Tommy Lee is auctioning off the chance to join him at a bonsai tree landscaping workshop

Tommy Lee sitting behind a bonsai tree
An artist's impression of Tommy Lee and a bonsai tree (Image credit: Tommy Lee: Tommaso Boddi/GA | Bonsai Tree: PhotoAlto/Ale Ventura)

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee has joined forces with the California Bonsai Society to offer fans the chance to join him at a bonsai tree landscaping workshop. The event will take place somewhere in the "greater Los Angeles area" on April 15, and three Crüe/bonsai enthusiasts will be able to join Lee the event. 

Attendees will be selected via an eBay auction, which, at the time of writing, has attracted 46 bidders. The leading bid is currently a sizeable $5,150.00. 

"Come spend a days with me!" exclaims Lee. "For our first Ebay fundraiser we're going big time. Here's your chance to bid on a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a bonsai landscape live with the one and only legendary, Tommy Lee. 

"The winner and two second chance runners up will attend a four hour workshop with Tommy and Robert Pressler, President of California Bonsai society, where you will create a bonsai landscape or Saikei that they will then keep and take home. The high bidder is guaranteed a seat in the workshop while the remaining two seats will be offered to the next highest bidders via an EBay second chance offer."

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the California Bonsai Society's Ben Oki Scholarship Fund. The fund was named after the late Ben Oki, a California juniper specialist internationally recognised for his fine detail work and skilful tree splitting techniques. The fund raises money to allow young enthusiasts to attend classes and workshops.

It would appear that Lee is a reasonably recent convert to the exciting world of bonsai. In a Facebook post in early 2021, he wrote, "My love for the art of making bonsai is taking ova!!!!!!" next to a picture of some delightfully manicured plants. 

Motley Crue's Stadium Tour with Def Leppard makes its way to Europe in May, before heading back to the US in August. Full dates below.

Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard Stadium Tour 2023

May 22: Sheffield Bramall Lane, UK
May 25: Mönchengladbach Sparkassen Park, Germany
May 27: Munich Koenigsplatz, Germany
May 29: Budapest MVM Dome, Hungary
May 31: Krakow Tauron Arena Kraków, Poland
Jun 02: Prague Rocks, Czech Republic
Jun 03: Hannover Expo Plaza, Germany
Jun 07: Solvesborg, Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
Jun 09: Helsinki RockFest, Finland
Jun 11: Trondheim Rocks, Norway
Jun 14: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 18: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 20: Milan Ippodromo SNAI San Siro, Italy
Jun 23: Lisbon Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Portugal
Jun 24: Rivas-Vaciamadrid Auditorio Miguel Ríos, Spain
Jun 27: Thun Stockhorn Arena, Switzerland
Jul 01: London Wembley Stadium, UK
Jul 02: Lytham Festival, UK
Jul 04: Dublin Marlay Park, Ireland
Jul 06: Glasgow Hampden Park, UK

Aug 05: Syracuse JMA Wireless Dome, NY
Aug 08: Columbus Ohio Stadium, OH
Aug 11: Fargo Fargodome, ND
Aug 13: Omaha Charles Schwab Field Omaha, NE
Aug 16: Tulsa H.A. Chapman Stadium, OK
Aug 18: El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, TX

Tickets are on sale now.

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.