"Comedy and Tragedy, Entertainment or Death"

Those words written by Nikki Sixx found on Theatre Of Pain, the third release by Mötley Crüe, always resonant through me when I listen to this record. Not because of the way lead singer Vince Neil belts out the verse accenting the word 'death' but rather what Vince did the year before this album was released.

"A heavier task could not have been imposed
Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable"


The Tragedy
For the uninformed or for those who missed the Mötley Crüe VH1 Behind The Music special, on December 8, 1984 Vince was involved in a high speed collision shortly before the recording phase for Theatre Of Pain. He was drunk, his red Pantera demolished, the passengers in the oncoming car seriously injured, and Vince's passenger, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley, was dead.

Razzle was the drummer for Hard Rock up & comers Hanoi Rocks lead by Steven Tyler/Jagger-esque Michael Monroe. I dislike using the term "up & comers" to describe Hanoi Rocks because, truthfully, they were doing what Mötley was doing before Mötley, but the Crüe made the Glam metal style popular and put it on the charts.

Hearing this news back in my hometown in the Midwest, my first reaction was anger, which later surrendered to sadness. As my heart went out to the victims, I thought the Crüe was done despite some early rumors that Michael Monroe would replace Vince on vox. Regardless, the Crüe would not be the same band I devoted an entire bedroom wall to during that year.

As court dates became sporadic, Vince rejoined the band to record the follow-up to the stellar Shout At The Devil record. It wouldn't be until September of 1985 when Vince was found guilty for vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 30 days jail time, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay $2.6 million to the victims. He wouldn't serve the time until the following year after the Theatre Of Pain tour was completed. Ultimately, Vince would get his payback in the worst possible way but that's a whole other story.


Dramatis Personae
Vince Neil - vocals, harmonica
Nikki Sixx - all bass guitars, backing vocals
Mick Mars - all guitars, backing vocals
Tommy Lee - drums, piano, backing vocals


The Play
Nikki originally planned to call this album "Entertainment Or Death" but settled for the Theatre Of Pain title by the time the record was completed. "Entertainment Or Death" had always stuck in the back of his mind and later became the title of Mötley's first live record released in November of 1999. Mötley's real life exploits and larger-than-life onstage theatrics inspired the prevalent theme of the record that would take the Crüe to the next level.

I'll never forget the first time I saw the Theatre Of Pain record. My best friend bought the record the day it was released (June 21, 1985) and planned to stop by on the way home from visiting his girlfriend. I lived out the in country and as he approached the gravel drive to my house, he mistimed the left turn and slid into a ditch severely wrecking the front right wheel. Instead of jamming to the Crüe, I consoled my friend. Shaken up, he decided to leave the album with me before he attempted to make his way home with the bent axle as he concocted a story for his parents. The masks on the album cover glared at me; I was left alone with Theatre Of Pain.


The Production
The first spin on my antiquated turntable left me unimpressed. The raw edge from the previous two records was replaced with a "brown" sound - the production seemed muddy. The tracks were average and the fierce aggression I expected was gone. The cover of Brownsville Station's "Smokin' In The Boys Room" was silly (hand claps? Come on!) but naturally generated even more attention for these bad boys who livened it up with their personal take... "My buddies Sixx, Mick & Tom... to get caught would surely be the death of us all."

After repeated listens, Theatre grew on me although it would always fall in third place behind Shout and Too Fast For Love in my order of favorites at the time. Made for a paltry $200k compared to today's standards, Theatre Of Pain became Mötley's biggest seller to date and put them in arena's for good.


The Score
"City Boy Blues" opens the album and, as its name states, is a bluesier track than we've come to know from the Crüe but Vince Neil's squeals are still a highlight. I've never cared much for this one which really serves as a warm-up for "Smokin' In The Boys Room" that follows. "Smokin'" was Mötley's first song to crack the Top 40 at #16 (incidentally the album peaked at #6 and went multi-platinum that year). Initially "Louder Than Hell" was one of my favorite tracks but I've since retracted that sentiment. "Louder" plods along lacking any Oomph! or punch you'd expect from a tune with that title.

"Keep Your Eye On The Money" is where the album picks up for me with Nikki's solid bass grooves and Mick's loose guitar chops. The short bursts of words and faster approach inject some life into Theatre as the fourth track in, "Black jack roulette / losing high and low / she rolls the dice / she's cold as ice / turn a young man old." The gambling analogy is fitting for the Crüe living large on and off the stage taking a risk with every turn. The line Vince sings, "if it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all" seems even more poignant.

