Today, we review the first album with Motley Crue sober, yes, we’re talking about “Dr. Feelgood,” where the band dared to positively change their sound, moving towards something closer to what we’ve heard from them in recent years. Bob Rock was in charge of production, known for transforming the sound of rock bands into something more commercial. It’s one of Motley Crue’s best albums, serving as a turning point in their career.
What can we hear?
A more commercial sound than in their previous works, very pleasing to the ears of more conservative rock listeners. We hear each of the members in excellent form as they were away from drugs and alcohol.
We can note that this album gave even more personality to Tommy Lee’s (Drums) and Nikki Sixx’s (Bass) instruments. The bass is more present than in their previous works, proposing more elaborate lines like in “Rattlesnake Shake” or slaps like in “Sticky Sweet” by Lee. We hear a distinctive drum sound characterized by a large snare with considerable reverb, accompanied by a very organic kick, somewhat similar to Lars Ulrich’s drums in Metallica, precisely in the Bob Rock era, such as the famous “Black Album.”
Mick Mars (Guitar), on the other hand, experimented with a lower tuning than usual and also with the Floyd Rose on his guitar, present in songs like “Kickstart My Heart” or even “Dr. Feelgood,” producing sounds from low to high, resembling the roar of a motorcycle accelerating.
Vince Neil in tremendous form
That’s right, we hear Vince Neil at an optimal vocal level, coupled with the excellent production of the album, accompanied by very present and sometimes leading backing vocals, as is the case in “Slice Of Your Pie” towards the end of the song.
The album is iconic, and in none of their others do they have this sound, considered by many as the band’s best album, and also for us. The rehabilitation of the members opened the doors to explore more advanced musical levels, defining them even more as the great band they are today. Its popularity was such that it reached #1 on the Billboard chart.
“Dr. Feelgood” mostly presents powerful Glam Rock/Hard Rock in almost all its songs, but we can also hear emotional moments like “Without You” and “Time For Change,” which adds a very interesting variety, showing both the “tough” and “sentimental” sides of the band in the same work.
A sound that declared the end of the 80s
Its production marked the end of an era and the beginning of another, opening up to a digital era in recording studios that allowed rock bands to sound with higher quality than in the preceding years. That’s why every decade, the genre is still heard with more presence and fidelity.
One interesting thing to highlight about “Dr. Feelgood” is the series of rock stars who collaborated on the album with some background vocals, such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Sebastian Bach (then of Skid Row), Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, among others.
“Dr. Feelgood” proposes a milestone in the musical production of rock and also in its commercialization, reaching an even more massive audience. A gem!
In “Dr. Feelgood,” the band underwent a shift towards a more commercial sound. How do you think this change influenced their fan base and the perception of Motley Crue in the rock music scene? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
