A Conversation With Drummer Tommy LeeA few years ago, the original lineup of Motley Crue got back together and have since been selling out concerts all over the world. It’s been a decade since they recorded a new CD with Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee as the lineup. The title track from Saints Of Los Angeles has done very well, and the rest of the album has been much anticipated. In addition, Motley Crue is launching Cruefest this summer, a traveling festival they are headlining along with support bands Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Trapt and Sixx A.M. (Nikki Sixx’s band). I interviewed drummer Tommy Lee about the new album and tour and the many other projects he’s involved with, including a reality show with Ludacris and an animated series. Chad Bowar: Give us a preview of your new CD Saints Of Los Angeles.Tommy Lee: It’s the first studio record we’ve made in nine and a half years, or whatever it is. That’s exciting. There’s nothing better than new music. We love going out and playing the older hits, but we’re musicians and we’ve got to have some new stuff to keep us in the game. We’re really pumped. The record’s dope. We hope you dig it. Your single has been available to download via the Rock Band video game. How has that been going?I guess there are a ton of downloads for it. I have two kids that are 10 and 11, and they rarely listen to the radio. They are on iTunes and playing video games. That’s where the kids are at. They’re not driving around in a car listening to the radio. Kids love music and hit their parents up for money to buy it. Those days of driving to the record store and looking around are over. It’s a double-edged sword.

Chad Bowar of About Heavy Metal recently conducted an interview with M

2008-June-18 – Pam and Tommy Lee grab coffees with friends in Malibu. If you take the photos, credits goes to tommyleeland.com

2008-June-24 – Motley Crue perform at “The Late Show with David Letterman” to Promote Their New Album “Saints of Los Angeles” and to Kick Off Their Upcoming Tour “Crue Fest”. If you take the photos, credits goes to tommyleeland.com

Motley Crue [ tickets ]“Saints of Los Angeles”(Eleven Seven)These veteran head-bangers are set to release their first new studio album since 2000′s “New Tattoo.” “Saints of Los Angeles” was recorded by the band’s original lineup: drummer Tommy Lee, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and vocalist Tommy Lee. The previous record to feature that cast was 1997′s “Generation Swine.”The first single from “Saints of Los Angeles” is its title track, which includes backup vocals from Buckcherry’s Josh Todd, Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix, Sixx:A.M.’s James Michael and Trapt’s Chris Brown.The Crue will support the record this summer by headlining its own touring festival, dubbed Crue Fest. The road trip, which also features Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Crue bassist Nikki Sixx’s side-project Sixx:A.M. and alt-rockers Trapt, kicks off July 1 in West Palm Beach, FL. [Source]

Remember when Motley Crue toed the line between great success and utter destruction. The days of infighting and injecting that led to Vince Neil’s supposed ejection and Tommy Lee’s objection to retaining rock star credibility. To those who object to the latter claim I need only refer to Tommy Lee Goes to College. Regardless of each individual member’s pitfalls over the years, now it seems the Crue have circled the wagons to focus their ire elsewhere. At the moment, MTV. According to Billboard.com, the boys are fed up with MTV. In 2006 the crew of eyeliner-wearing, high-heel strutting junkies reached a deal with MTV Films/Paramount to produce a biopic based on the band’s autobiography The Dirt. Unfortunately, as with all things Crue-related, time has not been in the band’s favor. “We’re trying to get them (MTV) out of the way to make this movie that should have been made a long time ago,” says Sixx. Translation: I wanna see myself on the big screen because next time I might not get that second shot of adrenaline. Less a worthy jab at a channel once heralded for its placement of credible music into the American zeitgeist that has since retarded into a parody of itself and the worst America has to offer, Sixx has criticized MTV with words that may very well reflect on the Crue: “MTV has become bogged down in its own way. It’s a channel that used to be hip and has now become unhip.” This coming from a band who these days chooses to survive off its former reputation as hard-living, hard-rocking band of heathens as opposed to continue their evil ways a la Keith Richards. But, all may not be lost, the band’s new album Saints of Los Angeles hits stores Tuesday and, despite it being an autobiographical album detailing the notoriety that lay at the heart of the band’s charm and their antics no longer living up to the grit of the days of Dr. Feelgood, perhaps, sobriety might just sound as good. [Source]