Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Hollywood, California, in 1981[1][2][3] by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, with guitarist Mick Mars and lead vocalist Vince Neil joining right after.

[9][10] The band is also known for their elaborate live performances, which feature flame thrower guitars, roller coaster drum kits, and heavy use of pyrotechnics such as fireworks and lighting Sixx on fire.

In October 2022, after 41 years of service, Mars announced his retirement from touring with the band, with John 5 (formerly of David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie) replacing him.

The nucleus of the group first came together in early 1981, when former Suite 19 guitarist/lead vocalist, and one-time member of Quiet Riot and Dokken, Greg Leon and drummer Tommy Lee decided to form a new band.

[21][22] They attended the farewell gig of a popular local band called London, and Lee was already impressed by the image and stage presence of their bassist, Nikki Sixx.

[24] Sixx and Lee began a search for new members and soon met guitarists Robin Moore (Jeff Gill)[25] and Bob Deal, better known as Mick Mars, after answering an advertisement that he placed in The Recycler that read: "Loud, rude and aggressive guitar player available".

After slight modification of the spelling, "Mötley Crüe" was eventually selected as the band's name, with the stylistic decision suggested by Neil to add the two sets of metal umlauts, supposedly inspired by the German beer Löwenbräu, which the members were drinking at the time.

The debut album was then remixed by producer Roy Thomas Baker and re-released on August 20, 1982—two months after its Canadian Warner Music Group release using the original Leathür mixes—to coincide with the tour.

Greif subsequently sued all parties in a Los Angeles Superior Court action that dragged on for several years, and coincidentally later resurfaced as manager of Sixx's former band, London.

The band members were well known for their backstage antics, outrageous clothing, extreme high-heeled boots, heavily applied make-up, and seemingly endless abuse of alcohol and drugs.

On December 8, 1984, Neil was driving home from a liquor run in his De Tomaso Pantera, which ended in a head-on collision; his passenger, then-Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley, was killed.

In February 1986, while in London, England, Sixx suffered a near-fatal heroin overdose, and the person who sold him the drugs dumped his unconscious body in a dumpster.

From 1986 to 1987, Sixx kept a daily diary of his heroin addiction and eventually entered rehab in January 1988, prompting the band to cancel their planned tour dates for that year.

[70] The title track and "Kickstart My Heart" were both nominated for Grammys in the Best Hard Rock Category in 1990 and 1991, respectively, but lost both years to songs by Living Colour.

[85] In 1998, Mötley Crüe's contractual ties with Elektra had expired, putting the band in total control of their future, including the ownership of the master recordings of all of their albums.

[102] Mars, who suffers from a hereditary form of arthritis which causes extensive spinal pain called ankylosing spondylitis,[103] went into seclusion in 2001 dealing with health issues.

[109] A promoter in England, Mags Revell, began clamoring for a Mötley Crüe reunion, ostensibly presenting himself as the voice of anxious fans waiting for more from the band.

A small controversy was caused when it was suggested that neither Lee nor Mars played on the new tracks (duties were supposedly handled by Vandals drummer Josh Freese)[citation needed].

[116] In 2005, Mötley Crüe was involved in an animation-comedy spoof Disaster!,[117] which was written by Paul Benson and Matt Sullivan and which was used as the introduction film to concerts on their Carnival of Sins tour.

[122] 2006 also saw the band sign with Paramount Pictures and MTV Films to adapt their autobiography The Dirt into a movie,[123] but the production was delayed for several years and the deal eventually fell through.

[139] The band made a guest appearance in the fourth season finale of the FOX crime dramedy Bones on May 14, 2009, entitled "The End in the Beginning", performing the song "Dr.

[145] On August 30, 2011, Mötley Crüe, along with co-headliners Def Leppard and special guests Steel Panther, announced a UK Tour commencing in December 2011.

[151] On January 28, 2014, at the conference inside Beacher's Madhouse Theater in Hollywood, Mötley Crüe announced the full details of its retirement, including a tour initially spanning 70 North American dates, with Alice Cooper playing as a special guest.

[167] Rolling Stone wrote that The Dirt is "a truly debauched movie that delves deep into their rise from the early Eighties Sunset Strip metal scene to their days as arena headliners.

[196] On April 23, 2024, it was announced that Mötley Crüe had signed a deal with Big Machine Records, and three days later the band released "Dogs of War", their first song in five years and their first with John 5.

Sixx responded via an online forum and would also attack Metallica's then-recent album Load insulting multiple members of the band for their change in sound and visual image.

"[216] Sully Erna allegedly penned the 2010 track "Cryin' Like a Bitch" about Sixx in regards to his behavior towards Godsmack during the tour, though Shannon Larkin claims the song was written about former San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

Numerous members of Steel Panther claim they were heavily influenced by Mötley Crüe's music; however, touring with the band exhibited a hostile environment, particularly from Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee.

[231] During an interview with Rolling Stone on July 3, 2023, Mars elaborated further by claiming he has refused to speak with any members of the band ever again, stating his intention to pursue his full royalty percentage.

[249] In 2014, the tribute album Nashville Outlaws was released, featuring country music stars including Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes and Darius Rucker covering various Mötley Crüe songs.