"You're in danger and this is my town
This is Hollywood"
Mötley Crüe - Danger - 1983

Tired? Stressed? Overworked? Need a break? Why not visit the home of Mötley Crüe - Los Angeles, California, USA!

Here's a comprehensive guide to a holiday in L.A. for the avid Crüehead. The Los Angeles region has been sectioned up into 8 different zones for you, as shown on the map below. Each zone works as a day trip of sorts, with Mötley tour guide information and directions to the many locations of interest to Crüeheads further down the page.

You can view a zoomable street map of each Mötley location listed simply by clicking the red star to the right of each entry. Let's go and see the sights of the Saints of Los Angeles!

ZONE 1 - SUNSET STRIP

Start by driving east along Sunset Boulevard from the Beverly Hills/West Hollywood border to begin your trip. Late in 1992 Vince Neil bought into the up market BAR ONE at 9229 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills. He met and dined with many Hollywood celebrities and soon started dating star of Beverley Hills 90210, Shannen Doherty. Since those days the club has changed hands many times.

Former Mötley Crüe front man John Corabi met Layla Dawn in THE KEY CLUB at 9039 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood during March 1998. The couple then married three years later. The Key Club was previously called Gazzarri's and then Billboard Live, but is now closed for business.

On the left is THE RAINBOW BAR & GRILL at 9001 Sunset Boulevard. You can see their infamous sign blocks away. Make sure to stop in here and check out the collage of photos on the walls of the entrance, as there are often many photos of the Crüe. Mötley were regulars here in the early days. This is also the club that Nikki Sixx and Lita Ford left in the infamous incident in early 82 dubbed the sequel to Riot on Sunset Strip. The night spot is the site of the former Villa Nova restaurant where Marilyn Monroe had her first date with future husband Joe DiMaggio, and where Judy Garland became engaged to Liza Minnelli's father.

After the little driveway next to the Rainbow is THE ROXY at 9009 Sunset Boulevard. Mötley played many gigs here in the early days. The Vince Neil Band also played their first show here in May 1993 under the name Five Guys From Van Nuys. A year earlier, Vince spent his birthday here with actor Robert Patrick from Terminator 2 and they talked with a girl named Lenay before his wife Sharise hit him in the nose with a glass. Vince and Sharise were ejected from the club after Vince slashed the manager in the face with a bottle he smashed during the wild brawl that ensued. The club owners considered pressing drunk and disorderly or vandalism charges against him. The Roxy is still a very popular spot for seeing celebrities.

A block or so down on the left on the corner at the traffic lights is THE WHISKY A GO-GO at 8901 Sunset Boulevard. This is where Tom Zutaut witnessed the Crüe in April 1982 after seeing a huge crowd of kids trying to get into the club underneath the famous marquee that said "Mötley Crüe Sold Out." He then noticed a Mötley display in the shop window of record store called LICORICE PIZZA on the corner of Sunset and North San Vincente Boulevard, diagonally across from The Whisky. This show leads to him to signing the band to Elektra Records. Mötley also played a Dr. Feelgood warm up show here on 5/10/89 under their pseudonym The Foreskins, which was used for the filming of their video for Kickstart My Heart. You'll notice that the entrance has been moved from around the corner where it was in the Kickstart My Heart video clip, to the front on Sunset now. In 2008 the Crüe released a song Down At The Whisky about their experiences there. This famous club is where The Doors were the house band in the 60's and is also the birthplace of go-go dancing.

Now turn left off Sunset and head north up to 1140 N. Clark Street. Mötley Crüe’s manager Allan Coffman financed a 2-bedroom apartment #205 about four hundred feet from The Whisky for Tommy, Nikki and Vince to live in late in June 1981. The pad became infamously known as THE MÖTLEY HOUSE until they were evicted in March 1982. Soak it up before turning around and heading south, crossing over Sunset.

In June 1992 Vince Neil moved out of Rob Lowe's house and into the BEL AGE HOTEL (now The London) at 1020 North San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood, where he also housed his three Ferraris, Harley Davidson and Rolls Royce. He moved out of the hotel in November the following year when he bought a beachfront mansion in Malibu. Nikki Sixx attended the annual SFX Music Convention here in May 2000 and participated as a discussant on an A&R panel with a number of music industry executives. Later in the evening, the Crüe held a listening party on the hotel’s roof top for press and radio representatives to preview the first two songs off the forthcoming New Tattoo album, She Needs Rock N Roll and the first single Hell On High Heels.

