Artist: Motley Crue
Title: Red, White & Crue
Genre: Rock-Metal
Label: Hip-O-http://www.hip-o.com
Website: http://www.motley.com

There were not a lot of 80s hair bands that made a huge impact like Motley Crue, Guns n’ Roses comes to mind, but that is about it. They actually reminded me of Axel Rose and the boys quite a bit. The final proof is in this career retrospective Red, White & Crue. This generous two-disc set is a great overview of a relatively short stay at the top for the original bad boys of rock. It seems as though their offstage antics have garnered them more acclaim than their music. Perhaps this set will change that focus, and the fact that they have reformed to back this release with a full-blown tour will lend more credence to their musical legacy rather than all the celebrated escapades away from the recording studio. They never left the spotlight and stayed in the media one way or another since their recording careers started to calm down so this was not bad timing at all to reignite the old flames.

To be perfectly honest, I was never a fan of this band, its a generation gap thing. I remember one song, “Girls, Girls, Girls,” that is the extent of it. I certainly recall hearing a lot about this crazy bunch during the height of their popularity and never would have imagined that I would enjoy their music so much as I did while listening to this great collection. They were ballsy, gritty, and more simply, a great rock ‘n’ roll band.

I liked the covers of the Beatles “Helter Skelter” and the Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the UK” (Johnny Rotten would be proud), however the cover of the Rolling Stones classic “Street Fighting Man” is horrendous, not a real good way to end this set at all. Out of the 37 tracks offered up, that is only one that I did not care for. Not a bad ratio at all considering that there were that many tracks. The three new tracks are "If I Die Tomorrow", "Sick Love Song", and "Street Fighting Man."

I have to thank the boys, you sure know how to “Kickstart My Heart.” This is bad ass rock at its best, buy it and crank it.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

February 12, 2005

Rating-9/10

CD1

01. Live Wire (3:15)
02. Piece of Your Action (4:40)
03. Toast of the Town (3:32)
04. Too Fast for Love (3:21)
05. Black Widow (4:26)
06. Looks That Kill (4:08)
07. Too Young to Fall in Love [Remix] (3:38)
08. Helter Skelter (3:12)
09. Shout at the Devil (3:14)
10. Smokin' in the Boys Room (3:27)
11. Use It or Lose It (2:38)
12. Girls, Girls, Girls (4:29)
13. Wild Side (4:38)
14. You're All I Need (4:34)
15. All in the Name of... (3:40)
16. Kickstart My Heart (4:43)
17. Without You (4:29)
18. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) (4:40)
19. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) (4:14)
20. Dr. Feelgood (4:48)

CD 2

21. Anarchy in the UK (3:21)
22. Primal Scream (4:47)
23. Home Sweet Home ['91 Remix] (4:02)
24. Hooligan's Holiday (5:20)
25. Misunderstood (4:58)
26. Planet Boom (3:23)
27. Bittersuite (3:19)
28. Afraid (4:08)
29. Beauty (3:46)
30. Generation Swine (4:40)
31. Bitter Pill (4:26)
32. Enslaved (4:30)
33. Hell on High Heels (4:16)
34. New Tattoo [Single Version] (4:02)
35. If I Die Tomorrow (3:41)
36. Sick Love Song (4:18)
37. Street Fighting Man (3:30)