Vince Neil Claims Mötley Crüe Fired Him Over ‘Little Spats’: ‘It Was Handled Idiotically’

The ’80s and ’90s were a tumultuous time for rock music, especially for Mötley Crüe. Lead singer Vince Neil infamously left the band in 1992. He says that when he was fired, he was in “complete shock.” But one Mötley Crüe member recalls Neil’s departure differently.

Vince Neil’s vocals helped launch Mötley Crüe to superstardom

Neil joined Mötley Crüe in 1981 after the band saw him perform with the group Rock Candy. Drummer Tommy Lee had known Neil from high school and encouraged his bandmates to check Neil out, sure the singer’s image would match Mötley Crüe. 

The group released its debut album, Too Fast for Love, in 1981, but it wasn’t an overnight success. The album was self-produced and sold only 20,000 copies. The bandmates went on tour to promote the project, making headlines for their dangerous and scandalous behavior. 

In 1983, Mötley Crüe dropped its second album, Shout at the Devil, launching the group to worldwide fame. The record went on to be certified quadruple-platinum. The bandmates continued releasing hits, but by the early ’90s, relations among the members were tense. 

Vince Neil says Mötley Crüe fired him, but Nikki Sixx claims the singer quit

While Mötley Crüe struggled to record tracks for a follow-up album to the massively popular Dr. Feelgood, tensions mounted among the band members. By 1992, Neil was out of the group, with both sides arguing about what really went down. 

Neil insisted his ousting was a “complete shock” and that it all boiled down to “little spats” between him and the rest of the bandmates. The singer added that his removal was “handled idiotically … The management just let one of the biggest bands in the world break up,” Ultimate Classic Rock reports.

However, the band’s co-founder, Nikki Sixx, claimed Neil quit the group, contradicting the singer’s account. In 2000, Neil said, “It went from ‘I quit’ to ‘You’re fired.'” 

But by 1997, Neil was back with the band, making albums and touring the world

After the rift divided Neil and his bandmates, he went on to record solo albums. The Crüe replaced him with singer John Corabi, who had performed with Angora and The Scream. 

Corabi never fully meshed with the band’s sound, and fans didn’t take to his vocal style, leading to disappointing sales on the group’s self-titled 1994 album. Corabi suggested they bring Neil back, which they did in 1997. 

That year, the reunited Mötley Crüe released Generation Swine, debuting at number four on the Billboard charts. The group continued touring throughout the rest of the ’90s but replaced Lee after he left in 1999 to pursue a solo career. 

They officially went on hiatus in 2002 and pursued other projects, including solo work, a book about their time with Mötley Crüe, and boxed sets of their greatest hits. By 2004, the bandmates were ready for another reunion tour. They performed off and on over the years on various tours but finally called it quits in 2015. 

What is Mötley Crüe doing now?

However, like all rockers, they weren’t exactly ready to hang up their instruments. Mötley Crüe announced a 2020 world tour, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The band is currently touring with fellow ’80s classic rock group Def Leppard.