#Girls Girls Girls and Dr Feelgood are later releases

[justforbooks]

The film-maker Julien Temple described the musician Wilko Johnson, who has died aged 75, as “one of the great English eccentrics, a great national treasure waiting to be discovered”. It was thanks partly to Temple’s 2009 documentary, Oil City Confidential, which traced the history of the Canvey Island band Dr Feelgood and Johnson’s role in it, that he enjoyed renewed acclaim towards the end of his life.

Not that fans of Dr Feelgood in the band’s mid-1970s heyday needed reminding of Johnson’s accomplishments. He was never a guitar virtuoso in the vein of Jeff Beck or Eric Clapton, but he was one of the most distinctive British players in the history of rock’n’roll, having perfected a hair-trigger style that combined stark, percussive chords with pin-sharp riffs. To that, Johnson added an intimidating stage presence. Invariably clad in a black suit, eyes staring out across the audience like searchlights, he roved around the stage with robotic remorselessness.

He developed a tight stage rapport with the Feelgoods’ vocalist Lee Brilleaux, who was helpfully signposted by his contrasting white – or once white, at least – suit. Johnson said he “felt like a lot of the power I had in whatever I was doing was radiating from him”. It was their partnership that drove the band to huge success in Britain just before the arrival of punk.

Dr Feelgood launched themselves on the back of the “pub rock” vogue, a back-to-basics mix of sweaty rock and rhythm & blues typified by the likes of Ducks Deluxe and Ian Dury’s band Kilburn and the High Roads. It was a refreshing antidote to the somnolent progressive rock of the era. Dr Feelgood released their debut album, Down By the Jetty, in 1975, containing nine of Johnson’s songs, including the singles Roxette and She Does It Right, neither of which got into the charts. They followed it later that year with Malpractice, which featured several blues and R&B non-originals alongside another batch of Johnson’s tunes. One of Johnson’s was their third single, Back in the Night, a perennial favourite in live shows. The album gave Dr Feelgood their first chart position (No 17), and proved influential on New York musicians such as Richard Hell, the Ramones and Blondie.

Since the stage was the natural home for the hard-gigging Feelgoods, it made sense for the next album to be a live recording. Stupidity (1976) was a mixture of their own songs and cover versions, not least Leiber & Stoller’s Riot in Cell Block No 9, which had become the vehicle for a trick by Johnson of mock-machine-gunning the audience with his guitar. Johnson was adamant that the recording should sound raw and live and should not be tarted up in post- production, a stance that paid off when it rocketed to No 1. To their own amazement, Dr Feelgood had become one of the biggest bands in Britain.

However, the album Sneakin’ Suspicion (1977) proved to be Johnson’s swansong with the band, following acrimonious arguments during its recording. In particular, Brilleaux objected to Johnson’s song Paradise, in which the songwriter, who had married Irene Knight when they were both teenagers, admitted that “I love two girls, I ain’t ashamed”. Johnson’s erratic and moody behaviour while on tour had already caused friction, and he left Dr Feelgood in April 1977. Sneakin’ Suspicion reached No 10 on the album chart, and in 1979 the group enjoyed a top 10 singles hit with Milk and Alcohol, but the whirlwind arrival of punk had made them look outmoded. “I look back on Dr Feelgood sometimes and I would do a lot of things differently,” Johnson said in 2012. “Oh man, I was intolerable.”

He was born John Wilkinson on Canvey Island, Essex. One of his earliest memories was of the 1953 floods, which hit low-lying Canvey badly and caused many deaths. His father, a gas-fitter, was “a stupid and uneducated and violent person”, according to his son, and died when Wilko was a teenager. Canvey became a romantic place in Johnson’s mind, with its lonely views of the Thames estuary overshadowed by the towers and blazing fires of the nearby Shell Haven oil refinery. Johnson and his contemporaries dubbed the area the Thames Delta, in homage to the Mississippi Delta, which spawned the blues musicians they admired.

He first began playing the guitar after watching the Shadows on television, then later was inspired by Mick Green, guitarist with Johnny Kidd & the Pirates. Green’s knack for mixing up lead and rhythm guitar parts had a clear influence on Johnson’s technique. Wilko instinctively began to play left-handed, but forced himself to switch to right-handed. When he found that playing right-handed meant he could not hold a plectrum, he perfected a way of flicking his fingernails across the strings, which helped him to play the speedy, slashing rhythms that became his stock-in-trade.

Wilko nurtured academic ambitions alongside musical ones. He attended Westcliff high school for boys (his mother “used to scrub floors at the gas company to pay for our grammar school uniforms”) and went to Newcastle University to study English. He wrote his own poetry and aimed to write novels, though he observed that his appreciation of great literature meant that “the presumption of trying it myself is inhibiting”. His conversation, which involved much gesticulation and dramatic facial expressions, would often be punctuated by quotes from Blake or Langland’s Piers Plowman, and he taught himself Old Icelandic in order to read the Icelandic Sagas. He spent some months teaching English at a secondary school around the time Dr Feelgood formed, but fell foul of the headteacher because of his long-haired, student-like appearance. Later in life, he developed a keen interest in astronomy and built an observatory on the roof of his home in Westcliff-on-Sea.

After university he travelled overland to India (partly inspired by hearing about his father’s experiences in the army on the north-west frontier), and soaked up his fair share of opium and eastern mysticism. Returning to Canvey, he played in a jug band with his brother, and met Brilleaux (then using his real surname, Collinson), future Feelgoods bassist John “Sparko” Sparks and the group’s manager-to-be, Chris Fenwick, who had formed a jug band of their own. Brilleaux’s outfit evolved into an electric R&B band, and they asked Wilko to join them on guitar. In 1971, Dr Feelgood was born.

In his post-Feelgood career, Johnson formed a new band, the Solid Senders, which played at the Front Row festival at the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington, London, alongside many of the new punk acts. Johnson was surprised and gratified to discover that many punk luminaries, including Joe Strummer and John Lydon, were Feelgood fans who had seen them as an influence.

The Solid Senders released an album on Virgin in 1978, but by 1980 Johnson had taken a job with Ian Dury’s Blockheads, and then formed the Wilko Johnson Band. Over the next 25 years the unit would release eight albums and an EP, mostly on minor European labels, though their main focus was playing live shows in Europe, Britain and Japan.

Temple’s documentary in 2009 had a galvanising effect on Johnson’s profile. He toured supporting the Stranglers in 2011, and played some sellout gigs at the Rhythm and Roots festival in Kilkenny. In 2012 he published an autobiography, Looking Back on Me, co-authored with Zoe Howe. He was also recruited for the HBO TV show Game of Thrones, appearing in four episodes as the royal executioner Ser Ilyn Payne. This called upon Johnson merely to look sinister and kill people, since Payne had had his tongue cut out and had no dialogue.

After being rushed to hospital in Southend for an unknown condition, Johnson was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in January 2013. He reacted with remarkable stoicism. Given 10 months to live, but having declined chemotherapy which might have given him a few more weeks, he talked frankly about his condition on Radio 4’s Front Row and arranged a string of farewell gigs that March. His philosophical attitude was perhaps shaped by the fact that Irene had died of cancer in 2004, and Johnson had never reconciled himself to her loss (“the only time I don’t feel heartbroken is when I’m playing,” he admitted).

Following the tour dates, he teamed up with the Who’s Roger Daltrey to make the album Going Back Home (2014), which included favourite Johnson songs from Dr Feelgood and his solo career. Both artists seemed to be goading each other on, since Johnson’s guitar work was as clipped and fiery as it had ever been, while Daltrey hurled himself into the songs with abandon. Daltrey commented that Johnson is “one of those British guitarists that only the Brits make. Wilko is a one-off, he really is.” The album reached No 3 in the UK, making it Johnson’s highest charting release outside Dr Feelgood.

He confessed that he thought it would be “the last thing I ever did”, but then later that year his story took a dramatic twist. Further tests revealed that he was suffering from a less virulent form of cancer than previously believed, and doctors were confident it could be operated on successfully. He underwent a complex nine-hour procedure that included the removal of a tumour weighing 3kg, and after a long convalescence was declared cancer-free.

“It’s so weird and so strange that it’s kind of hard to come to terms with in my mind,” he said. “Now, I’m spending my time gradually coming to terms with the idea that my death is not imminent, that I am going to live on.”

Paradoxically, the depression that he had suffered from since childhood had abated after his cancer diagnosis. When he got the all-clear, the depression returned. “I knew I was really getting better from the cancer when I started getting depressed again,” he said.

In 2015 Johnson made another film with Temple, The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson, focusing on his unexpected survival. In 2016 he published the memoir Don’t You Leave Me Here, and in 2018 he released the solo album Blow Your Mind. He was still performing regularly with his band until September this year.

He is survived by his sons, Matthew and Simon.

🔔 Wilko Johnson (John Peter Wilkinson), guitarist and songwriter, born 12 July 1947; died 21 November 2022

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[xtrashmammalstefx]

My Dr. Feelgood (Nikki Sixx x Reader)

Requested and Inspired by: @xcazzax

WARNINGS: Cursing, smut, it’s Motley Crue you get the gist.

Since Mick joined the band that would be Motley Crue Nikki and I had our own special thing. I remember Mick nailed his audition and was welcomed with open arms by Tommy (drummer and goofball extraordinaire) and Nikki (my very own Dr. Feelgood). I swear what Nikki and I had between us felt almost instant. I knew it and he sure as hell knew it too.

“You’re in on one condition,” he told Mick that first day.

“Name it,” Mick said curious.

Nikki then turned to me and smirked. “You join us too.”

I shook my head. “Mick is the only musically talented one of us unfortunately.”

“Yeah but you have talent elsewhere which I like,” Nikki said,

“To what talent are you referring to?”

“You, sweetheart, are a very talented enchantress,” Nikki said fingering a loose piece of my hair. “You’ve got me under your spell and now I need to be near you constantly or else it’ll quickly become a curse.”

“Ahem,” Mick cleared his throat looking at us disapprovingly.

After that Mick told me repeatedly that even though he agreed to join the band there was no fucking way I was going anywhere near them; especially Nikki. But the thing is even I was enchanted by Nikki. Not because he was inhumanly beautiful in his own way but because he was an enigma of sorts. He always kept everyone at arm's length but when anyone got close, especially me, he melted as though he were made of butter. He enjoyed comfort and affection yet wouldn’t give it himself. And a big part of me couldn’t help but wonder why.

So I went with Mick to every practice, recording session, and tour. He wasn’t very pleased but Nikki was. He’d always find a way or reason to be close to me, and truth be told I sort of did the same.

Tommy and Vince tried to get close to me but Nikki was quick to put them in their place. Like when Vince joined the band after we booted out this no talent hippie who got on everyone’s fucking nerves. He wasted no time in trying to lure me with his charm.

