Bad boys of rock take a Saint-ly turn

When author Neil Strauss first met Motley Crüe, the scene could have been ripped right from The Dirt, the 2001 band autobiography he co-wrote with the group that became a New York Times best seller.

"It was at a show in Phoenix, and the very first time I met them, (drummer) Tommy (Lee) was handcuffed backstage," Strauss recalls with a laugh. "Tommy Lee was literally handcuffed wearing these little leather shorts and nothing else; that was the ultimate way to meet Motley Crüe."

Such craziness is what made Strauss chronicle the legendary rock band. As one of the most notorious groups in history, the Los Angeles quartet has defied the odds when it comes to professional and personal survival, experiencing – and creating – as much turmoil and success.

Last month, Motley Crüe wrote the next chapter in its larger-than-life story with the release of Saints of Los Angeles. The first studio album in 11 years from the band's original line-up of Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee, debuted at No. 4 with sales of 99,000 copies. The set offers a classic Crüe vibe and echoes the tumultuous history recounted in Dirt.

For 27 years and with 50 million records sold, Motley Crüe has always done things in its own outrageous way.

"It's really simple," Sixx says of the group's life. "It's who we are. We're dysfunctional human beings that ended up in a gang."

The gang's impact stretches from when it ruled the '80s – and helped pioneer the glam metal genre that spawned dozens of wannabe acts. Today, Motley is rock royalty with two generations of subjects: its original fans, and those fans' children, who've been exposed to the band though their parents.

Fan ties nurtured Motley even before the group first appalled critics and parents with its controversial 1982 album, Shout at the Devil.

The record is just one of many battles Motley has fought, and won.

"We know what we're doing is real," Sixx says.

"Everyone wants to bet against us, every single time. And fans want to vote for us."

Guitarist Mars says that the band's music has "always been pretty close to street level... I think it's the way that we put our songs together and how we present them [that] people can relate to."

The Crüe appeared on the scene in 1981 sporting a look of leather, raccoon eyeliner and metal-stud jewellery. The Crüe's look was a vehicle to getting its music heard. Its mishmash of influences resulted in raw, aggressive rock with catchy riffs that singer Neil topped off with pouty vocals. The costumes and sound were the siren calls that launched glam metal, and a concept that dozens copied.

After self-releasing their debut album, Too Fast for Love, on their own Leathur Records in 1981 and signing to Elektra that year, the band forged a multi-platinum sales trajectory through the early 1990s with albums that are classic rock touchstones.

Shout at the Devil struck terror in parents' hearts. The more introspective Theatre of Pain contained the monster hit Home Sweet Home.

Girls, Girls, Girls is a consummate '80s party record, and Dr Feelgood is considered the Crüe's most solid effort. Beyond the music, the band's aura of chaos has sustained public interest. "Controversy is always good, because it's free press. Any press is good," Mars says.

"Negative or positive, it doesn't matter to me."

When Motley told its story in the The Dirt, it left no skeletons in its closet. The soap opera of addiction, conflict, death and success was unflinchingly showed.

Amid late-1990s turmoil, Neil exited the band and was replaced by John Corabi. Lee departed not long after Neil's return and was replaced first by Randy Castillo, then by Samantha Mahoney.

Motley essentially disbanded from 1999 until the 2005 reunion tour. Tour receipts confirmed that fans were still interested.

"We're a marriage, so it's like we always come back together," Mars says.

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