Mötley Crüe finishes career at home

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For 34 years L.A. band Mötley Crüe has been the shining example of everything your parents — or maybe grandparents — hated about heavy metal. Therefore they represented everything young people, many of whom are now old people, love about heavy metal. In their 34 years Mötley Crüe never gave up their rebellious, over the top attitude on stage or off.

Staples CrowdYou are as likely to hear a dozen F-bombs in five minutes off stage, as you will when they are performing. As a result, many of their songs were not radio-friendly. They didn’t care, their albums sold in the millions — over 100 million worldwide — and the fans loved them.

Through the years the band has had ups and downs, clashes of egos and near disasters; lead singer Vince Neil in a car crash that killed his friend, Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley in 1984. In December 1987 bassist Nikki Sixx suffered a heroin overdose and died. He was revived by the paramedic who was a Crüe fan. It turned out to be the inspiration for the song “Kickstart My Heart.”

The band has had different lineups over the years, but the original band members, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil, got back together and organized their final years of touring, ending their career as a band back where it all started: Los Angeles. They performed three shows at Staples Center, the final show on December 31, 2015

The set list included their hits, “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Wild Side,” “Looks that Kill,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Kickstart My Heart” and more.

The concert began with the song “So Long Farewell” from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music before the band kicked into their set.

Mötley Crüe (Wikipedia)
Mötley Crüe (Wikipedia)

Vince Neil got choked up when he thanked all the people that put the concert on, and then the fans for supporting them for 34 years. Tommy Lee’s rollercoaster ride broke down in mid-drum solo, leaving the drummer hanging upside down until roadies could get him free. Guitarist Mick Mars launched into his guitar solo and by the time he was finished Lee’s drum kit was back on the stage, ready to be pounded once again.

Their encore, the final song they played on stage as a band, was “Home Sweet Home,” to honor the place where they got their start.

Our reporter Claudia Gestro was at the show and provided photos and a video from the concert. In her words, “They were great!”