The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band [Hardcover]

Vince Neil (Author), Tommy Lee (Author), Motley Crue (Author), Mick Mars (Author), Nikki Sixx (Author), Neil Strauss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 22, 2001

After six multi-platinum albums, seven consecutive Billboard Top 20 albums, and four Billboard Top Ten singles, Motley Crue are the undisputed heavyweight champs of rock music. Since the '80s they've been the voice of a barely pubescent Generation X, the anoited High Priests of pentagram rock, pioneers of Hollywood Glam and the creators of MTV's first "power ballad". Their ravenous sexual appetites consumed celebrities from Heather Locklear to Pamela Anderson to Lita Ford, while their legendary scuffles involved everyone from Axl Rose to 2 Live Crew. Now, for the first time, the most influential, enduring and iconic rock band of the 1980s reveals everything in a tell-all of epic proportions. They've collected automatic weapons, pushed the envelope of total drug abuse and dreamt up backstage antics that would make Ozzy Osbourne blanch with modesty. They are the trailblazers of modern excess. Provocatively written and brilliantly designed, this book includes never-before-seen photos and behind-the-scenes paraphernalia. Whether you're a fan of Motley Crue, a fan of rock'n'roll or just a fan of outrageously bad behaviour, you owe it to yourself to read this book - and experience the madness first hand.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the beginning there was the Motley House, crawling with cockroaches and rats, beer cans piled on the porch so high they threatened to spill into the house every time you opened the door. "That place gave birth to Motley Crue," the band recalls in The Dirt: The Autobiography of Motley Crue. After the record contract, they write, "like a pack of mad dogs we abandoned the bitch, leaving with enough reckless, aggravated testosterone to spawn a million bastard embryo metal bands." Crue members Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx also team up with New York Times music writer Neil Strauss to tell the story of their band's rise to phenomenal success: their tours, friendships, alcohol and drug problems, music, influence and, above all, girls. No heavy metal fan will want to be without this crude, honest chronicle.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Mötley Crüe is Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Mick Mars, and Tommy Lee. Multiplatinum recording artists, international rock stars, and legendary raconteurs, Mötley Crüe defined a generation. This is their first book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment; First Edition edition (May 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060392886
• ISBN-13: 978-0060392888
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (451 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #92 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Rock

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lewd, Crude, Rude, and -(what?)- Sensitive!, July 31, 2001

By 

doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band (Hardcover)

This autobiography strongly resembles the Aerosmith book "Walk This Way" from a few years ago. You start out with the band's early days of non-stop partying, drugs, and chicks, and it's like the fun never stops. Then the story gets darker as the drugs take their toll and everyone loses their friends, money, and careers (at least temporarily). This pattern is clearly evident in the Motley Crue book, and to an even more extreme level than Aerosmith. The debauchery of the early years is truly excessive and explosive. If you love to act that way yourself, or do it vicariously by reading about the exploits of others, then you'll love those portions of this book. The only drawback is lurid descriptions of degrading things being done to women.

When the darkness sets in, I was surprised by the senstive and emotional writing of the guys in the band. Mick Mars (an extremly funny guy) discusses his painful bone disease that will probably lead to his early demise, Nikki Sixx (who's more intelligent than I imagined) talks about his traumatic childhood and family life, and Tommy Lee (a real sweetheart) includes his letters to Pamela from prison and shows a deep love for his sons. The most moving part of the book is when Vince Neil (who I don't think is a very cool person otherwise) discusses the death of his four-year old daughter from cancer, and how it changed his entire outlook on life.

This book also avoids the pitfalls of many biographies (and history books) by covering all time periods equally, instead of ignoring recent history at the expense of the glorified good old days. There's good coverage of the band's years with temporary singer John Corabi, and their recent not-so-glamorous struggles with the changing musical landscape. The only problem in this regard is the lack of dates and specific historical information, if you're the type that wants to know exactly when things happened. Otherwise, this was an extremely entertaining book, covering the expected rock star excesses with a surprising amount of realism and sensitivity. Good for both Crue fans and general rock fans alike.

