1988.11.DD - Hit Parader - Guns N' Roses & Motley Crue - Kings of Sleaze Metal

"Sex, drugs, and rock & roll" has become a battle cry for heavy metal fans around the world - and no bands have come to exemplify the live-for-today, fast-lane lifestyle of that credo like Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses. Both bands have a great deal in common: a street-level sensibility that hasn't dissipated despite platinum-selling LP's and sold out world tours. In fact, it seems that fame and fortune has only added more to the sleazy fires that rumble at the hearts of these rock & roll machines. For Crue's Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, and Mick Mars, their career has taken them to the very pinnacle of success; they are the unquestioned kings of the sleaze metal pantheon. But Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, and Steven Adler seem more than determined to prove they are the new kings of sleaze. It's a battle that has every rock fan edgy with anticipation, and every parent scared to death.
"We've had our influences, and Guns N' Roses have theirs," Sixx explained. "We've toured together, and hung out together, and I think we call each other friends. That's cool. I don't see them as competition to us because we're all working towards the same goal - to play rock and roll for the kids out there. They're going through some of the things that we went through five or six years ago, and they're having a great time. More power to 'em. Bands like Guns N' Roses are what rock and roll are all about in my book."
Of course, Sixx' interest in the Guns boys went too far a few months back when at the end of the two groups' national tour together Nikki and Slash went to Los Angeles' infamous Rainbow for some post-tour partying. While the details of that night remain unclear, what is known is that after a variety of substances were utilized by both parties, Sixx keeled over unconscious. He had to be rushed to the hospital where for a period of six hours doctors feared for his life. Luckily, Nikki's strong constitution allowed him to battle back to a full recovery, but it's no secret that his brush with death has forced him to clean up his life in drastic fashion. Likewise, Slash learned the lesson of his young life as he watched Nikki wheeled out of the Rainbow on a stretcher.
"Hey, we've never been a particularly drug-oriented band," Slash explained. "I'm not saying we're angels in this group - in fact we're just the opposite. But when it comes to drugs we're pretty smart. We know how that shit can really screw you up. When you've had as much good luck as we have over the last few months, why would we want to run the risk of fucking it up?"
As it happens, despite Slash's words, many believe it was drugs that almost caused the Guns boys to break apart just as their debut LP, Appetite for Destruction was passing platinum certification last March. Evidently, Axl Rose began acting too unpredictably for the other members of the group, and a vote was taken to kick Axl out of the band. Thankfully, cooler heads soon prevailed, and Axl was sent to a clinic where he was quickly able to regain control of his life and resume responsibilities as Guns' front man.
"There's really not much to say about what happened," Axl mumbled. "It got blown out of proportion in the press. It was something that went on within the band, and it's been settled now. So let's just put it behind us and look ahead, okay?"
Walking the dangerous line brought on by drugs and drink is certainly nothing new to either band. Over the years the Motley boys' fascination with sexually attacking willing young ladies and driving while under the influence of dangerous substances has brought them face to face with their share of grief. Most notably, Crue vocalist Vince Neil suffered through the career-threatening tragedy of his 1984 driving-while-intoxicated auto accident that saw the death of his passenger, Hanoi Rocks' drummer Razzle Dingley. The scars of that incident still have a daily effect on Neil's life.
"There's nothing like going to jail to open your eyes to reality," the blond frontman said. "When you play in a rock and roll band and have everything you want laid out in front of your feet, sometimes you lose touch with what's really important. I think I've found that now, and I'm never gonna let go of it. Hey, that doesn't mean that I still don't have the same attitude I've always had - especially when Motley Crue's involved. But everyone's got to grow up a little sometimes."
Perhaps growing up a little is something that the guys in Guns N' Roses still need to do. During their meteoric rise to the top, they've loudly and proudly discussed their battles with police, being arrested on rape charges (which were later proven to be unfounded) and their dislike of other bands on the L.A. scene. Perhaps this last point, brought on by a war of words that erupted between Slash and Poison's C.C. DeVille, and the band's subsequent handling of that problem, shows that the Guns gang can indeed mature and grow.
"That whole situation got to be a real mess," Slash stated. "I thought I was just making some honest comments, and then all hell broke loose. But after the dust settled I got together with C.C. and we've worked everything out. Actually, he's pretty cool. I really never had anything against him personally, but maybe when all that shit began to happen I wasn't in the right frame of mind to accept his success. There's room for everyone in this industry; we're not out to make any enemies."
But the question remains, will Guns N' Roses emerge as Motley Crue's inheritor of the Kings Of Sleaze Metal title? There's no doubt that the Motley men have begun to settle down a little with Vince Neil recently joining Tommy Lee in the married category, and both Sixx and Mars currently engaged in what have been termed "semi-serious" relationships. The Guns gang have no such ties. While the band members do have girlfriends, they still view the rock world as a giant female smorgasbord, and they set out to enjoy their feast as often as they can. These guys are young, wild and crazy, but the Crue aren't quite ready to let anyone assume the position as leaders of the Sleaze Patrol.
"We're still as down and dirty as ever," Sixx said. "You know, you can paint a garbage can any color you want, but underneath it's still a garbage can. That's us. Maybe we've grown up a little over the years, but underneath everything we're still the same street rats we were ten years ago. That's one of the reasons I really dig the guys in Guns N' Roses. There's no act with us or them. Everyone knows that some of the bands on this scene are poseurs - but both our bands are the real thing. That's all that really matters."