Shout at the Devil (CD - 1983)

Motley Crue: Vince Neil (vocals); Mick Mars (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Nikki Sixx (bass, background vocals); Tommy Lee (acoustic & electronic drums, background vocals).

Additional personnel: Allister Fiend (spoken vocals); Jai Winding, Paul Fox (keyboards); Tom Kelly, Richard Page (background vocals).

Principally recorded at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, California. Includes interviews conducted by Alan K. Stout.

Digitally remastered by Chris Solem (1999, Future Disc).

Personnel: Mick Mars (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Nikki Sixx (vocals, bass instrument); Tommy Lee (vocals, drums); Vince Neil (vocals).

Audio Mixer: Geoff Workman.

Whereas Motley Crue's 1981 debut TOO FAST FOR LOVE was glam rock-based (both musically and visually), 1983's now-classic sophomore effort, SHOUT AT THE DEVIL, had more in common with heavy metal. The album served as The Crue's commercial breakthrough, going double-platinum shortly after it's release (and eventually reaching quadruple-platinum status) and spawning several popular MTV videos. Motley Crue toured behind SHOUT as an opener for Ozzy Osbourne, and the success of the album also helped open the floodgates for the L.A. metal scene.

SHOUT AT THE DEVIL is undoubtedly Motley Crue's all-time best. The set includes anthems galore (the title track, "Looks That Kill," and the melodic "Too Young to Fall in Love"), lesser-known tales of sex, violence, and sin ("Bastard," "Red Hot," "Knock 'Em Dead Kid," "Ten Seconds to Love," "Danger"), and a vicious cover of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter." All the tracks are winners. SHOUT's satanic cover imagery and graphic lyrics drew fire from religious organizations, as did the band's rock mag-fueled hedonistic reputation. Nonetheless, SHOUT AT THE DEVIL remains one of the finest metal albums of the '80s. minimize