"I had to learn to walk again." Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil reveals he had a stroke in December

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By ( Classic Rock, Metal Hammer, Louder ) published

Issue that led to Motley Crue postponing Las Vegas residency had doctors doubting Vince Neil would ever perform again

Vince Neil performs at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center on September 06, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Image credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil has revealed that he suffered a stroke at home last Christmas and that doctors doubted he would be able to take to the stage ever again.

The stroke left Neil without the use of his legs and having to work hard to get back to his feet.

When the band announced in March that their Las Vegas residency – originally planned for late March and April – would be delayed until September, it was put down to the singer needing to undergo a "medical procedure."

The true nature of the issue has now been confirmed by Neil, who says he had a stroke while at home on Christmas night.

He tells the Las Vegas Review -Journal: "I had a stroke. My whole left side went out. I had to learn to walk again, and that was tough.

"The doctors said they didn't think I'd be able to go back on stage again. I go, 'No, no, I'm gonna do it. Watch and see.'

"I went from people carrying me to the bathroom, because I couldn't walk myself, finally to a wheelchair. I graduated to a walker, and then I had a cane.

"Now I don't need anything. But it's like a full-time job getting back to where you feel good again.

"It takes a while to get your brain to start moving your legs, for them to do what your brain wants to do. You try to walk but it doesn't come out right."

Neil, 64, has been working with a football coach to get back to stage fitness and has been doing a lot of running.

He says: "It's been tough, but I'm back, I'm 90, 95% to where I was before, and it's going to be great."

The residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM kicks off tonight (Friday, September 12).

Motley Crue Las Vegas Residency 2025 - rescheduled dates

Sep 12: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 13: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 17: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 19: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 20: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 24: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 26: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Sep 27: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Oct 01: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Oct 03: Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Stef Lach

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022. 

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