Nikki Sixx Part 9 - Too Wild To Tame, 1984-1985


Nikki retells the Motley legend/biography to Steve Gett of Hit Parader Magazine during the writing or recording of Theatre Of Pain, so late 1984 or early 1985. Nothing new here but another example of the media going down Motley memory lane early on. There are no Theatre pics to share so we get some Shout era doozys. Nikki shows an early instance of hyperbole for whatever new product he is peddling by saying that Theatre of Pain's songs will be as good OR BETTER! than Shout At the Devil's.

I like the following quote from the intro to the article. I didn't hear many other Rock stars, especially in the Hard rock world, discuss their band or music quite like Nikki did of Motley Crue in the 1980s. Although he would have never suggested that Motley were capital 'A' Artists, it becomes quite clear through reading through the evidence that he had a developed sense of his music & its place in the scheme of things. Motley's many style & musical changes throughout their 35+ career can be seen less as an outcast band chasing success & relevance & more a chaotic group of misfits with a savvy & creative Captain Hook at the helm. I don't overly like a lot of post 1991 Motley music but I'm beginning to appreciate the creativity they've shown all these years.

"I wanted a real honest Rock N Roll band. I didn't want anything fake or pseudo. Whatever it was it was going to be true Art."

Nikki Sixx, 1984

Vince Part 7: Dr. Neil, 1988-1989

Vince was sober, recording Dr. Feelgood in Vancouver, Canada on the weekends, & apparently not getting along with his then wife, Sharise Ruddell. Sometime in perhaps mid 1988, Sharise talked to the folks at Blast! Magazine about her relationship with Vince, the making of Motley's new record & what she was getting herself up to as Mrs. Neil.
In May 1989, in the locker room after a charity baseball game, Coach Vince Neil talks to Gerri Miller of Metal Edge Magazine about the loss to Sam Kinison's team & updates her on the final stages of the recording of Dr. Feelgood.
Gerri Miller of Metal Edge once again gets the scoop on the new Motley record & Vince talks about everything including the new video, tour, acting & much more in this circa August 1989 article, 'Vince Neil On The Line':
Vince talks to Anne M. Raso at Powerline Magazine circa October-November 1989. He speaks at length about Motley's longevity, the scuffle-up at Moscow in August that saw them separating ways with manager Doc McGhee, the then European tour, the security necessary for big rock bands & an anecdote about an imposter who convinced a Las Vegas casino that he was the real Vince Neil & left a bill for 10 grand! The Crue would be jetting to gigs on their new private plane for the first time.

Vince's turn as an actor in some bigger budget movies is mentioned in all these interviews. He gets killed in Andrew 'Dice' Clay's The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane from 1990. He also voices regret that his scene in Police Academy Part 6 got cut from the final feature. Here's the trailer for the 'Dice' movie. Most of Vince's appearance is featured in the first 13 seconds!


Motley contributed 'Rock N' Roll Junkie' to the soundtrack. I actually bought this thing, I was such a Cruehead. I didn't know they were going to release it on Decade Of Decadence in 1991 but I couldn't have waited that long anyway. A fun & funky Motley B-Side!

We actually have about 6 minutes of Vince on the set of Police Academy 6 in late 1988. We see him in 'Hair & Make-up', going over his lines at his trailer & then being interviewed about Motley. Vince says they're taking holidays 1988 off & then pre-production with Bob Rock in January 1989 with recording starting February 1st. We even see the cut scene as the crew films it!

More Vinnie to come at The Sleaze Patrol Files!!