This Ain’t a Love Song

From Rags to Rock: The Motley Crue Success Story

Sam S Jan 11th 2024

Alright, so let me tell you why Motley Crue is the coolest thing that happened to rock music – They were the dictionary definition of Rock Lifestyle. Picture this: it’s the 80s, and these guys, Vince, Nikki, Mick, and Tommy, look like they just rolled out of bed, put on some ripped jeans, and grabbed whatever tour tee they found lying around. They weren’t those polished hair bands or industry creations – they were the Bad boys of Hollywood and they used their talent and talk to get to the top. It’s what they did there that make them legends. These dudes clawed their way out of the “gritty streets” of the Sunset Strip, hustling for every gig they could get. They succeeded because they had some luck and a bunch of talent, they had that rawness, that realness, not like the overly polished stuff we see today.

A Motley Crew indeed

This literal motley crew of musicians and alcoholics became the true embodiment of the 80s rock scene you cannot compare this to today at all. They didn’t doll up in cute little boy band uniforms – in fact they barely listened to management. They weren’t spoilt kids made famous via YouTube and social media – they were real rockers! Think about it, they had to personally promote their band and music in the streets to get people to their gigs – you couldn’t just tweet it. True word of mouth relies on real talent.

Rockstars from the Movies

Their story is like one of those classic rockstar movies from the 80s. Dude, Vince, Nikki, Mick, and Tommy – these boys lived a life full of excesses, bad decisions, and endless rehab stints. And they had the audacity to put all of it in their songs: the good, the bad, and the really, f*ckin ugly. This is something missing in today’s music. Everything’s so polished, so politically correct, that artists are afraid to share personal struggles in their music – they are afraid to be real.

On their best days, you could hear their pain, their triumphs, and their rebelliousness reflected in songs like “Home Sweet Home”, “Kickstart My Heart”, and “Girls, Girls, Girls“. Today’s music sings of having a bad day… Motley Crue sang about bangin strippers and getting black out drunk and high – they would just censor it all out. Look i’m not condoning any rock n roll behavior BUT I will say those guys lived THAT rockstar lifestyle that most men wished they could live for a day – Tell me I’m wrong.

Rockstars from the Movies

So before you watch the next polished-turd auto-tuned sensation with their high-tech music videos, take a step back. Put on a vintage-ish Motley Crue tour tee and turn on some classic Crue. Let the raw energy sink in, let it transport you back to a time when music spoke to you, not at you. Only then you might get a glimpse of what it felt like to see heyday Motley Crue live, in a packed sweaty club, melting your face with their brand of rock and roll. I’d trade a thousand Insta-live sessions for one epic Motley Crue night any day. For me, it’s always gonna be a shitty bar, beer, smokes and some damn good loud rock music. That is the true Motley Crue rock lifestyle

On With the Show 🤘

Sam 😉

Rock ‘n’ Roll Junkie