Heading back up to Sunset Boulevard and turning right, you will come across THE VIPER ROOM at 8852 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, on the corner of Larrabee. The club was owned by actor Johnny Depp and is where River Phoenix collapsed in the entrance and died of a drug overdose some years ago. The pavement outside is where Tommy Lee scuffled with paparazzi cameraman Henry Trappler late September 1996 after his sister Athena's wedding. Tommy pled no contest to a misdemeanour battery charge and was ordered to pay $17,500 in restitution to Trappler, who was said to have been hospitalised for four days after the incident. Tommy also had to perform more than 250 hours of community service or pay about $5,000 in fines, as well as being placed on probation for two years. Nikki Sixx spent New Year's Eve 1996 here with his new wife Donna D’Errico, who did the countdown to 1997 in her rubber cat woman outfit.

Continue heading east to the former location of TOWER RECORDS at 8844 Sunset Boulevard. This is where Vince was ready to fight Axl Rose after an incident backstage at the MTV Awards on 5/9/89. Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars also signed copies of The Dirt during an in-store appearance here on the last day of May 2001.

On the right on the same block as the House of Blues is where SUNSET STRIP TATTOO used to be located at 8418 Sunset Boulevard. The Crüe had many, many tattoos inked here over the years, as seen in their Uncensored video also. As you get further down the street to 7524 Sunset, you will see their new shop location, about one mile away. Look for that famous red awning and logo as seen in the video clip for Dr. Feelgood.

Visit THE ARGYLE on the south side of the road at 8358 Sunset Boulevard. When Nikki Sixx was a boy, he lived here on the 9th floor for some time with his mother, when it was originally called Sunset Towers. The grand old 13-story building was the Strip's first high-rise and is one of Hollywood best examples of Art Deco design. Virtually every star in Hollywood stayed here at one time or another, including Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne.

On the same side further east is THE BODY SHOP at 8250 Sunset Boulevard with its neon Girls, Girls, Girls sign. You can park around the corner at the rear to check out the action inside. Back on 14/5/87 Mötley held the listening party for the new Girls, Girls, Girls album at this Strip Club and it also features in the song lyrics of that title track too of course.

Further down on the other side of the road is THE ROCK WALK / GUITAR CENTER at 7435 Sunset. Here Mötley were inducted by pressing their hands in cement on 20/5/97. The Mötley cement block now sits just left of dead centre.  Make sure to ask everyone who works there questions about Mötley, as they can usually tell you some good stories. They've got a big parking lot in the back, which is usually very full. The entrance is to the left of the Rock Walk under a little cement tunnel. There's often a hot dog stand in the back in case you get hungry while there!

If you don't feel like a hot dog, maybe your weary legs are in need of a coffee by this stage. Head to DENNY'S at 7373 Sunset Boulevard any time of the day or night. This is the diner where the name Leathur Records was thought up back in early 1981, as the name for Mötley's independent record company. See if you get any inspiration there while re-charging! Maybe order one of their T-Bone Steaks if hungry.

On the right side of the strip at 7180 Sunset Boulevard is THE SEVENTH VEIL where Mötley have been known to 'raise hell'. If you're looking for the same Seventh Veil that was in the Girls, Girls, Girls video, you're going to miss it, as it was renovated sometime ago now. You can park in the back under the tunnel like cement overhang. Inside has several booths and on long cat walk that has a pole at each end. Note that there are two types of strip places in LA: 18+ and 21+. This club is 18+ and law dictates that the chicks can get fully nude but unfortunately there is no booze. At the 21+ clubs, booze is allowed but the chicks only take off their tops.

The WHEREHOUSE MUSIC store at 7127 Sunset Boulevard on the corner of La Brea Ave is a place where Nikki Sixx sometimes worked between his Sister and London bands, prior to Mötley Crüe's formation.