Theatre gets an extra star for the next track, easily the most popular song in Mötley's back catalog. Of course, I can only be referring to "Home Sweet Home." This was the Crüe's first foray into the phenomena known as the Power Ballad and despite only attaining #89 on the hits charts, it's left a lasting mark not only on the fans who lived through this period but also on the state of the industry. "Home Sweet Home" defined the term and became the first 'Power Ballad' on MTV's regular rotation as the most requested video four months straight. Eventually MTV would retire the video and change its guidelines for call-in requests. The video, shot primarily during the Texas leg of the tour, is memorable capturing clips of the band seizing the stage and doing what they do best - entertain the fans.

I've always enjoyed when heavy bands demonstrated their softer side by releasing a ballad. "Home Sweet Home" is no exception. The opening piano notes feel like home and immediately I am taken back to simpler times. Surprisingly, I never tire of hearing it. I doubt there's an American person alive who spent their teenage years in the 80's who hasn't heard this song at least once. And most my age can even hum a few bars if not recite the whole refrain. Talk about lasting.

Tommy's booming drums and Mick's scratchy guitar riffs kick the album back into gear with "Tonight (We Need A Lover)." This time around sex is intermingled with the theatre theme. The seventh track, "Use It Or Lose It" speeds things up even more as comparisons are made to those famous folks who met untimely deaths catapulting their celebrity to mythic proportions. Vince shouts, "JFK, Marilyn Monroe / street walking gypsy - Margaret Trudeau / I said hey, you, - what cha gonna do / when time runs out on you."

The eighth song, "Save Our Souls" drags on and never gets off the ground. It's like "Danger" from Shout redux only the spark is missing. The streetlife lyrics have no impact over the meandering guitars. Fortunately the next tune, "Raise Your Hands To Rock," strikes some energy back into Theatre. It's refreshing, twangy and upbeat. Vince's singing is lively and the song has me picturing the guys sitting in rehearsal kicking beer cans around reminiscing. Finally the album ends with a rather blah song called "Fight For Your Rights" in which I like the chord progressions during the verse but the repeated title as the chorus is just too cheesy in my book.


The Comedy
For those with visions of hairspray and spandex dancing in your head, this one's for you. I saw the Crüe on this tour at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, IA - as Midwest, Marlboro Reds, beer belching and corn-fed as it gets. The tour alleviated Mötley Crüe to new heights including T-Bone's show-stopping drum solo as his kit tilted 90 degrees towards the crowd as the onlookers gawked at the top-down view of his wild flailing. The show was over-the-top and the pyrotechnics were awesome. Though Shakespeare they were not, this was Mötley's Globe Theatre. After witnessing the other three members of the band chugging Jack Daniel's and boozing it up all night, Vince remarked at the end of the show, "Be safe. Don't drink and drive." Even Bill might have appreciated the irony.

"Go to a gossips' feast and go with me;
After so long grief, such festivity!"


The Finale
In 1999, Mötley Crüe re-mastered and re-released Theatre Of Pain as part of the Crucial Crüe Collection adding five bonus tracks. The mix is definitely an improvement but the "edge" is still missing. Yet the clarity of "Home Sweet Home" is excellent and the additional tracks and liner notes make it worth owning all over again. Although tarnished by the tragic events proceeding its release, Theatre Of Pain will be remembered more for the success it gained for the band and will forever have a place in the heavy metal history books.


Comedy and Tragedy. Joy and Sadness.

Anger and Elation. Entertainment and Misfortune.

Death and Success. Ironic indeed.

Mötley Crüe Theatre, circa 1984 - 85


80's pop metal fans should already own this, but I also recommend this album those who still have a piece of their heart stuck in the 80's and know when it's time to flick the lighter to a good power ballad.

3 stars for the songs and production
(one bonus star for allowing me to re-live it)


Track Listing:
1. City Boy Blues
2. Smokin' In The Boys Room
3. Louder Than Hell
4. Keep Your Eye On The Money
5. Home Sweet Home
6. Tonight (We Need A Lover)
7. Use It Or Lose It
8. Save Our Souls
9. Raise Your Hands To Rock
10. Fight For Your Rights
Bonus Tracks on Remastered Version:
11. Home Sweet Home (Demo)
12. Smokin' In The Boys Room (Alternate Guitar Solo-Rough Mix)
13. City Boys Blues (Demo)
14. Home Sweet Home (Instrumental Rough Mix)
15. Keep Your Eye On The Money (Demo)


In Memory of Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley 1960 - 1984






Recommended: Yes