Thursday, July 2, 2015

Throwback Thursday: Too Fast For Love, by Motley Crue


Before Motley Crue were the hair metal giants they are known as today, they were just a group of young punks with nothing but Jack Daniels and a dream. In 1981 the band put out their debut album Too Fast For Love independently through their self-made "record label" Leathur Records after months of taking the Sunset Strip club scene in LA by storm with their own brand of heavy glam rock. The band managed to sell over 900 copies of the album on their own before signing with Elektra Records in 1982 where the album was then remixed and re-released.

Too Fast For Love showcases Motley Crue at their most primal and hungry. The overall sound is like Ziggy Stardust era David Bowie meets Aerosmith meets UFO. The songs are loud, pulsing, and in your face; though occasionally there is a somewhat slower and more touching moment. The lyrics (all written by bassist Nikki Sixx) are laced with the struggles of adolescence and trying to get by in a world that seems totally against you. It's pretty much everything you would expect from a band that is putting its all into breaking into the record industry in the early 80's.

Public Enemy #1 is by far the best track on the entire Too Fast For Love album and the most under rated Motley Crue track overall. The guitar melodies are catchier than the vocal hooks. When the song launches into the solo itself Mick Mars absolutely tears it up by taking that melody and shredding it into outer space. This song is a great way of taking glam rock/metal and turning it into something heavier and better by cranking the amps up to 11.

Most people who are fans of Motley Crue know the Too Fast For Love album for the track Live Wire, which the band does still play at their shows to this day. It opens with a fast chugging riff that is quickly joined by a thundering and rumbling rhythm section. Singer Vince Neil is all over the place on the track. You can almost envision him just running around the stage belting out every last lyric. One of the most entertaining aspects of the song though is all the cowbell thrown in by drummer Tommy Lee. He seemed to have a thing for cowbell at that point in his career.

Too Fast For Love is probably the most under rated and overlooked albums from Motley Crue. Most people usually just skip to Shout At the Devil. While that is a fantastic album too, they are cheating themselves out of some hidden treasures. You really hear the band's roots and influences in Too Fast For Love as well as hints of where they would go in the future. I would definitely recommend picking up a copy from wherever you buy your music from ASAP because it is definitely my personal favorite album from the Crue.

Too Fast For Love, by Motley Crue receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Live Wire
2. Come On and Dance
3. Public Enemy #1
4. Merry-Go-Round
5. Take Me to the Top
6. Piece of Your Action
7. Starry Eyes
8. Too Fast For Love
9. On With the Show

Buy the album on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Too-Fast-Love-MOTLEY-CRUE/dp/B001EN1R2M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435880694&sr=8-1&keywords=Too+Fast+For+Love

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