Much further down Sunset is the final Mötley location for this zone. During 1995, Vince Neil spent much of his time at the CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES at 4650 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles after cancerous tumours were found on his young daughter's kidneys, which led to her passing. They took great care of Skylar Neil here so drop in a donation while you're there.

ZONE 2 - BEVERLY HILLS

From the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and N. La Cienega Boulevard, head south until you reach the four-star L'ORANGERIE French restaurant at 903 N. La Cienega Boulevard. This is where Vince Neil married Heidi Mark on May 28, 2000.

Continue south to visit the HARD ROCK CAFÉ  at 8600 Beverly Boulevard, turning right off  N. La Cienegia to the west side at the Beverly Center. This is where Nikki Sixx rode his first Harley Davison motorbike, as seen on the Girls, Girls, Girls album cover, through the doors with his son Gunner when he donated it at lunch time on 29/7/96. The bike has since been moved to another Hard Rock though. When you've done with your rock dose here, head south down N. La Cienegia again.

In May 1982 Mötley Crüe signed their record deal with Elektra Records and celebrated with a dinner in BENIHANA OF TOKYO at 38 N. La Cienega Boulevard. After drinking the heaviest throughout the night, Vince kept biting and cracking his margarita glass as he hassled the waitress. The manager kicked them out while the waitress called the police.

Now turn right and head west along Wilshire Boulevard until turning right and heading north along N. Robertson Boulevard. Tommy Lee and some friends went to SANCTUARY at 180 N. Robertson Boulevard on New Year's Eve 1994 and while sitting in a booth drinking Cristal champagne, a waitress came over with a shot of Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps liqueur for him from Pamela Anderson, who was one of the owners of the club. Tommy walked over to her table and squeezed in between her and her friends and licked her up the side of her face. Pamela then laughed and turned away, licking the face of the girl next to her. This was the beginning of one of the most famous Hollywood relationships of all time. Order a shot of Goldschlager and give it to someone to see what happens!

Next take a drive in a north westerly direction to ELEKTRA RECORDS at 345 N. Maple Drive, Beverly Hills. Give them a toot and tell them the Crüe said Howdy! Keep heading west towards Santa Monica Boulevard again.

Vince and fiancée Heidi Mark spent their last date together before getting married in 2000 at the private cigar club GRAND HAVANA ROOM at 301 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. Vince is a member, as is actor Mel Gibson who joined their party before the staff went home at 3am leaving them to finish their cigars. On the news the next evening they saw a story about how the Havana Room had burned down overnight after two gentlemen threw their lit cigar butts in a trash can which caught alight, setting the club ablaze.

ZONE 3 - HOLLYWOOD

Our starting place is the birthplace of Mötley Crüe's lead singer. Take a drive by the QUEEN OF ANGELS HOSPITAL at 1300 N. Vermont Ave, Hollywood. This is where Vince Neil was born on Wednesday 8/2/61.

Head west along Lexington Avenue towards THE TROPICANA at 1250 N. Western Ave, Hollywood. Mötley used to frequent this strip club regularly to watch mud wrestling. In August 1986 Vince had his own mud pit installed next to his swimming pool for female wrestling entertainment. He held many parties, often bringing back a dozen girls from the Tropicana to wrestle nude for him and his friends. The most vicious fighter of the mud wrestlers was a girl called Sharise, who always won the bouts, and soon became Vince's wife. Hence the lyric in the song Girls, Girls, Girls that says, "Tropicana's where I lost my heart."

Continue south down N. Western Ave and turn right into Melrose Ave. After recording some of the Girls, Girls, Girls album here at CONWAY RECORDING STUDIO 5100 Melrose Ave. Hollywood, the hit record had its final mix completed here as well.

Turn left off Melrose into Gower St. In 1979 Nikki Sixx joined his first real band called Sister. Other members of the band were Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes and Lizzie Grey. Sister rehearsed on GOWER ST, HOLLYWOOD but with their pentagrams and worm-eating antics, never made it onto the stage. When young Nikki was kicked out of the band he formed London with Lizzie, in his days just before Mötley Crüe form. See if you can hear any young musicians rehearsing as you drive along the street. Make sure you also look north when you're on Gower, as it's arguably the best vantage point for a dead-on photo view of the famous Hollywood sign on Mount Lee. Take some snaps before turning around and heading west along Melrose again.

