Review

Really, the question has to be asked WHY?  Well firstly, of course there is a Vince Neil book on the horizon and this collection of covers, in addition to a couple of originals, is to serve as the soundtrack to the book.  Obviously the legendary collection of Mötley Crüe tunes is not deemed an appropriate soundtrack and instead readers are deemed to be wanting to listen to Vince

churn through tracks such as Elvis’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Who’ll Stop The Rain’ or Long Cool Woman’ by The Hollies?  

The album is certainly well produced with a monster sound, whilst the former Slaughter duo of Dana Strum on bass and Jeff Blando on guitar provide some super performances, especially some scorching solo’s from Blando.  Of the original tracks, the Nikki Sixx penned balladesque‘Another Bad Day’ a leftover from Crue’s 2000 album ‘New Tattoo’ is definitely the pick over the title track ‘Tattoos & Tequila’ which is a modern sounding track that could of easily come from any band that has played ‘Cruefest’. 

In the album’s favour is certainly the unique track selection which spares us of the usual predictable selections on other covers releases.  The Scorpion’s ‘Another Piece Of Meat’ , the obscure Elton John rock track ‘Bitch is Back’ and ‘He’s A Whore’ by Cheap Trick being the highlights.  These are mighty fine renditions I must add!  Maybe in the context of the book itself, this album will make more sense.  It certainly doesn’t match Vince’s classic solo release ‘Exposed’ and if you haven’t been a Vince Neil fan up until now, then this album certainly isn’t going to change your mind otherwise.  But for the Crue faithful, then this is a worthwhile addition to the collection.

Speaking of the book by the same name to be released in late September, I can inform that it promises “Having experienced a life of triumphs, pitfalls, extravagance and debauchery, Vince Neil unearths everything that was left unsaid in Mötley Crüe’s, The Dirt.  This book is about Vince Neil. It’s about taking stock of the life I’ve lived and telling the tales, dredging up the good old days and having a good laugh, maybe a good cry too before it’s all over.”

Official Press Release

International superstar, accomplished businessman and heartfelt philanthropist, Vince Neil came to exemplify all things rock and roll: the sound, the success, the look and the outrageous lifestyle. Vince’s unmistakable voice leads some of the greatest rock songs of this generation including “Shout At The Devil,” “Home Sweet Home,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Kickstart My Heart,” “Same Ol Situation,” and the recent “Saints of Los Angeles,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Hard Rock Performance. With fifteen years between his last solo album, Vince Neil releases Tattoos & Tequila on June 4, followed by his tell all book of the same name later in the fall.

In addition to selling 80 million records around the world as the badass frontman for Mötley Crüe, Vince Neil also began his career as a solo artist in 1993. Vince’s Top 200 Billboard albums, Exposed (which reached number 13 on The Billboard 200 albums chart) and Carved In Stone have spurred the hits “You’re Invited (But Your Friend Can’t Come)” (co-written by Vince with Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw), “Can’t Have Your Cake” (co-written by Vince with Steve Stevens) and “Sister Of Pain” (co-written by Vince with Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw).

The International rock icon’s new album Tattoos & Tequila, co-produced by Neil, Jack Blades (Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper) and Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Buckcherry) is a compilation of genre defining hits that have been given the Vince Neil rock renewal treatment and is sure to be an updated rock lifestyle staple. Neil’s refreshed collection of classics consists of nine hand-picked, influential covers, as well as two new tracks; “Tattoos & Tequila,” which was also written and produced by Frederiksen and “Another Bad Day,” which was originally written by Nikki Sixx for Mötley Crüe’s release of New Tattoo in 2000 and just missed the cut. “Mötley Crüe recorded ‘Another Bad Day’ many years ago and I thought it was one of the best ballads we’d ever done. When it got voted off of New Tattoo by the rest of Mötley, I held onto it waiting for the right time to dust it off,” adds Vince. The title song for the album captures Vince’s signature sound with a contemporary feel that has been compared to current acts such as Cavo and Godsmack.

“Tattoos & Tequila” celebrates the rock n’ roll lifestyle which  has served as the centerpiece for Vince Neil's career over the past 30 years.

Track Listing:

Tattoos & Tequila

He's A Whore

AC/DC

Nobody's Fault

Another Bad Day

No Feelings

Long Cool Woman

Another Piece Of Meat 

Who Will Stop The Rain

Viva Las Vegas

Bitch Is Back

Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers