Vince Neil, singer and frontman from L.A. rock outfit Mötley Crüe, announced via Twitter that the four-piece is recording brand-new music. Drummer Tommy Lee also posted a photo to Instagram captioned, “It’s that new s**t!!!!” The picture highlighted his co-founding bassist, Nikki Sixx.
Crüe had initially announced their last-ever tour, which featured legendary shock-rocker Alice Cooper, in late January 2014 during an official press conference.
It was deemed The Final Tour (All Good Things Must Come to an End). The band became the first-ever to sign a legally binding contract named a “cessation of touring.” The document stated the boys could no longer tour together under the name Mötley Crüe after 2015.
READ MORE: Q&A: Nikki Sixx looks ahead to life after Mötley Crüe
The Final Tour commenced in Grand Rapids in July 2014, and Crüe’s final show was in their hometown of L.A. on Dec. 31, 2015. The show was recorded, and a subsequent live album was released, The End – Live in Los Angeles.
When the band signed the cessation of touring and announced their final tour, it was safe for fans to assume that was the end for the glam rockers after over three decades of service; the common consensus was that the group broke up following the end of their 2015 leg.
There’s been no word from guitarist Mick Mars just yet, although he generally avoids social media (unlike the other band members).
Mars’ health was a big part of why the band stopped touring. He’s suffered from arthritis of the spine (ankylosing spondylitis) since he was 17 years old. He had hip-replacement surgery just before the band’s greatest hits reunion tour in 2005.
READ MORE: Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars not your ordinary arthritic grandpa
For those who missed Crüe on this tour, it was apparent in Mars’ performance that he was stiffer; fortunately, his guitar-riffing abilities were not impacted whatsoever.
While his health has deteriorated over the years due to the onset of additional scoliosis (curvature of the spine), Mars still loves to play and is perfectly fit to record new rock n’ roll material.
Since his original post, Lee has shared other photos to his Instagram page from inside the studio. Crüe fanatics have been speculating on the happenings since then.
Here, Neil reveals that he’ll be heading back to the studio with Crüe shortly and that they are in fact working on new music again.
Sixx confirmed with a fan shortly afterwards that the band is recording these original tracks for the soundtrack of their long-awaited biopic, entitled The Dirt. Based on rock autobiography of the same name (published in 2001), it will explore the formation, rise and decline of Mötley Crüe and its members. The book went into great detail about their past substance abuse, hooliganism, sexcapades and general experiences while living in L.A. with fame and fortune.
Following much criticism and questioning, Neil broke the silence quickly after his initial announcement Thursday morning. Fans were outraged that their “expensive” and “emotional” final tour would now mean nothing and that they would likely tour again.
Neil explained that while the boys can no longer tour together, they never actually broke up.
“Hope this clears it up,” Neil said.
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The Dirt movie is back on track again, in production at Netflix. There’s no ETA for the film’s release yet, but since Crüe’s reveal of brand new material (for the official soundtrack), it might be prudent to keep your eyes open for information.
Four new songs and a film? Quite the unexpected comeback and something for all rockers and headbangers to really look forward to.
adam.wallis@globalnews.ca