Mötley Crüe's own retail shop S'Crüe was once located at 7201 Melrose Ave for three months late 98/ early 99. At the store's opening, Vince Neil chainsawed through the front door of the shop, while the other band members kick it in after they arrived in a red convertible Cadillac. Here's a picture of the way the shop front used to be.

Continuing west along Melrose, Fuller Street soon crosses in front of you. TOMMY LEE’S FORMER CONDO is on this street, where he lived with his girlfriend Candice Starrek late in 1983. Candice’s real name is Elaine Starchuk and she soon became Tommy’s first wife. Take a drive down Fuller St before making your way back to Melrose, then keep heading west.

Turn right off Melrose into N. Fairfax Ave. Mötley commenced recording Shout At The Devil in May 1983 in CHEROKEE STUDIOS at 751 N. Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles. Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek was recording in the next room and regularly partied with the Crüe and their cocaine. The sessions also had girls streaming in and out of the studio constantly. Mötley then commenced recording their Theatre Of Pain album here in February 1985 and it's where Mick's guitar sounds for the album were largely created. Late in 1986 the Crüe released a home video called Uncensored which included videos clips and interviews of the band recorded here as well. Upon visiting, fans have been known to score a guided tour through the studios with plenty of Crüe tales, so take your video camera.

When you get to the end of Melrose, turn right into Santa Monica Boulevard. Look for the famous black frontage of the TROUBADOUR at 9081 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood. Mötley set a new attendance record at this club on their first performance when David Lee Roth introduced their set from the stage. They then went on to play to many more packed houses here. Smoke The Sky before you enter though because this is also where Cheech & Chong were discovered.

Keep heading north east along the boulevard. The former location of THE STARWOOD can be found at 8151 Santa Monica Boulevard, on the corner of Crescent Heights. Now a small mall, this is where Mötley Crüe performed their debut gigs, opening two sold out shows on the same night for Y&T on 24/4/81. Nikki also used to work here as a cleaner when he was in his band London and it became a home of sorts as he was introduced to celebrities and stronger drugs. Nikki, Tommy and Mick went to check out a rhythm guitarist James Alverson in Rockandi here, but their singer Vince caught their eye and they cornered him after the show in the bathroom to get him to audition the next weekend. Very much a birthplace of Mötley and it's a shame the club no longer exists.

Continue east along Santa Monica Boulevard and turn right just after N. La Brea Ave. Mötley Crüe’s Theatre Of Pain album was mixed at RECORD PLANT WEST's Third Street facility which closed shortly after and reopened at 1032 North Sycamore Ave, Hollywood in the former Radio Recorders Annex, a historic studio where Elvis Presley recorded. Vince Neil entered Record Plant studios again in August 1992 after his departure from Mötley Crüe and recorded most of his first solo alum Exposed here. Head back to the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and North La Brea, before heading north up North La Brea.

Following the bomb of their 1994 self-titled album, Mötley started work on their next album in A&M STUDIOS at 1416 North La Brea, Hollywood with Bob Rock producing, where they wrote the unreleased songs The Year I Lived In A Day and La Dolce Vita in December 1994. Earlier in the year Mick Mars had three guitars stolen from the studio. Mötley’s New Tattoo album was also mixed here at A&M.

Speaking of New Tattoo, keep heading north. The LAVA LOUNGE at 1533 N La Brea Ave, Hollywood is the club where the band photos were shot for the inside CD booklet of the Crüe's New Tattoo album on April 2nd 2000. Have a photo taken outside as well.

Turn right into Hollywood Boulevard and head east. Half a block past the Highland Avenue intersection you will be at the Musician’s Institute’s Hollywood Passage at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard. Here you can admire and photograph Mötley Crüe’s HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME STAR that was unveiled on 25/1/06.

Keep heading east along Hollywood Boulevard and towards GOLDFINGERS, located at 6423 Yucca Street, Hollywood. The LA Times newspaper reported that Vince was seen here in a meeting with some VIPs regarding his return to Mötley Crüe in 1996. Now head south.

