Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee is refusing to take part in meet-and-greet sessions on the band’s current tour because he says he doesn’t agree with fans paying $899 for the band’s Kickstart My Heart ticket package.
Lee says, “For those of you that are asking why I am not doing any more meet-and-greets – it’s got nothing to do with me not wanting to meet the fans. I just don’t agree with doing it under the given circumstances. I love you all and I’ll gladly high-five y’all if I see you – and you won’t have to pay me for that.”
Last year Lee released a furious statement slamming fan who tried to take photos in private circumstances, stating, “You wouldn’t want a handshake standing at the pisser in the bathroom next to me, would you? Or when you’re eating a quiet meal with your family, some rude jackass comes up and asks for a picture. Just take a second and think: is this cool?”
He later revealed the outburst came after someone attempted to snap a picture while he was collecting the ashes of his recently-departed mother.
source: classicrockmagazine.com
15 Responses
I don’t feel ANY band should make their fans pay to meet them backstage, its bad enough I have to pay a HUGE price for a concert ticket, then pay for gas to get there & back, then cough up cash for food, and finally for merchandise (if I want it)! Its insane the bands think people are rich enough to pay over 1000 just to see them play and meet them! Give me break, what happened to the days when musicians gave a sh*t about their fans?!
The bands seem to forget where they came from , Motley Crue formally Christmas < I wonder if they ever paid royalty for this name, anyways if Tommy did it because he he believes fans shouldn't have to pay great if for another reason then I would like to know this. I have met many bands , actors, etc.. at casino concerts, comic-cons and in the film industry. After the years of being in the spotlight the ego fades and they are happy to see people that once supported them. This kind of reminds me of Almost Famous.
Korn meets fans of their fan club without these ridiculous fees. I think that because this is the last tour of Motley, then Tommy should be in the meet and greet. It makes no point to turn your back on the fees, because the fans are paying it anyway, just like the crazy ticket prices for good seats that ticket brokers have. Touring is what makes the money anymore, because if you go to any cd section in a store , it’s full of artists who aren’t selling music out of the stores any more. Bands like Kiss have done a farewell tour , and that was 14 years ago , they have been doing these meet and greets ever since , knowing fans will sell their first born for a chance to meet them, so I agree with Tommy that the fees aren’t fair, but, I would pay it just to say goodbye and thank ALL four members for the rock years personally. There are more bands going through Live Nation and the Rock and Roll Fantasy camps , as well as doing long Vegas residency shows, to make up for record sales. I feel the opportunity of an experience with artists is a great idea, however at least a portion should go to a charity, then it’s a little less greedy.
I don’t think this has anything to do with money. I’ve tried to meet Tommy Lee numerous times. Normally at the Crue shows, Nikki will greet fans outside after or before the show. Every single time, the rest of the band has gone out of their way to not stop by the fans. Vince is the worst, but unlike Tommy, he’ll do it for the money. In 1998 was the first time I tried to meet him. He cruised right by and just waved. At a Methods of Mayhem show I waited out by the bus afterwards. Tommy snuck out the stage door with about 5 females. There were about 6 of us waiting to try to meet him. I’m the only one in the group that saw him. He looked at us when he peered out the door and then snuck around the opposite side of the bus from where everyone was standing. The bus driver later came over to us and said that he would take one item each onto the buss to get signed but that Tommy would not sign any Motley Crue stuff. Unfortunately, all I had was my Too Fast for Love album. Notice at the press conference where they sign the document to end their touring….Tommy almost trips over himself trying to sign it as quickly as he can.
Shit.. .$899 ?….. I just got online to look up ticket prices for the lousiville ky show in october.. and the VIP meet and greet packages for THAT show range from $1044 to more than $3000. This is GREED at its worst. Ive lost a lot of respect for the band. REALLY? … You love your fans SOOO much that you have to have 1000 dollars or more each just to say hi and take a picture with them? #cashinginonthecrueheadsONELASTTIME