“So Y/N you seeing anybody?” he asked joining me on the couch at Nikki’s place. They’d just got done performing a new song for the first time, and not gonna lie Vince was pretty good.

Before I could answer Nikki sat down on the other side of me answered for me. “What’s it to ya?” He glared at Vince.

It wasn’t that fierce but Vince still backed off. “Sorry man I didn’t know she was with you.”

“Well now ya know,” Nikki said. Vince got up then and walked off towards the kitchen.

“Nikki,” I groaned.

“What?” he said smiling and draping his arm around me.

“You’re a fucking asshole you know that?”

“That hurts babe,” he said making a pouty face which with his full lips and big eyes weakened the absolute fuck out of me.

I looked over to make sure Mick wasn’t looking (sure enough he was occupied with his guitar). When I was sure the coast was clear I turned back and pecked Nikki on the lips.

Nikki jolted as though my lips gave him quite the shock. He then smiled, placed his hand on my cheek, and pulled me back in. He kissed me hungrily; almost as though he’d been aching to kiss me all day. I didn’t kiss back right away. I was dead scared Mick would see us and tear us a new one. But then my dumbass angel swooped in and saved our day.

“Hey Mick check out this new song I’m working on,” I could hear Tommy say in his loud, doesn’t-know-how-to-shut-the-fuck-up voice. With my brother distracted I smiled and kissed Nikki back.

For a while life was filled with moments like these. We weren’t sure what we were exactly. So until we could figure it out moments were all we had, and we were okay with that. We did our best to keep things PG around the guys since A) Mick was still not entirely okay with me being around Nikki all the time, and B) Tommy wouldn’t stop making gagging sounds at the slightest bit of flirting (which happened A LOT!).

Tour was no exception. And the fact that we each had our own curtained bunks on the bus was a godsend. Nikki and I did things in my bunk that would probably make Mick cry (and Mick doesn’t really cry for shit so…). Mostly hand stuff and...toy related things (my god did he know how to work a vibrator). We didn’t think it could be better than that.

Then at the end of the tour, the guys decided to throw a party at the hotel we were staying at. Of course, some of those invited were the groupies desperate to fuck the members of the band; including Nikki.

At first, I wasn’t really going to indulge too much but fuck… groupies were brutal.

“I heard he’s seeing that weird ass guitar’s player slutty sister,” said one groupie.

“Ew as if,” said another. “I doubt Nikki would waste time on that trash.”

I took a swig of whiskey. “Funny I thought she was talking about me and not you.”

“Excuse me?” said the one who called me trash.

“You’re excused,” I said pushing past them. “Cunt.”

After that, I sort of drowned my sorrows in whatever liquor I could find. When I started feeling a little more than buzzed I started to make my way back to my room. I had just reached the door and was slipping the key in when I heard a voice shout my name.

“Y/N!” Nikki made his way towards me. “Why’d you run?”

I shook my head. “I guess I just wanted to drown my sorrows in whiskey all on my own; spare everyone the upsetting imagery.”

“What? D-Did something happen?” he asked brushing my cheek with his fingers.

I sighed. “Just go back to the party, Nikki.”

“Oh fuck no. I ain’t going anywhere when you’re like this,” Nikki said bringing us both into my room and closing the door behind. “Yuh-you’re sad and that’s not okay. Now tell me wuh-what those cu-cunts said to you. I know it was the groupies and I promise not to do anything illegal to them. Just… tell me. PLease.”

I placed the pilfered whiskey down on the small table by the door and sighed. “They said you wouldn’t waste time on someone like me. The weird guitarist's slutty sister.”

Nikki’s eyes grew wide. “I change my mind about not doing anything illegal those cunts are fucking dead!”

“What? No!” I grabbed his hand to hold him back which, along with all the booze in his system, fucked up his balance and well… “OH FUCK!”

Nikki had tripped and fallen on top of me. Thankfully we had a grayish fur rug to soften the fall. Nikki laughed. “Yuh-You know if you wanted me to uh-hic-top you all you had to do was ask.”

“Shut up,” I laughed. Next thing I knew Nikki was kissing me.

Not gonna lie parts of it are a little fuzzy to me. One minute Nikki and I were just making out and then in the next, we were both naked and Nikki was pushing himself inside me. I remember feeling a tingle at the feel of him. So much so that a few thrusts in I actually sobered up a little (just a little).

I remember being unable to keep my voice down when he hit a certain spot. I remember my back arching and screaming his name as I tightened around him. His thrusts became sloppy and… suddenly he was erupting inside me; a string of curses leaving his lips. His body trembled as he released every last drop he had.

I don’t remember anything else after that until I woke up the next morning with a motherfucker of a headache and sore cunt. I blinked open my eyes slowly and found Nikki laying beside me naked.

“Oh shit,” I muttered reaching over to nudge him awake.

“Mmm fuck off,” he muttered turning to lay on his side.

“Believe me we already did,” I said making his eyes snap open.

“Oh fuck,” he then cringed bringing his hand to his head. “FUCK!”

“Hey Y/N!” Tommy knocked on my door which felt like a fucking jackhammer drilling into my head.

“HEY DICKHEAD WE’RE HUNGOVER AS FUCK IN HERE! YA MIND KEEPING IT THE FUCK DOWN?! JESUS!” Nikki shouted at him.

