Wild Side

The Zoo Crew is spinning Mötley Crüe's "Wild Side" from their 1987 album Girls, Girls, Girls, and the Zoo Freaks are loving this gritty anthem. One fascinating piece of trivia about "Wild Side" comes from Nikki Sixx's book The Heroin Diaries, where he shares that the song's religious imagery was inspired by a Catholic schoolgirl he was seeing. He asked her to recite the Lord's Prayer, and he twisted it into the song's provocative lyrics, like "Our father Who ain't in heaven, Be thy name on the wild side." This gave the track its haunting mix of streetwise rebellion and dark spirituality. Fans on Reddit have debated the song's meaning, with some pointing to a later interview where Sixx described it as capturing the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, specifically midnight on the Sunset Strip, touching on themes of crime and excess.

Another cool story about "Wild Side" surfaced in a 2loud2oldmusic.com post, which recounts how the band decided to perform the song live for its music video shoot after the crowd booed their initial plan to mime it. Directed by Wayne Isham, the video features electrifying concert footage from venues like the Omni in Atlanta and Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, showcasing Tommy Lee's iconic rotating drum set. The song itself, praised by Ultimate Classic Rock as one of Mötley Crüe's most complex compositions, blends a bluesy edge with hard-hitting riffs, clocking in at 118 beats per minute with Mick Mars' raw guitar work stealing the show. A post on X from music journalist Mitch Lafon calls "Wild Side" the standout track from Girls, Girls, Girls, cementing its status as an instant classic.

Mötley Crüe formed in Los Angeles in 1981, founded by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. The duo soon recruited lead guitarist Mick Mars and singer Vince Neil, creating a band that would become synonymous with the excesses of '80s glam metal. Sixx, who had played in local bands like Sister, brought a knack for songwriting and a vision for theatricality. Lee, a high-energy drummer with a flair for showmanship, connected with Sixx through the LA club scene. Mars, a seasoned guitarist with a bluesy style, answered a classified ad placed by Sixx and Lee, while Neil, a charismatic frontman, was poached from his cover band Rock Candy after impressing the trio at a gig. Their debut album, Too Fast for Love, released in 1981, was a raw, punk-infused record that caught the attention of Elektra Records, launching their rise to fame.

The band's hedonistic lifestyle and provocative image—fueled by drugs, parties, and headline-grabbing antics—earned them the title of the "World's Most Notorious Rock Band." They went on to sell over 100 million albums worldwide, with hits like "Kickstart My Heart" and "Home Sweet Home." Their journey, including struggles with addiction and internal conflicts, was later chronicled in their 2001 autobiography The Dirt, which inspired a 2019 Netflix biopic. Fans can connect with the band through their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts. For deeper fan engagement, check out the r/MotleyCrue subreddit or join the Mötley Crüe Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks and other diehards share stories, rare photos, and tour memories.