Now that it’s a new year, we’ll likely be hearing new music from a lot of artists that haven’t released anything in a while. Motley Crue have been working on some new material ever since John 5 joined as their guitarist, so we may hear something new from them sooner than later.
Nikki Sixx first teased that Crue were writing new music in April of last year, and he shared a couple of photos from the studio. This was confirmed in the midst of their lawsuit with longtime guitarist Mick Mars, who announced his retirement from touring a few months prior. However, it appeared that his successor, John 5, was the guitarist the band chose to move forward with in the studio.
Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and John 5 have all provided more updates on the material over the last few months, so we’ve compiled what each of them said below so fans have a more solid idea of what to expect from the rockers when we eventually get to hear what they’ve been working on.
Who’s Involved in the Recording of Motley Crue’s New Music?
As previously stated, John 5 wrote the band’s new music with Sixx, so he’ll play guitar on the new songs. Sixx, Lee and Neil have been involved in the recording process as well, so the only original member of the band that won’t be featured on the new music is Mars.
Shortly after Sixx confirmed that the group was working on new music, it was also revealed that they were once again working with Bob Rock, who produced their albums Dr. Feelgood (1989) and Motley Crue (1994).
Are Motley Crue Working on a Full-Length Album?
As of now, Crue aren’t working on a full-length album and only have a couple of songs written. This was verified by Lee, who told Desert Sun in December that the new music is “insane.”
“It’s not a full album, but that might be down the road a bit. We’re always writing and doing stuff, so that’s always a possibility down the road,” the drummer elaborated. “But we just went to the studio not too long ago and recorded three insane tracks and one of them is called ‘Dogs of War.’ We’re just finishing up the video for it. For those jonesing for some new Crue, people are going to bug out. John 5 is playing on it, the guitar work is incredible and it sounds sick.”
What Are the Songs Called?
As Lee said, one of the songs is called “Dogs of War,” which is a name that the band performed a show under in London in late June. The name was actually first shared by Neil just prior to that show, and he also added that they recorded a version of Beastie Boys‘ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party).” If that’s one of the three songs, then there is only one we don’t know the name of.
Neil also said that they’re going to see how the batch of songs turn out before they decide if they’re going to do a full album or not, so we’ll have to stay tuned.
When Is the Music Coming Out?
Sixx stated in a tweet in December that the music will come out in 2024, so we aren’t exactly sure when — just that it’ll be out sometime soon.
What Else Has Motley Crue Said About the New Music?
John 5 is the member that has most recently discussed the band’s new material. In addition to the three songs they already have in the bag, the guitarist added that Sixx called him one day last month and had another new melody thought out, one that he said is reminiscent of the band’s debut album Too Fast for Love.
READ MORE: Nikki Sixx Says Rock Hall of Fame Is ‘Not Some Elite Club’
“It’s just natural for [Sixx] to write these songs that I have loved and lots of other people have loved,” the guitarist told Illinois Entertainer. “I think we’re always going to make new music, because, man, this guy is pumping out amazing lyrics and great music. When we all get together, it’s pretty magical.”
Until we hear the new songs, you can catch Crue on the road in North America this May through July. See all the dates on their website.