“Nikki?!” Tommy exclaimed. “Dude what the fuck?!”

“Tell Mick about any of this and I swear to God I’ll fucking kill you, Tommy!” I snapped at him.

“Can I at least tell Vince? He sorta owes me a hundred bucks,” Tommy said.

“Of-fucking-course he does,” I groaned. “Discretely alright?”

“FUCK YEAH!”

Nikki groaned. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE TOMMY!”

Tommy laughed and walked away.

“I feel like someone bashed my fuckin’ head into a wall,” Nikki said. “Repeatedly with the fury of a thousand fucking suns.”

“Well at least you’re not the one suffering pain on both ends,” I said. “God is your cock made out of steel or something?”

He looked over at me and smirked. “So I was THAT good eh?”

I lifted my middle finger as I shoved a pillow (from a nearby chair) onto my face.

After that night I figured we wouldn’t like mention it ever again, or at least forget it ever happened and move; go back to the way things used to be. Not that I didn’t want things to go in the direction that night sent us in it’s just… the groupie's words refused to leave my mind.

Maybe he shouldn’t waste his time on someone like me. He’s Nikki fucking Sixx. He’s a rockstar. He can have anything and anyone he wants. Why would he want me? A nobody who just so happens to share DNA with a somebody.

Four months later though I realized forgetting that night wasn’t an option.

I woke up one morning to my stomach churning. I ran to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet when all of the previous night’s dinner came out. It scared the shit out of me. Once my stomach was empty of food I thought about what in the hell could have caused it. Then I realized, while my mind was occupied with band matters and such, it was completely unpreoccupied with the fact that I was more than three months late.

Oh, fuck! I quickly got dressed and went down to the nearby drugstore. I had just gotten back when Mick startled me from inside our kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Jesus!”

“Sorry I didn’t know you’d be out so early,” Mick said handing me my mug. “What’s that?” He motioned at the small baggy in my hand.

“Oh-uh-it’s nothing. Just girl stuff,” I said. Even Mick knew not to ask questions when it comes to female relate things such as periods.

“Nikki called says he wants us over at his place in a few minutes,” Mick said. “Claims he and Tommy got a new song he wants us to try out.”

“Alright,” I said taking a swig of my coffee. I finished it as fast as I could and darted upstairs.

“DON’T TAKE TOO LONG OR ELSE I’M LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!” Mick called out after me.

Shit. In the bathroom, I quickly peed on the stick, capped it and shoved it in my pocket.

We didn’t say anything as we drove down to Nikki’s house; the fucking place that started it all.  Once there I excused myself to go use the bathroom, without even looking at Nikki. I darted upstairs and locked myself in the bathroom. I took out the test and placed it on the counter (it still had a couple of minutes to go). I never cried so hard as I did when I saw that little pink plus sign.

I placed my hand on my stomach and felt the smallest bump had already formed. It was real… and it was happening to me. To Nikki… I wiped my eyes, shoved the test back in my pocket, and went back downstairs.

“Hey, you okay?” Nikki asked brushing his hand against my arm.

“Um yeah I’m fine,” I said.

“Okay,” he smiled. The guys performed the new song then… and god did it strike the right chord.

You know I'm a dreamer

But my heart's of gold

I had to run away high

So I wouldn't come home low

Just when things went right

It doesn't mean they were always wrong

Just take this song, and you'll never feel

Left all alone

Take me to your heart

Feel me in your bones

Just one more night

And I'm comin' off this

Long & winding road

I'm on my way

I'm on my way

Home sweet home...

Tonight, tonight

I'm on my way

I'm on my way

Home sweet home...

The song continued like that and so much more until it’s very end. By then I was crying again.

“Y/N?” Nikki looked at me concerned.

“Just… give me a moment alright,” I said escaping to the kitchen. The fridge was full of beer which was exactly what I needed but couldn’t have. So I settled for a coke. I sat down on the counter and tried to ease my breathing.

“You gonna tell me what’s wrong?” Nikki asked joining me a moment later.

“I can’t…” I shook my head.

“Hey,” Nikki said taking me into his arms. “Whatever it is I can handle it.”

“Even if it has to do with our night of drunken fucking?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t exactly call it that but sure,” he said. “Y-You don’t regret do you?”

“Do you?”

“Of course not,” Nikki said. “I love you Y/N.”

I pulled back, wiped a tear away and took out the test. I held it up for him to see. “Do you still love me now?”

Nikki’s eyes grew wide. “Holy shit!”

“Is that a no then?”

“What? Fuck no...I mean yes I still love you,” Nikki said. “I’m always going to love you.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“What did you think I was going to do?” Nikki asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I mean after what those groupies said… I figured you wouldn’t want to waste your life on something that happened because of a careless night of drunken sex.”

“Y/N,” Nikki lifted my chin with his thumb. “It wasn’t a night of drunken sex for me. That night… what we did… hell what we made,” he placed his hand on my belly. “It was way more than that. We made love as we will continue to for the rest of our lives.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “My old man. He was never there and I can guarantee that if I croaked right now he wouldn’t give two shits about it. I promised myself that when given the chance that I would be different. That my kid would know a father’s love; and that my wife would know her husband’s love.” He placed a small box in my hand. He lifted the lid revealing a small ring. “So will you?”

I cried and threw my arms around him.

“Is that a yes then?” he asked.

“Just put the ring on you idiot,” I said holding out my hand. He slipped the ring onto my finger.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too,” I said.

