Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The story of Motley Crue's biggest and most memorable feuds.
0:00 - Introduction
1:10 - Guns N' Roses
6:30 - Metallica
9:00 - John Corabi
9:49 - Pearl Jam
11:00 - Steel Panther
13:29 - Godsmack
15:32 - The Raskins
16:58 - Chad Gray
17:50 - Hanoi Rocks
19:09 - Mick Mars
Podcast on Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rock-n-roll-true-stories-podcast/id1876614383
My second YouTube Channel
youtube.com/@RockNRollTrueStories2
They were the kings of the Sunset Strip, the undisputed champions of decadence and rock and roll excess. For four decades, Mötley Crüe carved out a unique space in modern music with a raw, anthemic sound that felt both dangerous and thrillingly immediate. But their journey is way more than musical triumph—it's a story littered with feuds, insults, and burned bridges.
From backstage brawls with fellow rock royalty to bitter internal betrayals, Nikki, Vince, Tommy, and Mick have a remarkable knack for making enemies. What is it about this quartet from Hollywood that leads to so much conflict? Maybe the chaos was never a bug—it was the feature. Today, let's take a look at the complete history of Mötley Crüe's biggest feuds.
Guns N' Roses
By the late 1980s, two bands ruled the Sunset Strip: Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses. They'd even partied together in 1987, with Axl Rose joining Vince Neil onstage. But a year later, everything soured. The story goes that Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin allegedly assaulted Neil's wife at a club. When Neil found out, he got his revenge at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, waiting for Stradlin backstage and, in his own words, "decked him good, right in the face."
Chaos erupted. Axl Rose threatened to kill Neil. The backstage brawl escalated into a public war of words, with both sides challenging each other to fight anywhere from parking lots to the Venice boardwalk. The fight never happened, but the feud continued for years, with Neil later mocking Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album and Axl's notorious no-shows.
Metallica
Metallica and Mötley Crüe were never in the same circles. Ulrich and Hetfield used their distaste for glam metal to drive their determination. The war of words erupted in 1997 when Ulrich criticized Crüe for using backing tapes. Nikki Sixx fired back viciously online, calling Lars "fat, balding" and accusing Metallica of doctoring their own live albums. The feud simmered for years, with Vince Neil eventually hanging up on a radio interview when pressed about it, and Tommy Lee mocking Lars on Twitter.
Mick Mars
For four decades, Mick Mars was Mötley Crüe's quietly ferocious backbone. In 2022, he stepped away from touring due to ankylosing spondylitis, a brutal spinal condition. But the band's statement made it sound like full retirement, and tension boiled over into a legal war. Mars accused them of pushing him out and cutting him off from earnings, claiming he was the only one playing live while they used backing tracks.
In early 2026, an arbitrator ruled against Mars entirely. He was ordered to repay over $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances and ended up owing his former bandmates roughly $250,000. The band declared themselves "fully vindicated."
Looking back over four decades, one thing is clear: with Mötley Crüe, conflict was never background noise—it was part of the engine. Let me know in the comments which feud crossed the line, and if this chaos makes them more interesting or too hard to defend.
Have a video request or a topic you'd like to see us cover? Comment below or send in your idea: bit.ly/3stnXlN
CONNECT ON SOCIAL
TIKOK:tiktok.com/@rocknrolltruestory
Instagram: instagram.com/rnrtruestories
Facebook: facebook.com/RNRTrueStories
Twitter: twitter.com/rocktruestories
Blog: rockandrolltruestories.com
#motleycrue #vinceneil #nikkisixx
These videos are for entertainment purposes only. DISCLAIMER rockandrolltruestories.com/youtube-disclaimer
The story of Motley Crue's biggest and most memorable feuds.
0:00 - Introduction
1:10 - Guns N' Roses
6:30 - Metallica
9:00 - John Corabi
9:49 - Pearl Jam
11:00 - Steel Panther
13:29 - Godsmack
15:32 - The Raskins
16:58 - Chad Gray
17:50 - Hanoi Rocks
19:09 - Mick Mars
Podcast on Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rock-n-roll-true-stories-podcast/id1876614383
My second YouTube Channel
youtube.com/@RockNRollTrueStories2
They were the kings of the Sunset Strip, the undisputed champions of decadence and rock and roll excess. For four decades, Mötley Crüe carved out a unique space in modern music with a raw, anthemic sound that felt both dangerous and thrillingly immediate. But their journey is way more than musical triumph—it's a story littered with feuds, insults, and burned bridges.
From backstage brawls with fellow rock royalty to bitter internal betrayals, Nikki, Vince, Tommy, and Mick have a remarkable knack for making enemies. What is it about this quartet from Hollywood that leads to so much conflict? Maybe the chaos was never a bug—it was the feature. Today, let's take a look at the complete history of Mötley Crüe's biggest feuds.
Guns N' Roses
By the late 1980s, two bands ruled the Sunset Strip: Mötley Crüe and Guns N' Roses. They'd even partied together in 1987, with Axl Rose joining Vince Neil onstage. But a year later, everything soured. The story goes that Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin allegedly assaulted Neil's wife at a club. When Neil found out, he got his revenge at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, waiting for Stradlin backstage and, in his own words, "decked him good, right in the face."
Chaos erupted. Axl Rose threatened to kill Neil. The backstage brawl escalated into a public war of words, with both sides challenging each other to fight anywhere from parking lots to the Venice boardwalk. The fight never happened, but the feud continued for years, with Neil later mocking Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album and Axl's notorious no-shows.
Metallica
Metallica and Mötley Crüe were never in the same circles. Ulrich and Hetfield used their distaste for glam metal to drive their determination. The war of words erupted in 1997 when Ulrich criticized Crüe for using backing tapes. Nikki Sixx fired back viciously online, calling Lars "fat, balding" and accusing Metallica of doctoring their own live albums. The feud simmered for years, with Vince Neil eventually hanging up on a radio interview when pressed about it, and Tommy Lee mocking Lars on Twitter.
Mick Mars
For four decades, Mick Mars was Mötley Crüe's quietly ferocious backbone. In 2022, he stepped away from touring due to ankylosing spondylitis, a brutal spinal condition. But the band's statement made it sound like full retirement, and tension boiled over into a legal war. Mars accused them of pushing him out and cutting him off from earnings, claiming he was the only one playing live while they used backing tracks.
In early 2026, an arbitrator ruled against Mars entirely. He was ordered to repay over $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances and ended up owing his former bandmates roughly $250,000. The band declared themselves "fully vindicated."
Looking back over four decades, one thing is clear: with Mötley Crüe, conflict was never background noise—it was part of the engine. Let me know in the comments which feud crossed the line, and if this chaos makes them more interesting or too hard to defend.
Have a video request or a topic you'd like to see us cover? Comment below or send in your idea: bit.ly/3stnXlN
CONNECT ON SOCIAL
TIKOK:tiktok.com/@rocknrolltruestory
Instagram: instagram.com/rnrtruestories
Facebook: facebook.com/RNRTrueStories
Twitter: twitter.com/rocktruestories
Blog: rockandrolltruestories.com
#motleycrue #vinceneil #nikkisixx
These videos are for entertainment purposes only. DISCLAIMER rockandrolltruestories.com/youtube-disclaimer
