Tommy Lee Left Motley Crue FOR THIS??
The story of Tommy Lee’s project Methods of Mayhem from 1999.
Tommy Lee Goes to College Video
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In the late 1990s, nu‑metal was at its peak—a chaotic fusion of metal, hip‑hop, and attitude that dominated TRL and radio. For Tommy Lee, the legendary drummer of Mötley Crüe, that wasn’t enough. He wanted to push the experiment further. His attempt to do that, Methods of Mayhem, was packed with rap and rock royalty and meant to be his bold next step. Instead, it became one of rock’s strangest punchlines.
By 1999, grunge had faded and bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit were ruling the charts. Tommy, a titan of the 80s hair‑metal era, suddenly looked like a relic. The early 90s had already been rough: Vince Neil left, the 1994 self‑titled album with John Corabi tanked commercially, and the band found themselves in smaller venues. Still, you could hear Tommy’s future in tracks like “Welcome to Planet Boom” from the 1994 EP Quaternary, where he was already dabbling in samples and hip‑hop‑style rhythms.
Behind the scenes, Tommy was deep into techno, hip‑hop, and industrial music, inspired by club nights in Europe and artists like the Beastie Boys and Nine Inch Nails. But every time he brought new ideas to Mötley Crüe, he was told, “It doesn’t sound like Mötley Crüe.” At the same time, his personal life was imploding: a leaked sex tape, run‑ins with paparazzi, and finally a jail sentence for assaulting Pamela Anderson. Sitting in a cell, he realized he needed out—from the band and from the life he’d been living.
In jail, with no instruments, he called his own answering machine collect to capture melodies and rhythms, banging out ideas on his bed and the metal window. Some of those ideas became “Metamorphosis” and “New Skin.” After his release in 1998, he agreed to finish a greatest‑hits tour with Mötley Crüe, but spent his nights in hotel rooms working on his own music. He didn’t want a “side project” with his name slapped on it—he wanted a band that could stand on its own.
That band became Methods of Mayhem, announced in 1999 as a studio‑style collective built around collaborations. Tommy saw hip‑hop as “verbal drumming” and wanted to fuse it with heavy riffs and dance‑music energy. He knew it would turn off some fans but, after jail, he cared less than ever about playing it safe.
The guest list was wild. He linked up with former (hed) p.e. rapper TiLo, then flew to Atlanta to work with Snoop Dogg. Late‑night calls from Fred Durst and Kid Rock led to appearances on “Get Naked” and “New Skin.” Lil’ Kim, U‑God from Wu‑Tang Clan, The Crystal Method, and funk legend George Clinton all showed up on the record.
Released in December 1999, Methods of Mayhem’s self‑titled debut was dense, aggressive, and bizarre—industrial riffs, hip‑hop beats, and lyrics soaked in sex, anger, and chaos. Some outlets praised its ambition, and it went gold, but many critics and fans saw it as pure bandwagon‑jumping, an aging rock star buying his way into nu‑metal. The “Get Naked” video, with its over‑the‑top nudity and shock value, only reinforced that perception.
Within a year, Methods of Mayhem had disbanded. Tommy still insists it was some of his best work and that it was ahead of its time. Today, the album stands less as a classic and more as a wild late‑90s time capsule—a snapshot of one rock icon’s risky reinvention born in a jail cell, unleashed at the exact moment when nu‑metal was about to crash.
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@rnrtruestories
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Here’s the Tommy Lee Goes to College video https://youtu.be/LGvAACF-IXk?si=ikpbLf_KTUwv_mJ_
@natecraig8917
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
NOT a fan of new metal. So did not overall like that album. Did like the songs new skin and crash though.
@MotleyDawg034
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
He did not play the greatest hits tour…the drummer from HOLE did
@MotleyDawg034
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Actually he was in jail for 6 months
@СергейОса-ф1ы
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Альбом группы года 1994 просто сногсшибательный. Действительно с годами, он стал ещё лучше. Это как хорошее вино. ❤
@Davivd2
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
MoM is the best Limp Bizkit tribute band ever!
@400fabo
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Love how Tommy adapted to the 90s nu metal scene MOM first album is actually pretty good
@Hardestway
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
MOM showed everyone Tommy was more than an incredible drummer of a hair metal band. His solo record Never a Dull Moment is a great record as well.
@steelcurtain187
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
To be honest I always really liked that first MOM album. I am a big fan of nu metal tho 😎
@khristophertanase3324
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Hey brother! I’m still drawing breath. I just wanted to mention that your phrase “manufacturing authenticity” was kind of funny. I actually chuckled out loud while listening to it. Great work you’re doing here! Thanks again!
