Methods Of Mayhem Biography
Rap-metal combo Methods of Mayhem was formed by frontman Tommy Lee after quitting his drumming duties in Mötley Crüe. Born Thomas Lee Bass on October 3, 1962, in Athens, Greece, he grew up in Los Angeles, co-founding the band Christmas with bassist Nikki Sixx in 1981; with the subsequent additions of guitarist Mick Mars and singer Vince Neil, the group was renamed Mötley Crüe and immediately became a top attraction on the local hard rock scene. Signing to Elektra in 1983, the Crüe emerged as one of the best-selling and most notorious metal bands of the era, scoring a series of hit albums including 1985's Theatre of Pain, 1987's Girls, Girls, Girls, and 1989's Dr. Feelgood; famed for their glamorously excessive offstage antics as much as their music itself, Lee in particular became steady tabloid fodder in 1986 with his marriage to Dynasty vixen Heather Locklear, a tumultuous relationship which ended in divorce eight years later.
Even as Mötley Crüe's fortunes waned, Lee remained in the limelight thanks to his 1995 marriage to pin-up Pamela Anderson, a union which produced two children as well as an infamous homemade sex video which became a bestseller. Run-ins with the law were also common: in 1997, he and Sixx were arrested after encouraging fans to rush the stage during a concert stop in Phoenix, and a year later Lee was arraigned for assaulting a photographer. Most scandalously, in May 1998, he was sentenced to six months in jail for assaulting Anderson, although the two later reunited. He left Mötley Crüe in 1999, collaborating with rapper TiLo on Methods of Mayhem, an all-star project featuring input from Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, the Crystal Method, Kid Rock, Snoop Dogg, and Mix Master Mike. Signing to MCA, Methods of Mayhem issued their self-titled debut LP in late 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Maxeen Biography: The stylized pop/rock of Maxeen draws heavily from the sounds of the '80s, most notably the Police and Pixies. The trio came together in mid-2002 in Los Angeles when singer/bassist Tom Bailey (who...
Ishq Biography: After various attempts in Cornwall, England, trying to make the most of a guitar-based sound, Mark Hillier decided that the U.K. festival scene was the new direction to turn. Inspired by Ozric...
Come Biography: The dark and dissonant blues-rock band Come formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1990. The group was led by singer/guitarist Thalia Zedek -- a recovering heroin addict and veteran of the indie-rock...
United future organization Biography: Pioneers of the Japanese acid-jazz sound, the United Future Organization comprised Tokyo club DJs Tadashi Yabe, Toshio Matsuura and French expatriate Raphael Sebbag. Joining forces in 1990, the trio...
Kittie Biography: Schoolgirls Mercedes Lander (drums) and Fallon Bowman (guitar) met in gym class and said, "Let's play together!" And thus, Kittie was born. At least, that's how legend has it, and it's not that far...
Pet shop boys Biography: Postmodern ironists cloaked behind a veil of buoyantly melodic and lushly romantic synth pop confections, the Pet Shop Boys' cheeky, smart, and utterly danceable music established them among the most...
Nightmares on wax Biography: The combined project of George Evelyn and Kevin Harper, Nightmares on Wax were one of the brightest spots on the post-rave British techno map of the early '90s. Although the group was later pared...
From first to last Biography: "Kill the lights!" a growling throat commands just seconds into From First To Last's monumental debut Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has A Bodycount. And it's in this darkness that FFTL's magnetic...