The OPIUM DEN at 1608 Cosmo Street, Hollywood is the site of Nikki Sixx and Donna D'Errico's first blind date late in August 1996, after driving there from the Baywatch set where Donna was working. They then kicked on at the DRAGONFLY at 6510 West Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood this first night. You can also make your way from the Opium Den to the Dragonfly!

From the Dragonfly, head east along Santa Monica Boulevard and turn right into Vine St. CRYSTAL SOUND STUDIOS located at 1014 Vine St, Hollywood is where Mötley Crüe recorded their very first demo of Nikki's songs Stick To Your Guns, Toast Of The Town, Public Enemy #1 and a cover song called Tonight. After the allocated 2 hours of studio time ran out, Tommy butters up the female engineer upon Nikki's suggestion, ensuring more studio time for them to finish the recordings. Vocalist O'Dean refused to take off his white gloves to record clapping at the end of the last song being recorded Toast Of The Town, and Mick decided he wasn't going to cut it, instead wanting the singer from Rockandi to be in the band. The studio is now called Barefoot Studio and Recordings and fans have said the owners want no visitors so you are advised to just look from the roadside.

ZONE 4 - SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Heading north from Los Angeles you can visit the Universal Studios City Walk complex at Universal City Plaza, Universal City. From Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, make the left turn onto Argyle to the 101 Hollywood Freeway North. This is the corner immediately before the Palladium. Keep an eye out because there is no warning for the freeway entrance; it's just all of a sudden there, so when you see the Palladium directly in front of you on the left and a Nickelodeon studio on the right, you know to make the left turn on to the freeway entrance, Just follow the signs and you'll see the NORTH entrance as a left turn after the overpass and after you pass the Capitol Records building. Exit the 101 at the Universal Studios exit and keep to your right and you're there. The UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATRE is where Mötley were presented the award for Best Heavy Metal Album at the MTV Music Video Awards in September 1989. While the rest of the Crüe wait in limos outside the event, Vince Neil waited and decked Guns N’ Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin’ with a punch in the face as he came off stage, for recently hitting on then kicking his wife Sharise at the Cathouse. That triggered a feud between the two bands. The Amphitheatre entrance is right next to the theme park and at the opposite end is the HARD ROCK CAFÉ Hollywood, where Mötley's big Dr. Feelgood display is housed.

Now take a drive heading west along Ventura Boulevard towards Sherman Oaks. Nikki moved into a home on VALLEY VISTA BOULEVARD in Sherman Oaks in April 1986 after his girlfriend Nicole picked it out while he was on the Theatre Of Pain tour. He hardly left the house and shot up to $1000 worth of drugs a day with her here. Izzy Stradlin' from Guns N' Roses would often come over, as would Britt Eckland and various porn stars, until paranoia set into Nikki and he became a recluse. He often patrolled his house for intruders with his .357 magnum and pulled his loaded gun on employees of his security company. Bret Michaels from Poison lives at 14850 Valley Vista Boulevard.

Continue a fair way north west. RUMBO RECORDERS at 20215 Saticoy St, Canoga Park is one of the studios where Mötley recorded their Girls, Girls, Girls album. Vince Neil also recorded some of his first solo album Exposed here. After leaving the Crüe, John Corabi recorded most of Union’s debut album in this studio in 1997 as well.

Head back to the 101 and drive east to the next location. After being evicted from the Mötley House, Nikki moved into his girlfriend LITA FORD'S RESIDENCE at Apartment 6, 4859 Coldwater Canyon Ave, Sherman Oaks. Once you've had a look, head back east towards North Hollywood Park.

Sixx called Tommy Lee in Feb 1981 about joining his new band and they met for lunch at the DENNY'S coffee lounge at 11377 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood on the corner of Lankershim Boulevard. After being spooked by Nikki’s appearance upon meeting him, Tommy headed to Nikki's place in North Hollywood, where he was played some demo songs.

Just south down Lankershim Boulevard is where Vince Neil recorded most of his second solo album Carved In Stone in NRG STUDIOS at 11128 Weddington St, North Hollywood with The Dust Brothers mid 1994. After driving by, turn left into Magnolia Boulevard and head east.

Grab some cheap tequila from MAGNOLIA LIQUOR MARKET at 3801 W Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank. This is the store where Nikki Sixx used to work the 7pm to 2am shift (while stealing as much alcohol as possible and cheating the till). One night in 1978 Mick Mars walked in to get a half-pint of cheap tequila and he met Nikki Sixx behind the counter. Mick invited Nikki to come down the road and see him play later that night in his southern rock band Spiders and Cowboys. The two got drunk together and after the show he gave Nikki his phone number.

Once you've had a nip of tequila for strength, you can place a flower for Vince’s young daughter Skylar Lynnae Neil whose small pink casket rests at Grave #930 at FOREST LAWN CEMETERY located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles. Her grave is located behind the Red Church off the cemetery's main road. The memorial service following the passing of former Crüe drummer Randy Castillo was held here in the Old North Church on 30/3/02, before he was finally laid to rest in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Many notables also rest in this cemetery, including Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Telly Savalas, William Conrad, Buster Keaton, Liberace, Freddie Prinze, Andy Gibb, Jack Webb, Stan Laurel, Ricky Nelson and many more.

If you feel like continuing on your Mötley pilgrimage, you can keep heading east to Pasadena. Mötley played their final show in support of their self titled album at CLUB SHELTER, 40 S. Pasadena Ave, Old Town Pasadena in January 1995. This turned out to be John Corabi’s last performance with the band. Don't let it be your last performance!

ZONE 5 - DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM at 655 W Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles is where Tommy's wife at the time, Pamela Anderson Lee, introduced the reunited original Mötley Crüe to the stage during the American Music Awards before they played Shout ’97 on 27/1/97; the day that Chronological Crue was launched.

The MEN'S CENTRAL JAIL at 441 Bauchet St, Los Angeles was Tommy Lee’s home from 20/5/98 to 5/9/98 as he completed his jail time after being sentenced for spousal abuse.

ZONE 6 - MALIBU / PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY

Head west along Sunset Boulevard towards Malibu. Sunset ends at Pacific Coast Highway with the ocean in front of you, so turn right onto Pacific Coast Highway, which is signposted as 1 North. Even though the highway technically runs west, the locals say it is north - so beware! Just make sure the ocean is to your left. Just after Topanga Beach and Topanga Canyon Boulevard is the REEL INN at 18661 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Mötley Crüe did an interview here for the Calendar Section of the L.A. Times promoting Generation Swine shortly before it was released. Many pictures were taken on their outdoor patio for the article. Try one of their many grilled fish selections!

Further west along the highway is another restaurant to try called MOONSHADOWS at 20356 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu on the ocean side. This restaurant served as a retreat for Vince Neil when his young daughter was diagnosed with cancer and spent much time in hospital. The night she passed away in August 1995, Vince and fiancée Heidi sat down at a table to eat when Sharise called and said they needed to return to the hospital because her vital signs were dropping fast. Vince arrived ten minutes after she passed away, having been caught in traffic on the Pacific Coast Highway. He later drove back to Moonshadows after leaving the hospital, and inebriated himself with alcohol and valium pills in an effort to cope with his loss. I have heard that the food isn't really that good and the service can be worse, but it does have lovely views. Once you've finished, keep heading west towards Malibu.

Nikki Sixx dined with Donna D’Errico at the BAMBU restaurant in the Country Mart Shopping Center, 3835 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu on the last day of August 1996, before he invited her to come back to his mansion afterwards where she stayed the night and they made love for the first time. Late in 1999 the restaurant changed to now become Nobu Malibu.

The offices of JUDGE LAWRENCE J. MIRA at Division 1 Malibu Municipal Court, 23575 Civic Center Way, Malibu are just around the corner from the shopping centre and are certainly well known to Tommy Lee. Here Judge Mira sentenced him to six months in county jail for pleading no contest to a charge of spousal abuse against his wife Pamela Anderson in May 1998. He also found Tommy to be in violation of his probation in May 2000 and ordered him to be immediately remanded to Los Angeles County Jail for the next five days.

