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Motley Crue Actually Wrote This Letter to 1.9 Million Facebook Fans

Paul Resnikoff
25

Last Thursday, Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee decided to share this rant with the band’s nearly 1.9 million Facebook fans…

25 Responses

  1. André

    On one hand ridiculously self-absorbed; on the other hand a lot of people ask/interrupt to have a picture taken not so much to sincerely express admiration but to simply post it on social media, which is lame

    Then again if you participate in reality tv shows, the honest starting point of any debate is an acknowledgement that you’re part of the problem. You actually created the problem.

  2. @wfmu

    Do not even THINK of asking Tommy Lee for a picture, you loser.

  4. @dalenabors

    How grateful should a music artist be to his/her fans?

  5. Faza (TCM)

    Regardless of what you think of the form, Tommy has a point:

    His job – the one his fans are (hopefully) paying him to do – is playing music and giving a stage show. It is not being their eternal picture-posing servant. Being able to take a picture with a musician isn’t a right – its good will on their part.The tenor of what he’s saying is don’t be a penis – you’re not talking to a fan-satisfaction machine, you’re talking to a human being who is typically “off-duty” in these situations. A bit of empathy helps: if random strangers came up to you and did what you’re about to do would that piss you off? How do you typically deal with beggars (yes, a fan that approaches their idol in a private situation is essentially begging)? How about the drunk who’s feeling talkative and decides that you are the person he needs to share his innermost thoughts with? Annoyed? Just a little? Then think twice before making a nuisance of yourself.Musicians really don’t owe you anything – not even music. It’s great that you bought the album (you did buy it, didn’t you?), but that doesn’t suddenly mean that the band is in your debt, any more than buying that iPhone entitled you to crash the late Steve Jobs’ kitchen and raid his fridge.

  6. Matt James

    Tommy’s missive might resonate with a number of artists. They give pieces of themselves in their music and performances.. and they are rewarded in return. That’s the deal. So boundaries.. if there were none, and they were simply owned outright by their fans, who wouldn’t go mad?

  7. QSDC

    I don’t blame him. The ubiquity of cell phone cameras are a scourge to mankind, and some people are just plain rude/entitled.

  8. Jeff

    I bet it’s cause he’s getting old; if he were 25 he wouldn’t care, its just when he’s basically double that, he doesn’t like what he sees posted on the internet

  9. brian godshall

    I think the late actress Kate Hepburn felt the same way; and I read that the late Patrick Swayze was also very annoyed at being bothered by fans in restaurants.

  10. amyl

    Good job Tommy! I found this letter because a fellow GNR fan let me know about it. I hear the same crap from GNR fans. Your right. You did it on your own and you don’t owe anything to anyone. Some people are just give me give me people. And it’s sad. As a huge music lover I have never in my life thought any musican owed me a thing. And I never will. peace out

    amyl

  11. AWA

    The “deal” is whatever the person paying the bill says it is. Tommy is free to respond to these kind of requests however he wants. However, those slighted by his behavior could easily decide to stop supporting him. If Tommy’s fans pull out–for any reason, whether right or wrong–Tommy will find out that the people who paid for his albums and shows are exactly the people who put him where he is now. Not saying that Tommy’s being “cool” or being a “dick.” This is largely a business decision–a customer service decision. If given bad customer service–however the customer chooses to define it–the customer will eventually stop paying for the service.

  12. Browsing

    ha:

    @MrTommyLand
    Actor Kevin Costner is sitting next to me on this ✈ I’m gonna bug him for a picture hahaha! #notafuckinchance

  13. Wonderbread

    He comes across as a dick to me. I get he doesn’t want to be bothered in public and he has a right to privacy.

    But to never give back by taking just a couple of seconds with the people who possibly support you? Especially after a show, when people traveled and paid good money to see you, it still bothers you for a quick pic?

    He’s right, he doesn’t owe them that, but why not go that extra mile to make the experience that much more memorable? So what if they’re only showing off on social media? Thats free exposure and word of mouth.

  14. jonsi

    There’s actually something similar to Gene Simmons. Both were exalted by huge labels, to mega-fame, losing all perspective on this and deciding that they could be perfectly open, complete dicks, and they deserved it all etc. But KISS is not as popular anymore, Simmons being a total dick among other factors have diminished that band’s legacy. The same will happen to Motley Crue if they keep this up. It’s the difference between a deep well of oil spilling 10s of millions a year and a declining stream that fizzles to 0. Or less than zero as you become the butt of every joke, a caricature of campiness.

  15. @performermag

    Don’t dare ask Tommy Lee for a picture, because he’ll slap you. Not with his hand….

  17. @patticorleone

    Tommy Lee has a point, but shouldn’t have posted it on the Motley Crue fan page.

  18. @tomsipod

    Aren’t you glad you’re not a Motley Crue fan?

  19. @kullybgussyg

    Genius – Motley Crue’s open letter to their adoring fans.

  20. @forcemm

    he’ll take some heat for it but he’s kind of right

  22. Sara

    Last Thursday, Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee decided to share this rant with the band’s nearly 1.9 million Facebook fans…

    • The Voice of Reason

      Who gives a fuck? I mean really?