Motley Crue's Lee not ready to stop

Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee insists he’ll still be making music after the band complete their farewell tour, and reveals his upcoming project is heading in a “different direction.”

The band wrap up their US tour on November 22 and Lee, who appears on the forthcoming Smashing Pumpkins album Monument To An Elegy, says there’s more to come – although he’s keeping details under wraps.

He tells Newsday: “I can’t talk about it, but I’m writing and putting things aside. It’s a different direction from my last solo work because I’m changing around all the components. It won’t be something you’ve heard or seen before.

“Believe me, I’m not done after this.”

Crue frontman Vince Neil recently insisted there was more to come from the band, despite signing a contract this year which means they would be sued if they hit the road after their tour ends.

But Lee says they’re calling it quits now as they want to keep the “legend intact and bow out at the top.”

He continues: “We have musical peers that we’ve watched fade out by playing in clubs and country fairs. There was no way we were going to let this band hobble around on three legs.

“We chose the route that every professional actor, athlete and musician should do – leave the legend intact and bow out at the top. It’s such as respectful way to do it. That way, you leave all your fans with great memories.”

Along with the tour, the farewell plans include a single titled All Bad Things Must Come To An End and a film based on the band’s biography The Dirt.

Meanwhile, Lee’s Crue bandmate Nikki Sixx has been working away from the group with his band Sixx AM, who are due to launch their third album Modern Vintage on October 7.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.