're going to be doing now. Our philosophy is that for a ten-dollar ticket, you get a fifty-dollar show."

Like any true-blue rocker, Vince has been itching to get back on stage, although he admitted to mixed feelings. "Last year, we toured so much that I really came to appreciate being at home. On the other hand, 1 really wanted to play, too. Right now, I just can't wait to go out on the road. Our last show was in London in November, and we haven't played the U.S. in a whole year." Chances are that the mood on tour will be a little different, if only because Neil's gone through some pretty rough times. His experiences are reflected in a note on the inner sleeve of Theatre of Pain, which reads in part: "If and/or when you drink - Don't take the wheel. Live and learn - so we can all fuckin' rock our asses off together for a long, long time to come." Explained Vince: "A lot of drinking goes on at concerts, and people do have to drive home afterwards. We hope I people will read that and think twice. If it saves one life, it's worth it. Just because we're the bad boys of rock doesn't mean we don't care about our fans. They're the people that put us on top." On top - the place Motley Crue have sweated and strained to get since coming together on January 17, 1981. While Neil concedes that it's a "cool feeling" to finally be the band that others want to dethrone, he's also aware that success can be fleeting. "I can't say the hardest part is over for us, because the hardest part is staying on top. But if you listen to your fans, avoid fads, and stick to your guns, you can stay big forever. "Look at Bowie and the Stones. They change each year, but keep their sound. That's the key. If we can stay on top half as long as those guys, we'll be happy."