@tireofthisshityeah
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
not a nu metal fan, but Tommy is the shit
@tireofthisshityeah
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Tommy and Mick are real dudes – the rest were good for crue, but lame otherwise.
@andrewmachado6988
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Cool to see the MOM album getting a lot of love in the comment section. I just remember the song “get naked” and seeing the music video on Much Music.
Tommy Lee is one of my favourite drummers and I’ve always respected the fact he doesn’t give a shit and does what he wants to do music wise and isn’t afraid to step out of that “Motley Crüe box”.
@crawfish-fossil
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Rap wants to mate with rock so freaking bad 😆
@palespirit
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
I’m surprised GenZ hasn’t taken a liking to it yet. I’m 43yo, i loved it.
@arlajfunk
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
I loved that album. I liked Motley back in the day, a long long time ago, but i liked heavier metal ie Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Supultura (sp? sorry), but I loved Korn so much too. So when Tommy came out w M.O.M, i loved it.
Then later in the mid 2000s, i met Tommy @ my resort in Utah, snowboarded w him for an afternoon, did apres w Tommy, 2 members from BOSTON (band)(OVERLY STOKED CAUSE I LOVED & GREW UP ON THIER MUSIC), my ski friends Mika Black, & others, @ a really nice place in Westgate, cooking food (the Boston guys were cooking & were so stoked about it), watching movies, relaxing ( Not Tommy & I together, but a group of just people people relaxing). I enjoyed my time w them. Tommy @ that time was a calm Tommy. Pamela, sorry you had to endure his not so calm times.
Anyway, Tommy should do HIS music again, whatever that may be at this point.
@J_Vennum
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
They did Lee dirty having machine gun kelly play him in that movie 😂
@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
The best Rap/Metal band is Stuck Mojo.
@LongHuynng-_vsbet142chấmcom
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Ôi, thật bất ngờ khi thấy Tommy Lee rời bỏ Motley Crue, không biết điều gì đã khiến anh ấy quyết định như vậy nhỉ?
@Cont_vsbet142chấmcom
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Quá bất ngờ với quyết định của Tommy Lee!
@georgestetson5572
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
“After I got out of prison” 😆 settle down Tommy you were in county jail for 3 months dudes acting like did hard time in the big house
@MachoLapdogs
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
my buddy in hs was rockin 3, 12"s and a 15" jl audio subs in a ford escort, and wed blast "proposition f@*k you" all effin summer that year. it was magnificent 😂
@Wargasm54
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
I’m more of an old school metal head (SLayer/metallica) but I didn’t think Tommy Lee’s solo stuff was that bad. Wasn’t my first choice, but I didn’t hate it.
@RalphdArc
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Tommy fell victim to his own notoriety .
That first MoM album is actually pretty good but the press and the "metal" fans refused to accept it for what it was , a pretty innovative a fun album to listen to .
@rameybutler-hm7nx
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
That album was the only new metal butt rock i liked.
@MrHorsey420
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Eh they weren’t as bad as some bands
@korney2025
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Honestly I aplauded the effort Tommy put forward I even bought the albulm at my local record shop. I appreciate the dive into this uncut gem. You are one of my favorite youtubers!❤
@gregoriB-developer
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
I didn't like it, but the whole thing would have been far less cringy at the time if Tommy wasn't constantly in the tabloid for drama with Pamela. I think at that time, we were all pretty sick of Pamela, so it didn't do him any favors. Plus him being like 40 and trying to act like this cool nu metal guy was hard to stomach, especially after seeing him in a big hair metal band for so many years. Motley Crue was definitely one of the less goofy hair metal bands, but they still had the hair and the leather pants. They didn't age as well as Guns N' Roses, for example.
@tpiapb
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
"I ain't sleepin tell you sleeping…"
@Flame-Bright-Cheer
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Always original 🐓💨very interesting💯 one of my favorite 😉rock and roll 🤘🏾channels🤘
@tleeg74
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Great video.
MoM debut album was decent. It was a fun listen.
I always thought "New Skin" was a great song.
@thetipsyhussle2767
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
I still jam get naked into my Dj sets
@JoeyLevenson
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
When all that was happening, I wasn’t into it but as I’ve gotten older, I went back and a lot of it’s really good. This record is a stand out for me, actually. Tons of Bangers.
@Mr_jz_12
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
That Methods of mayhem album was amazing!
@redleader3394
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Methods of Mayhem is awesome album for the time. I still listen to Tommyland also. Those are really good albums for that period in time.
@mayhem424
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
The most incoherent song from a wannbe delusional Tommy Lee
@Lispylisperson
May 25, 2026 at 8:45 am
Get naked was a good song though
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