97 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THEATRE OF PAIN...INDEED!, February 9, 2002

By 

M. Grant "MacGyver of the Books" (Detroit, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band (Hardcover)

I'm not a fan of Motley Crue (the people or their music) but this book came to my attention through all of the stories I have heard over the years. As far as rock biographies go, it's a fast paced read. Motley Crue epitomizes the message of "Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll!" So since there are so many other reviews I think I'll just share what I have learned about the band members through their 430 page opus.

Vince Neil has the most penultimate tear-jerker in the chapter that deals with the death of his daughter. In a book made to shock and astonish, this was as touching a moment as anything I have read. Beyond his love and loss, he comes off like a stand-up guy who enjoys the life style and isn't making excuses.

Nikki Sixx had a rough childhood and has so many father-son issues it's not even funny. While I respect the fact that he's been through more turmoil than I'll ever know...get over it. There's nothing more pathetic than listening to rock star millionaires pining away about how sad they are. I guess money can't buy happiness.

Mick Mars has the least to say in this book and this left me the most intrigued. He has battled rough times from personal illness to divorce to just plain being the victim of emotional abuse. I'm amazed he stayed with the band as long as he has. His is the true sad story in The Dirt.

Tommy Lee...moron. Here is the epitome of a millionaire jerk who just never learns. How a guy like this managed to bag babes like Heather Locklear, Pamela Anderson, and Carmen Electra...is beyond me. Don't expect to learn anything from his chapters except to see a spoiled baby who is used to getting anything he wants, and if he doesn't then the tantrums start...then and now.

It's a testament to this book that I enjoyed reading it. The chapters flow quickly telling each band member's story and author Neil Strauss never slows down. And unlike biographies by other rock groups, these characters actually have some bizarre stories to tell...and how they survived is beyond me. While I may not be racing out to buy any Crue music, I'm very happy that I read this biography.

37 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not A Crue Fan But A Great Read Nonetheless, May 21, 2004

By 

Tate Hemlock "invisibledj" (Tempe, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Motley Crue: The Dirt - Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band (Paperback)

I'll be honest with you, I am not a Motley Crue fan. I can't think of a single song they do that doesn't make me cringe. HOWEVER, I can understand why others might like them so I am not going to sit here and diss on them. When I saw this book I was intrigued enough to flip through it. I read a few passages and decided to start at the beginning. Every member of the Crue has the chance to speak their mind and the author does a good job of letting them do it in their own voice (though Tommy Lee's excessive use of the word "dude" has the effect of nails on a chalkboard). Everything from the band's execessive drug use to the fights and wild sexual escapades are covered in great detail. Nikki Sixx, though bitter, comes across as the most sensible. His anger and family history is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book. Unfortunately, the tragedy of Vince Neil's daughter's death should have been emotional but he diminishes the impact by continuing to namedrop and act the braggart. As the most unlikeable character in the book, talking about his daughter's death should have gained my sympathy but it didn't. Maybe he really did throw up on Kelsey Grammar but the way he talks it's like he has this air of superiority and arrogance ("I know Kelsey Grammar and Shannon Doherty and you don't"), when in fact he is really nothing more than a second rate David Lee Roth. Also, Tommy Lee's assertion that the Crue should have played with real bands like Iggy Pop and Husker Du instead of pop-metal fluff like Warrant and Poison really bugged me. It's as if he and Nikki mistakenly thought they were in a band of the same calibre of the Stooges or Pistols and were oblivious to the fact that they were a fluffy pop metal band. All the band members diss on their contemporaries (Guns N Roses, etc) as if they were somehow better than them. Motley Crue started the whole pop metal genre and imitation is the most sincere form of flattery so it's kind of sad when they call Poison and Whitesnake lame. Still, if you want to read about weird sex orgies, mass drug use, big brawls, wasted money and celebrity dirt then you will enjoy this book. I even enjoyed it. I still don't like Motley Crue though.