REVIEW: Motley Crue, Greatest Hits (Motley Records/Beyond)
- Linda Scott
Motley Crue, together for 17 years with 35 million records sold and 25 million concert attendance, needs no long introduction. These guys live their professional and private lives in the media. In the turmoil, let's not lose track of the fact that these guys have made some terrific music together. Their rock style is more Kiss and Aerosmith than the hard rock, in-your-face image. And just like Aerosmith, amazingly, some of their best music has been their sweetest soft rock ballads.
Greatest Hits is one for Crue fans and first time Crue album buyers. The hardcore fans will find two new tracks, "Bitter Pill" and "Enslaved" leading off the album. Both are solid Crue, but they are overshadowed by the monsters behind them. The selection and track arrangement are excellent.
Songs from the best selling albums Dr. Feelgood, Girls Girls Girls, Shout At The Devil, Theater of Pain, and the first hits collection Decade of Decadence are all here. Consider this track list: "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Same Ol' Situation", "Wild Side", "Glitter", "Dr. Feelgood", "Kickstart My Heart", "Home Sweet Home", "Afraid", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)", "Without You", "Smokin' In The Boys Room", "Primal Scream", "Too Fast For Love", "Looks That Kill", "Shout At The Devil". They're all here making this one album the one for new to Crue shoppers to try. A couple of personal favorites didn't make it ("Angela" and "You're All I Need") but there are none that should be discarded. With what the Crue has given us here, let's not quibble over one or two more tracks.
Greatest Hits is the first album on the Crue's new label; 17 great tracks that rock hard and soft. Their latest tour (in support of this album) is happening now - and with the band's interest in the Internet, their site (http://www.motley.com) is updated frequently.
