OLD rock bands never die, they just keep on going and going and going. But not American 'hair' band Motley Crue. Its members have signed a "cessation of touring agreement", meaning they're legally barred from coming back as a band of decrepit Motley Crue-ners.
During a colourful press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the band announced details of their final tour – called appropriately, The Final Tour – which kicks off on 2 July in Grand Rapids, Michigan and takes in 72 venues across the USA and Canada. Dates outside North America may be added but once the tour is over, said drummer Tommy Lee, that will be it: the Crue will hang up their instruments, leather pants and hairspray aerosols for good.
"We always had a vision of going out with a big f****** bang and not playing county fairs and clubs with one or two original band members," said Lee. "Our job here is done."
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Of course, the Crue know that there have been plenty of other bands who promised that the end was nigh, only to reform a couple of years later and rake in the cash from a comeback tour. Who can forget the Eagles swearing blind in 1980 that they'd only reform if "hell froze over" – and then reforming 14 years later for a massively lucrative tour called 'When Hell Freezes Over'.
Then there's Cream, Led Zeppelin, Spinal Tap, the Sex Pistols, the Police, Phish, Take That, the Stone Roses... the list goes on.
To insure they don't do an 'Eagles', Motley Crue have signed a cessation of touring agreement which, according to Rolling Stone magazine, legally "will go into effect at the end of 2015".
"Other bands have split up over rancour or the inability of people to get along, but this is a mutual [agreement] among all four original members and peaceful decision to move on to other endeavors and to confirm it with a binding agreement," explained the band's lawyer, Doug Mark.
Vocalist Vince Neil said: "I'll miss playing with the guys but I won't quit playing rock and roll. I feel there are a lot of great opportunities and exciting projects after Motley."
Neil didn't say what those opportunities might be but he was adamant that he would never again play with, Lee, guitarist Mick Mars or bassist Nikki Sixx, whose hits include Girls, Girls, Girls and You're All I Need.
Sixx reassured fans that he had something "brewing" and that "new music will eventually come out one way or another".
One secret that was revealed at the press conference, however, was that Alice Cooper would be touring with the Crue on their farewell tour.
"Motley has always gone on stage with one attitude and that's to blow the audience away," said Cooper. "We're going to go out there and tear it up, and I can't wait to see Motley on stage. Motley Crue and Alice Cooper. A match made in... Armageddon?"
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