In 1981 Nikki Sixx joined up with Tommy Lee, abandoning their current bands, and formed Motley Crue. They soon added Vince Neil (Wharton)on Vocals, and Mick Mars (Bob Deal) on lead guitar. With Sixx as the bassist, and Lee drumming the foursome struggled to come up with an imaginative name for their new group. It was Mick Mars who suggested Mottley Krue. The new name donned Motley Crue, the boys began to infiltrate the LA music scene, capturing a wide audience with their aggressive sound, and stage theatrics.

The follow up to the debut record Shout at the Devil landed the band on the Top 20. The band found their first brush with controversy with this record, when fundamentalist labelled them Devil Worshipers, sitting the bands pentagram Logo, and lyrics from the Shout at the Devil Record.

Then tragedy struck, Vince Neil was driving a car under the influence of alcohol when he smashed into another car, killing his passenger Nicholas Dingley of Hanoi Rocks, and critically injuring the people in the other vehicle.

By 1985 The dark sound and leather were replaced by silk, lace and lip stick. The Crue went Glam with their Theatre of Pain record. The power ballad Home Sweet Home would become a major crossover hit for the band. While the record sold well, the band launched a huge tour, and solidified their status as first class showmen.