RALPH'S supermarket is also located on the west side of Pacific Coast Highway in the large Malibu Colony Plaza at 23841 West Malibu Road, Malibu. This is where Tommy and Pamela used to do their grocery shopping. Pam still shops here with Kid Rock, so if you don't want to run into them, head north up Malibu Canyon Road through the hills towards Calabasas.

Nikki Sixx's wife Donna opened her day spa and health indulgence business ZENSPA in November 2002 at Suite 120, 23975 Park Sorrento, Calabasas. She no longer owns it but still worth a visit. After you have pampered yourself here, head east through Woodland Hills (the Smokin' In The Boys Room video was filmed in a high school here) and then back towards Los Angeles.

ZONE 7 - INLAND EMPIRE

Back to school today! Head north east from Los Angeles along the 10 Freeway. Turn right off S. Garvey Ave East to SOUTH HILLS HIGH SCHOOL at 645 S. Barranca Ave, West Covina. This is where Tommy graduated to, after leaving Royal Oak High (which is the next stop). Here he elected not to take drum lessons but kept his playing in check by joining the school marching band, and a local drum corp. He taught others how to twirl sticks and led his troop to many competition victories, but was a thorn in the side of the senior drum captain Troy, who one day punched Tommy in the nose, sending him to the hospital where they unsuccessfully tried to straighten it.

Head north to ROYAL OAK HIGH at 303 S. Glendora Ave, Covina, which is where Tommy Lee and Vince Neil first met each other. After getting kicked out of Charter Oak High (which again is the next stop) for lack of attendance Vince spent some time working but took his parents advice and enrolled in Royal Oak High. Here he soon became friends with Tommy Lee in his sophomore year who played with another band on the backyard party circuit called US 101, and they often skipped school together to jam on music in Tommy's garage.

Keep heading north along S. Glendora Ave. At age 15, Vince Neil drove his '54 Chevy pick-up without a license to CHARTER OAK HIGH SCHOOL at 1430 East Covina Boulevard, Covina. He smoked angel dust in English class with a pipe that looked like a pen. When he was busted and sent to the principal's office, he was found wandering lost around the football field a couple of hours later. Vince also drove girls home for sex during school lunch breaks while his parents were at work, which led to Vince's first child being born when he was 16 and made him the only student at the school paying child support. James Alverson transferred to Charter Oak High School and soon chose Vince to be in his band since he had the longest hair in the school. They soon got a band together called Rockandi. Vince was later kicked out of Charter Oak High for lack of attendance.

If you haven't had enough of school yet, head a long way east. After forming a cover band called US 101, Tommy Lee's first ever gig was played under lights at an outdoor concert at the football stadium of UPLAND HIGH SCHOOL at 565 W. 11th Street, Upland. Have a run around the field before returning to Los Angeles, or even heading out much further to Las Vegas.

ZONE 8 - LAX to REDONDO

If you fly into town, you very well may arrive on the tarmac at LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, 25kms from the city. Don’t do what Tommy Lee did early in 1994 when he was arrested after a baggage x-ray showed a 0.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol inside, loaded with 10 hollow point bullets. A year later his arrival at the same airport with new wife Pamela Anderson caused them to be swamped by photographers and reporters who followed them back to Tommy's Malibu home. You’ll be doing well if just one reporter greets you upon your arrival!

Take a drive along the scenic beachfront ESPLANADE in Redondo Beach. During 1984, Vince Neil and his wife Beth lived at 916 Esplanade in a two-bedroom apartment on the fourth-floor of the ten-story high-rise right on the beach front. It’s on this road that tragedy occurred at 6.38pm on 8/12/84 when Vince's new red ‘72 Ford Pantera sports car was travelling south and skidded sideways for thirty-five feet, as it goes through a fifteen-feet wide wet spot of residential water run-off on the road. He lost control, doing 65mph in a 25mph zone at the time. Returning from the bottle shop and just three to  four blocks and 0.40 mile away from his apartment, Vince’s car collided into the passenger's side of an oncoming VW on the beachfront Esplanade northbound lane, at three hundred and eleven feet north of Topaz St, in the block halfway between Sapphire St. Vince’s passenger, Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas ‘Razzle’ Dingley, was killed and Vince subsequently does jail time.

Many thanks to Jen for her inspiration & assistance with this section!

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