Nikki was my Dr. Feelgood and his drug of choice that he would always hook me up with was what our special thing was all about. It was love.

It would always be love.

[rockdadca]

Review: The Dirt

Movie: The Dirt

Release: March 22, 2019

Music biopics are always a hit and miss. My favourites are probably Control (Joy Division, focused on Ian Curtis), I’m Not There (An artistic tall-tale of Bob Dylan’s life), and Ray (Ray Charles). Recently, I found Bohemian Rhapsody to be more of a miss. And today I am writing about the latest miss: Mötley Crüe’s The Dirt. 

For those who haven’t seen it, this film is based on Mötley Crüe’s 2001 biography by the same name. The movie chronicles the band’s notorious reputation as the archetypical 80′s glam-rock cliche: reckless unprotected sex, excessive use of drugs and arguably rock & roll. 

Before getting into the reasons why I thought it was a miss, lets talk about what I did enjoy. The band is played by Daniel Webber (Vince Neil) Douglas Booth (Nikki Sixx), Colson Baker (Tommy Lee), and Iwan Rheon (Mick Mars). In my opinion, the casting was superb. Each of the actors looked very much like the people they were portraying, and the acting was strong. None will win any awards for it, but they played their role well, and that's worth commending. 

The soundtrack and how music was played up in the film was also outstanding. Instead of jamming as many songs as humanly possible into two hours, each song seemed carefully curated and was given enough play time to be enjoyed with as little interruption as possible. Sometimes as background music and sometimes as a live performance. 

Here is where things went wrong. The entire movie felt like a PR stunt to clean up the tarnished reputation of the band. A failed attempt to portray the band as a group of misguided young men who sought to clean up their lives after hitting rock bottom. 

In reality, the debauchery that Mötley Crüe was infamous for in the '80s was one that made Led Zeppelin's wild years seem tame — and nothing to be proud of. Around the clock drunkenness, excessive use of hard drugs, lewdness and a total disregard for others' lives or properties. Now, I am merely stating the known facts without judgement, but what bothered me the most was the disconnect from reality. 

I didn't want to see more of the excess, the girls or the recklessness, but it's worth pointing out that while the movie ends with the band sobering up and living happily ever after, it does overlook the fact that even after seemingly hitting rock bottom, some of the members of the band continued with their bad habits. Take, for example, Vince Neil's two subsequent DUI charges in 2007 and 2010. Or Tommy Lee's 1998 arrest for physically assaulting Pamela Anderson. Then there is the troublesome confession that Nikki Sixx recanted of him and Tommy Lee raping an unconscious woman. 

To be fair, it does seem like in their later years, most band members have stayed out of trouble. 

I would have liked to see more of the songwriting process and dynamic of the band. Or more of the stories that inspired the music. Take, for example, the opportunity to dive deeper into Mötley Crüe's poignant Theatre of Pain or the darker Dr. Feelgood. Both of which — in my opinion — serve as the redeeming albums of a band whose music often leaned on cliches. 

It checks out. In this #metoo era, bands whose musical legacy was overshadowed by their disregard for others become problematic. Biopics can be an excellent way to please the fans while seeking the pardon of the critics. But The Dirt just didn't feel sincere. 

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Motley Crue: Random Quarantine Thoughts

1. Started Out as Metallica... The band’s earlier work including the critically acclaimed album Shout at the Devil was very close to resembling heavy metal as you have come to know in the sounds of such bands as Metallica. The songs were relatively simple, centered around a guitar riff, and usually included a chorus that was repeated over and over. This was music to bang your head too and nothing but.

2. Turned into Poison Light... in the mid-1980s, this band switched gears completely and began to make music more aligned with the hair bands like Bon Jovi and Poison. If you watch music videos like “Smoking in the Boys Room,” “Girls Girls Girls,” then you will have a hard time believing that this is actually the same band that made Shout at the Devil.

3. Vince Neil Should Have Gone To Jail for 20 years...In 1983, Vince Neil was driving his brand new sports car with the drummer from the band Hanoi Rocks in the passenger seat when he crashed it. Not only did his passenger die, but he also seriously injured passengers in another car. The singer would receive a sentence of 30 days in jail and a fine of $2.6 million. Yet, most people agree that he really got off light. If that accident had happened 10 years later, then he would have gone to jail undoubtedly for a significant amount of time. Neil was lucky in the fact that stricter DUI sentencing had not gone into effect in the early 1980s.

4. Hanoi Rocks Imploded... This tragedy struck that band particularly hard. They never recovered from the death of their drummer eventually breaking up. There are many who thought that this band had the potential to break out among all those other groups playing in LA at the time. One group that has been accused of stealing the style of this band was Guns N’ Roses. They supposedly copied a lot of things from that band, which they deny, but that is not at all surprising.

5. Home Sweet Home... It is very interesting looking back at their history, but Motley Crue also was groundbreaking. They were the first metal/rock band to put a ballad on a major album. Other bands were not doing that at the time. With the success of “Home Sweet Home,” every band around always put one ballad on their album after that.

6. Dr. Feelgood... With this song, the band was able to successfully merge their early metal sound with the songwriting and lyrics of a more pop centered hair bad that they moved into in the middle 80s. This stands alone as one of their catchiest, hook laden tracks. The question becomes why couldn’t they duplicate something like this song ever again.

