Mötley Crüe
Dr. Feelgood

THE REVIEW

In 1988, the Crue returned fresh from a triumphant tour supporting what was, until then, the best album of their production "Girls! girls! girls!". The Californian band was at the peak of their fame: selling millions of records, sold-out concerts, marrying Playboy bunnies, becoming famous for their abuses, risking death multiple times, and endangering those around them (Razzle Dingley of Hanoi Rocks paid with his life for a wild night with Vince Neil). Despite their detours into sex, drugs, and destroyed hotel rooms, Nikki Sixx and company seemed not to have exhausted their creative vein, and just at the end of the decade, they gave birth to what would become the band's masterpiece in terms of criticism, sales, and public response. Having narrowly escaped from the end due to an overdose that brought the young bassist close to death, the band cleaned up and dived headfirst into their fifth studio album, this time under the supervision of producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, David Lee Roth).

"Dr. Feelgood" was released at the end of 1989, at the close of a glorious decade, the end of a generation of big-haired metalheads, but also the last noteworthy album by the Crue. For the occasion, the composition of the tracks was conducted with the help of the entire band, although the bassist's name predominated in all the songs. Despite the comings and goings in artificial paradises, the band was musically at their peak of form, especially Mike Mars, in my opinion, one of the best guitarists of his genre: the title track is an example of his deadly riffs. Who does not know the refrain of Dr. Feelgood? Surely you cannot talk about the metal of the 80s without mentioning this great classic. It is followed by "Slice of Your Pie,” with its ending openly paying homage to the Beatles' “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” (already honored in the past with the cover of Helter Skelter). "Kickstart My Heart" is another essential song in the Crue's repertoire, a true manifesto of their genre: powerful riff and cheeky chorus. The charming ballad (to coin a term in the style of Gigi Proietti) "Without You" with its "panty wrenching" melody is indispensable. The album flows wonderfully with party tracks like "S.O.S. (Same Old Situation)" and “She Goes Down” where Vince Neil almost seems like a respectable vocalist (while live he is embarrassing), to end on a high note with the piano ballad "Time for Change".

The album also features the presence of illustrious guests: Bryan Adams, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick (a well-known drinking buddy of the band). A superlative record, that convinces 100%, and finally conquers the much-coveted first place in the world charts (Girls! Girls! Girls! reached second place). The album arrives at the end of a decade that saw the Crue, along with other glittering colleagues, riding high, and it also represents the swan song of the hair metal movement, which was, at that point, near its end. The reversal of trend was just around the corner, and suddenly, that powerful rock and roll with catchy refrains and lyrics marked by cultural disengagement was considered dusty, retro, and buffoonish. The nineties would bring new musical trends (grunge, industrial crossover...) and new idols, among which the lacquered hairdos struggled to carve out their space. Personally, I enjoy the golden age, of which "Dr. Feelgood" represents the masterpiece, an album that reeks of sweat and greasepaint, a mix of macho rock and androgynous image, an album that talks of women, parties, and bad guys, but first spends hours in front of the mirror fixing makeup and hair. This is glam, these are Motley Crue, real bastards I know, but it would be insane not to recognize their piece of rock history from the 80s.