Mousai Industries
Motley Crue
All Bad Things Must Come To An End
By Erika Gallo
Photographer & Videographer: Leslie Skellington
From the Sunset Strip to the Hollywood Bowl, over thirty years of success from a band that rules filthy rock, we prepare for the Farewell Tour of a lifetime. This Final Tour is serious business. Back in January, Leslie Skellington had the privilege to sit in on the most talked about news conference in years. In front of tombstones in the Roosevelt Hotel she sat as Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee not only announced the end of an era, but signed legal documents pledging to never again use the words “Motley Crue” as this was the end and the future was retirement.
And there were on a July summer night at the Hollywood Bowl. Emotions were mixed. We were thrilled to welcome Motley Crue “Home Sweet Home” to the hills of Hollywood. Yet, we were torn with emotion. Was this spectacular really coming to an end? The end of an era will surely put a large percentage of the pyrotechnic community out of business. Everyone knows Motley Crue keeps the pyrotechnic industry in business.
Here we were, holding back tears as excitement filled the air. We knew we were in for the Crue concert of a lifetime. And we were right. A classic melody we are all familiar with from the classic musical The Sound of Music, “So Long, Farewell” opened the night. We couldn’t help but sing along and wave goodbye. Fireballs, pyrotechnics and explosives, welcomed the Saints of Los Angeles. And those fireballs, pyrotechnics and explosives never ended.
No hit was omitted. It seemed everyone knew every lyric to every song – Wild Side, Primal Scream, Same Ol’ Situation. The entire venue never sat down.
Smoke filled the air, hot chicks the stage and four men with big hair and tight pants never disappointed. Neil, Sixx, Mars and Lee looked as good as ever. They really had “Looks that Kill.”
It felt like the night would never end. We didn’t want it to end. The songs kept coming. But it all became real as “Without You” filled our souls with the heartbreaking truth. It was over. We hurt. We didn’t just hurt for our loss of the music, but we hurt for our friends. We hurt for the gal we know to be the biggest Crue fan – Patti Johnsen. Johnsen embodies what a true Crue fan is. We felt our eyes swell with tears because we knew she would be without them, too, and would be pained more than anyone we knew.
But we had to keep our spirits up and celebrate the night. The best was yet to come. “Shout at the Devil,” “Live Wire,” “Girls, Girls Girls” had everyone on their feet.
An encore of “Home Sweet Home” had people bringing out their lighters as a platform in the center of the venue rose 25 feet up and into the air. A photographic rewind of the history of Crue showed on the screens as we all sadly mourned the end of rock legends. But at the end when the lights were turned on and the official end was here, there was a sense of content because as we continued to watch this amazing video which took us back through three decades of memories, we were bidden farewell with Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way.”
Yes, Crue. You did it your way and we enjoyed every second of it. We’ll truly miss your talent and your captivating tours. You will always live on in our Sunset Strip. We will always hold onto the hope that you will, one day, return to our Strip and Rainbow where we will continue to hold your memory. Rest in peace Motley Crue. May we meet again.
