NOISE

How difficult is it to keep the peace?

Vince Neil: You know, I mean, we've made it these years so we're all comfortable and happy. If you make yourself uncomfortable on the road, you're going to be uncomfortable. So we've just gone the extra step to make ourselves very comfortable. And, you know, if we have times that we can go home, everybody can go home, we go ahead and do that. And we have the luxury of doing that kind of stuff. And it's not like the four of us are stuck on a bus traveling the country anymore. It doesn't work that way.

Nikki Sixx: This has really made a difference. I think the other thing is the fact that we have a fifth bus that has a soothsayer and two therapists.

Vince Neil: Yeah. And then the Budweiser beer truck follows us, too.

Are you thinking that this tour is going to lead to a new album as well?

Neil: We've told people—every audience every night—that we're definitely going back to do an album, so there's really no surprise. So, what we did ... the hard part is just trying to find the time, you know, this tour is keeping adding dates and adding dates and adding dates and so it's kind of ... it's hard to pinpoint when people ask, "When are going to do in the studio?" It's like, the only thing you can really say is when the tour ends.

Sixx: And there's one thing that we all agree on in the band, which is it's more important to have a great record than to rush getting it out. You know, in other words, if it takes us a year, meaning to write the songs and demo the songs and then record the record and get it ready to put out, that's more important than just trying to put a record out. It's important for us to have a great record. I mean, we haven't even had a chance to sit down and listen to all the riffs that Mick has and ideas that I have and Tommy has and Vince has. I mean it takes Motley Crüe, it's ... Motley Crüe is not any one guy; that's what's always magical about us, is that when you put the four of us in a room with a bunch of ideas, something's going to happen.

Are there still some wild stories and if so can you give one from this tour?

Neil: I mean, there's nothing ... since, like, people seem to think that if you didn't do the same things you did 25 years ago, then things have changed but we're not doing anything really any different. You know, we go out, we have a good time, everybody has always had relationships all around the road but just kind of changes from who it is and ... but there's always a good time backstage with us and if people want to go out and have a good time after the show, absolutely. If they don't, it doesn't matter. And I don't know why people really dwell on this whole "give me a great story, a road story." Who cares? You know, go to the show. That's the best part of it.

Mick Mars: I think a lot of people and a lot of critics or whatever lose perspective on what a band is about. It isn't all about, you know, going out and having a good time and getting drunk and having women around you. It's a lot of hard work.

"We've always been a weird band in that we started playing in a band because of music, not because of titties and fast cars and loads of bling bling."

Mustard Plug


Master-pieces: 1991-2002 (3 stars)

This best-of compilation from the veteran ska-punkers demonstrates their ability to write consistently catchy, tongue-in-cheek tunes over the course of their career. It also demonstrates a complete lack of evolution over 11 years of material, but fans looking for reliable, fun, shout-along choruses and skank-ready horn sections should find nothing to complain about.

System of a Down


Mezmerize (4.5 stars)

A truly unique band, System of A Down makes its masterpiece of intense and freaky oddities by mixing thrash with European folk music and nü metal. Highly recommended.