7. Shameless Marketing... One thing that could never be forgotten about Mötley Crüe is the fact that they are the most shameless marketers in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. The examples are too numerous to be mentioned here. For example, they did a tour where it was written into the contract that this would be their final tour legally. After that tour, they would not be allowed to ever perform live again. Well, a couple years later the band decided that they would like to tour again. These morons had to go to court to get the contract modified to a point where they would be allowed to tour again.

8. All Ballads Album... One of the things that stands out through their entire catalog is the fact that Motley Crue was one of the best ever at doing rock ballads. Not just “Home Sweet Home,” but other songs like “Without You” and “Don’t Go Away Mad” are some of the best ballads of the eighties. With the success of the compilation album Monster Ballads, they should have put together an album made up entirely of ballads. this might have made them a little bit more relevant for a while.

9. Challenging Axl to a Fight on MTV... in the late 1980s, Vince Neil went on MTV and challenged Axl Rose to a fight. I am pretty sure that Axl would have kicked Vince Neil’s ass, but this also brings up a bit of nostalgia. I miss the days when beefs would play out on MTV. Now, those same beefs play out on Twitter. The old way was much better.

10. Without Vince Neil, They Were Terrible...People forget that from 1992 to 1996 Vince Neil was essentially kicked out of the band. They released one album that did terrible. The band tried to do a follow up album, and the studio told them they would not give them any money to make the album unless they brought Vince Neil back. I recently watched one of the music videos released from that album. If there is any way to describe them without Neil, I would have to say you might as well have called them Extreme 2.0.

[yearzero1977]

Year Zero – 40th Anniversary of the Clash at Trinity College Dublin When The Clash played in Trinity College Dublin on 21 October 1977 they were fresh from a cancelled show and mini riot at Belfast’s Ulster Hall the night before. Bringing the white heat of UK Punk Rock to an Irish audience, The Clash played two sets of 35 minutes, inspiring attendees and kick-starting dozens of careers in the process. Year Zero is a symposium celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Clash’s two shows at Trinity College Dublin. On 21 October 2017 a full day symposium featuring talks, Q&As, readings and screenings by original members of The Clash’s touring party, former TCD Student Officers involved in promoting the shows, filmmakers and close associates of the band. The event will be held in the Examinations Hall, TCD – the original venue for the 1977 shows. The day’s celebrations will culminate in DJ Set by filmmaker, DJ and Clash associate Don Letts at The Grand Social, Dublin. Martin Bradley, Chris Heaney and Robert Gordon McHarg III of Year Zero said “The Clash shows in Dublin in 1977 created ripples throughout the fields of music, art and film – many of those who attended went on to significant creative careers and cite this gig as a pivotal moment in understanding the possibility of following such a path. We’re delighted to be able to work with Trinity College Dublin in shining a light on this often overlooked aspect of Irish cultural history’’ Take this opportunity to attend screenings, Q&As and readings featuring Julien Temple, Don Letts, Robin Banks, Johnny Green, Ian Wilson, Paul Tipping, Brian McMahon and John Fisher and to attend the first ever performance in Dublin by legendary DJ Don Letts. Tickets are available at https://clashtrinity.eventbrite.com/ For further information contact: Trinity College Dublin Media Relations Office communications@tcd.ie Programme Schedule: Saturday 21 October 2017 – Examinations Hall TCD 10.00 Welcome 10.30 - 11.30 The Gig - Organising / Attending / Significance - Paul Tipping / Brian McMahon / Ian Wilson / John Fisher 12.00- 1.00 Don Letts - screening excerpts from Westway to The World / Q&A 2.00 - 3.00 Robin Banks - screening excerpts from The Rise and Fall of The Clash / Q&A 3.00 - 4.00 Johnny Green - screening excerpts from Rude Boy / Book Reading / Q&A 5.00 - 6.00 Julien Temple - screening excerpts from The Clash New Year’s Day ‘77 / Q&A Saturday 21 October 2017 - The Grand Social 8.00 - 9.00 Screening of Clash Film 9.00 - late Don Letts DJ Set Interesting information on participants Year Zero A collaboration between Martin Bradley, Chris Heaney and Robert Gordon McHarg III. Martin Bradley is an archivist who has previously worked with U2, The Joe Strummer Archive, Gorillaz, The Abbey Theatre and Gate Theatre archives for NUI Galway and many more over the course of a 20 year career. Chris Heaney worked with U2 for 17 years, initially as an audio engineer and then as the band’s archive manager. He is currently working with the Seamus Heaney estate. Robert Gordon McHarg III is the Joe Strummer Archive curator, a visual artist, art director and designer. He founded the Subway Gallery in London. Sandpaper Blues, Art-Tube 01, Him and the Him Book are some of his notable art creations. McHarg worked on numerous Joe Strummer Foundation projects, curated four Mick Jones “The Rock & Roll Public Library” and “Black Market Clash” exhibitions, worked with Paul Simonon on The Clash “Sound System” box set and art directed John Cooper Clarke’s “Anthologia”. He is renowned in Japan for his Gonchan rocks and art installations at Fuji Rock Festival, an ongoing 20 year adventure. Don Letts Don Letts is a filmmaker, DJ and musician whose association with The Clash goes back over 40 years. As DJ at the Roxy, Letts is credited with introducing reggae to punk rock fans. He was a founding member of Big Audio Dynamite with Clash guitarist Mick Jones, has released numerous compilation albums and directed a variety of films and documentaries. In 2003 he won a Grammy for his Clash documentary Westway to the World. He released his autobiography Culture Clash: Dread Meets Punk Rockers in 2007. Julien Temple Julien Temple is a feature film, documentary and music video director. He started his career with the short documentary Sex Pistols Number 1 and went on to make feature length documentaries on the Sex Pistols, Dr. Feelgood, Dave Davies and Joe Strummer, as well as the movies Absolute Beginners, Earth Girls Are Easy, Bullet with Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur, and Pandaemonium about the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. His film The Clash: New Year’s Day ’77 captured the moment when punk emerged into the mainstream consciousness. Johnny Green Starting out as a roadie for the Sex Pistols, Green became The Clash’s Tour Manager – his first ever show in this capacity was the Trinity College Dublin gig in 1977. He went on to tour the USA with The Clash three times, appears extensively in the Rude Boy film and is the author of A Riot of Our Own: Night and Day with The Clash recounting his experiences. Robin Banks Robin James Banks was a friend and confidante to The Clash throughout their career. He actually went to school with Mick Jones and Paul Simonon. He established and co-edited “The Armagideon Times”, the band’s own in-house magazine. Later he wrote and narrated “The Rise and Fall of The Clash” - a film which examined exactly that. Paul Tipping Paul Tipping was the Trinity College Dublin Entertainments Officer in 1977 who booked The Clash to perform. Ian Wilson RTÉ Radio Producer Ian Wilson was Students Union President in Trinity College Dublin in 1977, lived on campus with Paul Tipping and handled the College’s evident displeasure. Brian McMahon Brian McMahon, who attended the gig, is the owner and editor of brandnewretro.ie a vintage Irish pop culture and lifestyle website and book. John Fisher Gig attendee John Fisher had a famous punk stall at Dublin’s Dandelion Market where he also ran the infamous gigs which featured the top Irish bands of the time like U2, The Blades & The Outcasts. His attendance at the gig involved an unexpected encounter with the band.

