Motley Crue too fast for Love is the debut album from Glam Metallers Motley Crue (I really wish I knew how to do those Umlaut things) which came out in 1981. I could see how some people wouldn’t class this as metal, but really for the time it was basically as heavy as anything else doing the rounds (unless you were ultra underground and already into Venom). I’ve loved this album since I was a kid, and hold all 5 of the first Motley albums in high regard.
Motley Crue took their influences (New York Dolls, and Punk Music for Nikki Sixx, and most 70s hard rock for Mick Mars) and cranked up the distortion while Vince Neil put a new fun flair on top of everything reminiscent of Van Halen with a very solid backing from Tommy Lee on drums. The band was very young but had a huge advantage in the form of guitar player Mick Mars who was already an accomplished guitar player having played in a few bands before the Crue. His experience and ability to craft great riffs and songs really set the band from other bands kicking around at the time. Believe me, many of the glam bands were kicking around in the early 80s in other bands or still trying to form one.
My fave tracks on this one are of course the flagship, “Live Wire” and “Take me to the Top” but again there’s no duds on this one! If you’re into the hard rock / glam thing every song on this is a winner. Vince Neil’s voice on this is in top form and Mick Mars’ riffs are incredible. I make no apologies for the fact I still appreciate the 1980’s hair metal scene and this album to me represents that scene in peak performance mode.
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