Published on May 30, 1999
In one sense, Motley Crue’s third album,
Theatre Of Pain, is a miraculous release. Coming off of the
car accident involving Vince Neil (which killed Hanoi Rocks drummer
Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley), one would not have been surprised if
Motley Crue faded out after the tragedy. Instead, Neil, guitarist
Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee forged ahead
with this album.
But there is something missing from this release that was on
their previous effort
Shout At The Devil. Maybe it was that the Crue tried to
stick with a formula that worked, maybe it was that the band (who
were all suffering with their own personal demons) was getting
tired. Whatever the case, the end result, while having its bright
moments, is half-hearted.
The first single off the album, a cover of Brownsville Station’s
“Smokin’ In The Boys’ Room” – was an interesting choice that got
overplayed – at least in the Chicago market – when it first came
out. Now, 14 years after its release, it shows that it’s held up
pretty well with the passage of time, and has just the right amount
of raunch in the playing that makes the song work for them.
I wish I could say the same about the song “Home Sweet Home”.
I’m sorry, but I have
never been able to connect with this song, no matter how
many times I listen to it. Okay, I’ll give you the fact that Mars
utilizes the acoustic guitar well on this track, but when you
become known as a band with balls, it doesn’t help your cause if
you record a song that makes you go limp.
Now, if you’re waiting for me to piss all over
Theatre Of Pain like I did to
Dr. Feelgood some time ago, take a number and have a seat,
’cause you’re gonna have a long wait. Fact is, there are some
performances on
Theatre Of Pain that show the promise in this band that has
been there all along. Tracks like “Keep Your Eye On The Money” and
“Tonight (We Need A Lover)” work well for Motley Crue, and have
held up well over the passage of time.
In other cases, though, their luck doesn’t pan out. Tracks like
“City Boy Blues” were good ideas, but they just didn’t capitalize
on their true potential like they could have. Other tracks, like
“Fight For Your Rights” and “Raise Your Hands To Rock”, tend to be
more filler material than anything. The whole second half of this
album was able to slip underneath my nose without me recognizing
that five songs had played until it was too late. (This is why I
listen to albums several times.)
Of course,
Theatre Of Pain is always going to have its devotees,
especially those who got sucked into the band thanks to “Home Sweet
Home” and its omnipresence on MTV. And while most of the memorable
moments have been captured on the greatest hits discs, this still
isn’t a bad album to check out if you want to discover Motley Crue
past the singles. If only there had been more substance to this
album, it would have been a timeless classic. Instead, it’s a tale
of undeveloped potential.