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Tommy Lee Net Worth 2022: What Disease Does Tommy Lee Jones Have?

Tommy Lee, whose birth name is Thomas Lee Bass, is a renowned drummer. He is best known for co-founding the heavy metal band Motley Crüe in 1981 with Nikki Sixx. Due in part to Lee's renowned stomping drumming, the group has become one of the most successful metal bands in history. The band was replaced by Lee's second big project, Methods of Mayhem, which similarly broke new ground by introducing rap to metal, a genre that had been stagnant for years. In addition to being a skilled drummer, Lee is renowned for being incredibly entertaining live and for his rock and roll lifestyle and high-profile companions, including Pamela Anderson. Tommy Lee, an American musician and founding member of Motley Crüe, with an estimated net worth of $55 million in 2022. Net Worth: $55 Million Profession: Professional Musician Date of Birth: October 3, 1962 (age 59) Country: United States of America Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.89 m) But first, let's examine Lee's career to this point. While he has made headlines in recent years as the subject of biopics such as Hulu's Pam & Tommy and TNT's Pam & Tommy: The Tape That Changed America, he is also widely recognised as the drummer for the legendary heavy metal band Motley Crüe. After receiving his first pair of drumsticks at the age of four, Lee's passion in music was kindled when he was a young boy. Later, as a youngster, Lee obtained his first complete drum kit and dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music. Suite 19 was his first band, which he formed in Los Angeles after being influenced by Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and Kiss. Lee met his future bandmate Nikki Sixx during a Suite 19 concert on the Sunset Strip in California. Sixx persuaded Lee to leave Suite 19 and form the band that would become Motley Crüe. How did Tommy Lee get so Rich? Motley Crue had a reputation for abusing heavy drugs and booze, yet it did not prevent them from producing some of the most memorable metal albums ever. Lee contributed to the band's concentration, resulting in the release of Shout at the Devil in 1983, Theatre of Pain in 1985, Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987, and Dr. Feelgood in 1989. Dr. Feelgood became the band's first and only number one album on the Billboard 200 albums chart after selling over six million copies. In addition to selling millions of records and performing in arenas, Lee also earns money through endorsement deals, most famously endorsing DW Drums in the 1980s, but it was just reported that the legendary metal drummer will once again represent the company's goods for the foreseeable future. The band's greatest financial success occurred in 2004, when the drummer rejoined the group for a reunion and published a greatest hits CD titled Red, White & Crue. The album went quadruple-platinum, sold more copies than any of their previous studio albums, and inspired a massive return tour that was documented on DVD. After the 81-show globe tour, which was their first in six years, the band earned an estimated $33 million in total. What Made Him So Successful? Lee's popularity was made possible in part by the MTV generation. The band's formation coincided with MTV's meteoric rise in popularity, creating the ideal storm for Motley Crue. The band's mainstream breakthrough began with the release of their sophomore album, Shout at the Devil, which was certified four times platinum. After this, they discovered their groove and proceeded to play that album's music for the foreseeable future. Due to the album's demonic imagery, the album's style and title sparked debate among parents. However, the controversy may have stoked the fires of the record's popularity, spreading the word about the album and its music and even gaining the praise of the metal god himself, Ozzy Osborne. 1984's Bark of the Moon tour included the band as the opening act as a result of the issue. Controversy became an integral aspect of Motley Crue's music. Even at the height of their fame, they protested when their fourth album, Girls, Girls, Girls, climbed at number two on the Billboard 200, believing that Whitney Houston's label released her album at the same time. The band asserts that their fourth album, while receiving negative reviews from reviewers, would have hit number one if not for Houston's label's questionable practises. Why is He So Famous? Suite 19, Lee's band that before Motley Crue, had a residency at a Los Angeles club in the 1970s. On occasion, Lee shared the stage with other massive bands that were also at the height of their popularity, such as Van Helen. Even though the band's debut album, Too Fast for Love, did not sell in large quantities, it was a success since it was inexpensive to manufacture and the band released it on their own independent record company, Leathür Records. Recognizing the band's potential to sell millions of records and fill arenas, Electra signed the up-and-comers, and during the 1980s, the band published multiple chart-topping albums. During this time, the band embraced theatrical performances and earned a reputation for dynamic live shows. Several of the band's stunts, particularly Lee's, may be considered gimmicks, but they helped make the group's live performance a must-see. These gimmicks included a drum equipment that rotated, performing on a platform above the crowd, and mooning the audience, which became a hallmark of every