Motley Crue

Figure 1. Motley Crue performing at a concert 

 Intro: Motley Crue has been a big part of the rock industry for a while now, going all the way back to the 1980s. This band was created by Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx (Figure 1), who started auditions for members

within their apartment complex. That's where they got the lead guitarist, Mick Mars, who showed up to one of the auditions, and got the part. Their singer, Vince Neil was picked up at one of his performances to be apart of the newly formed band, Motley Crue. Fans during the time would go crazy for performances with fire and crazy lights, so that is exactly what this band did. Most of their performances would be interacting with the crowd, allowing them to be apart of the craziness they called a concert. The fandom for Motley Crue is over the top, and something rock fans have never seen before, making this group stick out the most for bizarre fans. 

History: Going a little back into their history more, Motley Crue is a band consisting on a singer, Vince Neil, Drummer, Tommy Lee, a lead bassist, Nikki Sixx and lead guitarist Mick Mars. The group started performing as a group in 1981, where they got their first gig in a bar, which happened to lead to their success. Study done by Idea Wiki stated that, "The band members are well known for their backstage antics, outrageous clothing, extreme high-heeled boots, heavily applied make-up, and seemingly endless abuse of alcohol and drugs as well" (9). Motley Crue is very well known for anything and everything they wear and do during every concert. Fans during this time were crazy for Vince Neil, with his bright blonde hair and the way he would sing. Many fans would ask him to sign parts of their body if they didn't have paper for the singer to use, which he would willingly do. Going through the years, this band had many ups and downs, but in the end, they grew rapidly and continued performing until present day, in which they performed in Philadelphia back in June while on tour across the world. 

Style:  As discussed before, the rock band is known for their crazy style of clothing, wearing loads of baggy rock cloths and a lot of make-up, high-heels, and hair style. the way fans participate with the

Figure 2. Group of fans taking pictures at a concert

band is wearing the same style of clothes to every concert they attend (Figure 2). A study done by Houston Press states, "The band's huge teased hair, makeup and clothing that looked pieced together from leather, spikes, and bits of armor definitely put Motley Crue on the style map" (6). Many fans would copy this look, and wear the leather pants and especially the spikes all around the body to represent their support to the group. Some fans would even wear make-up to look like their favorite member of the group, or style the look of their hair to make it crazy for concerts. Fans for this group can get crazy at times, showing all forms of support for the group, going all the way to looking the same as the members performing on stage. Fans would copy this look, and wear the leather pants and especially the spikes all around the body to represent their support to the group. Some fans would even wear make-up to look like their favorite member of the group, or style the look of their hair to make it crazy for concerts. Fans for this group can get crazy at times, showing all forms of support for the group, going all the way to looking the same as the members performing on stage. 

Loyalty: Being a real Motley Crue fan means being loyal to the group, pertaining to how well they follow the band around, and how much support fans give the group. To be a Motley Crue fans is to have them as your favorite band, and to try and go to as many concerts as you can, showing loyalty to the group. A quote given by one of their fans states, "If the music wasn't any good, they would not have stood the test of time like they have. Motley Crue is an incredibly relevant band today" (8). This group is a favorite for many people, so showing loyalty to them brings out the real form of a fan. Another way to show your loyalty to this group would be to stick by their side for the long run. Another fan of Motley Crue states, "It was interesting to find such a mixed audience, from older fans wearing their ancient Crue shirts to younger fans who looked like they had just cleared out the local Hot Topic" (8). Always staying with this group for all these years, even through  old age shows your loyalty and support to the group, and shows how much of a fan you are to Motley Crue. 

Louder Noise. (2015, August 3). Mötley Crüe - Kickstart My Heart (Official Video) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybcxIpb-R_0

 

Performance: If you want to show how big of a fan you are, going to concerts would be the biggest thing you can do. Most fans that go to concerts scream and cheer for Motley Crue while they enter the stage, and go crazy when the performance starts. Every concert is always a big deal to those who attend them, so being at a motley Crue one shows your dedication to the group. A quote given by one person from one of their concerts states, "Permanent hearing damage in my right ear from the 1987 show at the Providence Civic Center. No regrets. I sang and screamed the whole show" (1). Going to one of Motley Crue's concerts is a life changer, and being a fan for this group changes everything portraying rock. 

Figure 3. Drawing created by a Motley Crue fan 

Fan Art: Motley Crue would not be the same without its fan art. Many fans like to create art for the band, like a title cover for their name, or drawings of the musicians (Figure 3). Some fans even go all the way to creating guitar picks for the band members to use during concerts. There are thousands of covers, drawing, portraits, animations, anything about this band. Motley Crue has such a supportive fanbase, full of fans that want the members to know how much they inspire them as Rockstar's. 

How I contribute to this fandom: Ever since I was little, my dad would put Motley Crue on the radio since it was his favorite band from a young age. I would listen to the music in the car while my

Figure 4. Fans waiting for Motley Crue

dad would sing each song word for word driving to the store. Ever since he started playing Motley Crue, I became a fan for this group. I now listen to their biggest hits from the 1990s while I drive to my destination, singing my heart out to every song that plays in this album. One of my favorite songs from Motley Crue would have to be Kickstart My Heart, which is shown above. The beat and rhythm of this song just hits me differently than any of their other songs. This group really made me enjoy the music of rock, with their unique form of playing, the the kind of lyrics they use for each song they record, with a special meaning behind most of their songs. I still have yet to attend one of their concerts, but I continue to listen to different albums from them as much as I can (Figure 4). Everything about this group continues to amaze me on the work and progress they went through to get where they are today, and I am glad to be apart of this communities fandom. 

References

1. Aanmelden of registreren om te bekijken. (n.d.). https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser

2. Curley, R. (2012). 5 reasons hard-core Motley Crue fans must see Las Vegas residency. Retrieved November 20, 20222, from https://discovery-ebsco-com.proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/c/qh4vbl/viewer/html/xdgvjquzjr

3. Explore the Best Motleycrue Art. (n.d.). DeviantArt. https://www.deviantart.com/tag/motleycrue

4. Louder Noise. (2015, August 3). Mötley Crüe - Kickstart My Heart (Official Video) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybcxIpb-R_0

 

5. Magary, D. (2015, January 6). Motley Crue Is Calling it Quits. GQ. https://www.gq.com/story/motley-crue-calling-it-quits

 

6. Motley Crue Breaks up: 10 Style Tips Learned from the Heavy-Metal Band. (2014, January 31). Peoplemag. https://people.com/celebrity/motley-crue-breaks-up-10-style-tips-learned-from-the-heavy-metal-band/

7. Ozden, E. (2022, March 12). The Only Thing Tommy Lee Hates About Mötley Crüe Fans. Rock Celebrities. Retrieved November 20, 202, from https://rockcelebrities.net/the-only-thing-tommy-lee-hates-about-motley-crue-fans/

8. Titus, C. (2008). Mötley Crüe. Billboard, 120(27), 35–38. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://discovery-ebsco-com.proxy-bloomu.klnpa.org/c/qh4vbl/viewer/html/fzbpq34aiv

9. Wiki Targeted (Entertainment). (n.d.). Idea Wiki. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://ideas.fandom.com/wiki/M%C3%B6tley_Cr%C3%BCe