I don't think I have to explain to anyone here that I'm a big Motley Crue fan. Huge. Love them. Nikki Sixx, especially.
What I might have to explain is that I hated the 2nd year of the all day, outdoor music festival known as Outlaw Jam.
It was, yet again, disorganized and pretty poorly run. I won't go into details because that's not the subject of this blog, but suffice it to say that I'll never go back.
So the fact that I was there when the gates opened, and stayed all day suffering through an oppressive 98 degree day with little to no relief should indicate that there was a draw for me. And that draws name was Motley Crue. This date was to be their only MD area date on their 30th anniversary tour and Cruehead that I am, I wasn't about to miss it. Heat stroke be damned!
Both Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx have a very active online presence, heavily utilizing Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their fans. They've used these sites since the start of the tour to psyche fans up before arriving in every city, thank them before moving onto the next, advertising contests such as the SixxSense/likeZebra sponsored one where you can win a trip to LA to sit in on the broadcast, and reporting the general antics and mayhem from the road. As an avid follower of both, I've found it to be really fun to watch and comment.
Saturday, however, I found Lee and Sixx unusually quiet online. Not much posted to us Outlaw Jam attendees past a cursory "Good Morning Frederick MD" and a schedule of the bands. Being the fan I am, I chalked it up to them being tired from just playing another state the night before, but as the day progressed and little was posted from either Crue member, and what was posted was entirely unrelated to the show or the fans, I thought it was weird.
Maybe I was having heat stroke but I really wondered - why the sudden "radio silence" from these two chatty men?
The SixxSense tour bus was also unavailable to the fans as well. It was secured behind fencing whose entrance was monitored by a very large security guard, who assured me that I was NOT getting access. I explained the contest and received zero sympathy. The rules are even printed on the bus, sir, look! But nope, sorry I wasn't getting in. So in addition to Lee and Sixx's silence, I found that no MD fan could even take part in the likeZebra contest. What the hell?! But since I know communication failures run rampant at Outlaw Jam, I chalked it up to no fault of Nikki's/SixxSense's/likeZebra's.
So, I shouldered through the day enduring the heat as best I could until finally - MOTLEY CRUE TOOK THE STAGE WITH AN EXPLOSION!!! Today's Frederick Post reported "At the sound, people left lines for food, beer, motorcycles and leather goods. They swept toward the infield stage at the west end, to rock on." And rock on we did! I forgave all as they kicked my ass and we kicked theirs. Hell, early on Nikki staged dived into the front row to grab a prohibited camera from a guy! The drum coaster?? Amazing! Many times I looked back at the crowd of vast ages and saw everyone up, rocking, head banging, and having a blast! An entire festival that was getting visibly beat down by the oppressive temps came to full rock and roll life! The energy was palpable. A good friend of mine said he loved seeing me so happy. What can I say? I'm a huge fan.
So as I left the show on cloud 9, you can imagine how excited I was to see what Nikki and Tommy would tweet or post to Facebook about us.
What I got was a big old e-bitch slap.
Sixx was basically? Silent. He went back to his luxury tour bus and picked up where he left off, over-mentioning his very young girlfriend and talking to his famous friends. It felt as if, to him, our concert didn't even happen.
Lee, however, was more expressive. Too expressive. In fact, he was insulting!
Tommy Lee's Tweet/Facebook post #1:
"Outlaws!? Hmm! How about weekend warriors! Yeah that's better!"
Tommy Lee's Tweet/Facebook post #2, moments later:
"Was it me or were there alotta old peeps there tonight? They might wanna rename that festival? OUTmother-in-LAW Jam!"
Wait, what?! Was he serious? Am I reading this wrong?! Or did this arrogant, unappreciative fucker just crack on all of the Outlaw Jam attendants, and then just for good measure infer that the women in attendance were hags?!?!! And ok really, Tommy Lee is 48!! That makes him 5 years OLDER than ME! What an ignorant, rude, stupid fucking thing to post!!
Wake up Mr. Lee! YOU are OUR age! That makes YOU one of the "old people" you referenced in your statement. Check your license, passport, and yourself. And let me remind you that being in a internationally famous band doesn't exempt you from being grateful and appreciative. And dating girls young enough to be your daughter doesn't make YOU young by proxy, it makes you foolish. It also now causes me to now wonder if rather than these girls rising to the level of maturity YOUR age should bring, that you have actually stooped to the level of immaturity THEIR age brings.
Now let me take a break here and say that maybe, just maybe, from the bands end, dealing with the Outlaw Jam promoters and organizers was a pain in the ass. I wouldn't be shocked if that was true. Maybe Motley Crue never wanted to play this festival in the first place. But you know what? Even if that was the case, those are issues to be taken up with their management company and business managers, not to be taken out on the fans who just wanted to rock.
Tommy Lee's thoughtless comments, and Nikki Sixx's silence were all I needed to completely have my ass quickly smacked down from my rock and roll high and make me feel like they've mistaken me for a idiot. Hopefully I'll recover soon and my love of music, and this genre, will eventually be restored.
What won't be restored is my Twitter and Facebook access with Tommy Lee. Mr. Lee, consider yourself dumped and blocked. I may be too old for you, but you are far too much of a jerk for me.
