The mythology surrounding Mötley Crüe is damn-near unparalleled within the annals of rock & roll history. The band — Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee — rose out of Los Angeles' hard-rock circuit in the early Eighties and went on to embody the debauchery and commercial dominance of the Sunset Strip glam-metal scene with smash-hit albums including Girls, Girls, Girls and Dr. Feelgood.
Their musical approach, style and hedonistic abandon were enviable, enticing, and aspirational for a generation of longhaired, party-ready fans and budding musicians. The Crüe have experienced a notorious number of ups, downs, breakups, drama and near-death experiences over their career. But, somehow, they've not only managed to survive (relatively unscathed) to tell the tales — they're also still out there touring and creating new music, the most recent of which is their 2008 full-length Saints of Los Angeles.
We recently caught up with some of the Crüe's famous superfans to get their picks for the greatest Mötley Crüe song ever. Below, Kittie drummer Mercedes Lander shares the story behind her favorite cut.
"Kickstart My Heart"
"One of my fondest memories of my best friend, Yasmina, occurred during a night of debauchery and, on my part, sober designated driving. To make a long story short, 'Kickstart My Heart' was blasting as Yasmina barfed out of my car door as horrified pedestrians and motorists caught a glimpse of Jäger barf coming out of her nose and mouth! Later that week we went to see Crüe in Toronto and high-fived through the whole song! Best night ever!"
