Influences And Recollections of a Musical Mind

Written By Braddon S. Williams

Motley Crue: Shout At The Devil

I almost had to flip a coin to decide if I should go with Too Fast For Love or Shout At The Devil by Mötley Crüe, but I went with the pentagram for the victory.

Shout At The Devil (1983) was the big breakthrough album for the L.A. hair metal masters, but I first became aware of them when I saw the video for Live Wire off their first album. That is probably still my favorite Crüe song of all time, but Shout At The Devil was better produced and solidified the band’s sleazy image.

The title song was such an anthem and sounded amazing with capacity crowd’s yelling the refrain “Shout…Shout…Shout” in one enormous voice.

Speaking of enormous, Tommy Lee’s drums sounded enormous on this album, and Mick Mars made his mark with larger than life riffs and slashing lead guitar.

Nikki Sixx kept the bass lines simple, but functioned as the chief songwriter and mastermind of the whole operation.

Vince Neil stood out as the only blonde and sang like a human razor blade.

The songs were basic sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll manifestos, with Red Hot, Too Young To Fall In Love, Looks That Kill, Danger, Ten Seconds To Love, Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid, and a ripping cover of Helter Skelter by The Beatles all kicking lots of proverbial ass. With Shout At The Devil, the hair metal revolution was in full swing, and Mötley Crüe were firmly in command.