10 Most Important Hard Rock Bands Of The 80s
5. Motley Crue
Although hair metal was gearing up to become the defining sound of the decade, it wasn't like that from the word go. California has always been a hotbed for rock and roll, but there was no clear sign that party metal was going to be the next big wave at the very start of the decade. The moment that things started to take shape is pretty much solidified when Motley Crue came to town.
Which is strange considering that no one in the band really set out to be hair metal at first. When Nikki Sixx first envisioned the band in his mind, he originally thought of himself as a bit of a punk band, taking as much influence from people like the Buzzcocks and the New York Dolls as they were from classic rock. They were also big fans of the theatric side of rock though, and their love of KISS and Alice Cooper combined to form something much more sinister, with over the top makeup laying over these stories of rock and roll decadence.
Looking back on some of the lyrics now, it's nuts the amount of stuff that the band was able to get away with saying as well, with songs like Wild Side containing a rap sheet of all the dark tales that happen on the seedier side of LA. It might sound inviting, but just be careful what you get yourself into when you go down that rabbit hole.