performance. In 1995, Lee starred in a sextape with his then-girlfriend, Pamela Anderson, which attracted perhaps as much attention as his membership in Motley Crue. Despite the fact that the tape was first taken from Lee's home by a trader and then disseminated online by Internet Entertainment Group, Lee finally began to profit from the video after settling with IEG and its lawful distribution. It is the world's first example of a leaked sextape. It is unknown how much money Lee got from the settlement, but it is certain to be substantial. Read More: - Courtney Clenney Net Worth 2022: Her Arrest And Charges Were Confirmed By Her Defense Counsel, Frank Prieto - Olivia Newton John Net Worth 2022: Olivia Newton-John Cause of Death? - Andrew Tate Net Worth 2022 (Updated): What Is Hustlers University 2.0 On Discord? Lee starred in his own reality programme, Tommy Lee Goes To College, which aired on NBC in 2004. The show was a result of his being a global celebrity and having many platinum-certified albums. The drummer also featured alongside fellow artist Ludacris in the reality television series Battleground Earth. How much did Mötley Crüe sell their catalog for? Artists like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie have sold their music libraries for millions of dollars in recent years. Late in 2021, Motley Crüe joined this group by selling their discography to the record label BMG. "It feels incredible to work with our new partners at BMG," "The group issued a joint statement. "Their lengthy rock success record makes them the ideal place to continue conserving and expanding our musical history, ensuring we remain at the top of our game." Variety stated that the sale was for $150 million, but added that "there was a huge disparity in the amounts cited" and that "other sources suggested a considerably smaller number." How much did Mötley Crüe make per show? Since the 1980s, Motley Crüe's tours have constantly generated millions of dollars. Their upcoming 2022 stadium tour—their first set of performances since a high-profile farewell show on New Year's Eve 2015—will find them performing with Def Leppard, Poison, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. In reality, a concert organiser in Iowa revealed to a radio station that Motley Crüe allegedly demanded $2 million per gig when the group's 2019 tour was initially scheduled. With a 30-show tour, the band stood to earn a guaranteed $60 million from the performances alone. Obviously, this does not include performances that sold enough tickets to earn more than their base guarantee. That is certainly conceivable. In Cleveland, Ohio, for instance, ticket prices varied from $79.50 up to a VIP package that costs $4,250 per ticket before taxes. Merchandise sales would undoubtedly add millions more to the total. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it is little wonder that Motley Crüe was ready to postpone the tour until 2022; it is a lucrative opportunity. How much did Mötley Crüe make from The Dirt? Quite a bit. Motley Crüe's 2001 joint band autobiography, The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band, was undoubtedly a hit. The book spent many weeks on the New York Times bestseller list upon its initial publication. Along with the release, the band produced a collection of their greatest hits, which strengthened their notoriety. Kovac told Fast Company that the book became a tent pole. We promoted it as a record and released a greatest hits CD alongside it. In 2019, Netflix premiered The Dirt, a cinematic adaptation of the novel that was preceded by many years of unsuccessful beginnings. "When I watch it, I am immediately transported back to that era and all the genuine sh*t that was going on around us," Lee told GQ. "Therefore, I adore it. I'm quite pleased with it." Alongside the film, the band released The Dirt's soundtrack, which included Motley Crüe staples and numerous new songs, as well as a version of Madonna's "Like a Virgin." This album reached No. 10 on the Billboard albums list. The success of The Dirt has increased Motley Crüe's popularity in other areas. For starters, the book returned to the New York Times bestseller list. In the 27 days following the film's release, their songs were played 73.8 million times on Spotify and over 30 million times on Apple Music, a 599% and 1,081% increase, respectively, according to Variety. iTunes also recorded an increase in Motley Crüe song sales: 176,008 purchases, a 1,330% increase compared to other 27-day periods throughout the previous year. "We anticipated that Motley Crüe fans, who had made The Dirt book a New York Times bestseller, would be eager to watch the film after 15 years of hearing about its production "Lee stated. "But we did not anticipate the new younger audience's response to the film and song." Summary Courtney Clenney is an American model, actress, and social media influencer. She was arrested for killing her boyfriend on August 10, 2022. This post will tell you about her net worth, how much she makes each year, her career, and many other things. It is thought that Courtney Clenney has a net worth of about $2 million. But many websites say her net worth is between $1 million and $5 million. We think she makes between $25,000 and $30,000 a month. Courtney Clenney was arrested in Hawaii on accusations of second-degree murder. She is being detained at the East Hawaii Detention Center and will appear in court on Thursday. The 26-year-old is suspected of stabbing her lover, Obumseli, to death in April. Read the full article