On the opening night of the Stadium Tour, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee revealed he had broken four ribs two weeks earlier and would be relieved by Tommy Clufetos after playing five songs. The news was a shock to fans and even to Poison‘s Rikki Rockett, who had no idea Lee was injured prior to that moment onstage.
In an interview with Sirius XM’s Eddie Trunk, Rockett was asked if he was told in advance about Lee’s injury and Crue’s decision to bring in a backup drummer to finish out the set each night. The drummer said (transcription via Blabbermouth), “I didn’t know anything about it. I swear I didn’t. I went out and he wasn’t playing. And I’m, like, ‘What the heck is going on, guys?’ So I went back and got the lowdown.”
Lee has been reluctant to disclose how he was injured. “I wish I had a fuckin’ badass story like me and Connor McGregor fuckin’ scrapping out in some fuckin’ bar or something, but I don’t,” he told the crowd on opening night on June 16.
Despite being advised by doctors to sit out the tour entirely, Lee has powered through the first three songs of each night since the opener (June 18, 19, 22) before Clufetos took over for the remainder of the sets.
“He’s taking a lot of heat, and I don’t think he should,” added Rockett, “Because I think what’s cool about what he’s doing is he’s coming out there and he’s going, ‘This is painful to do it, but I want the audience to know that I’m here. I’m here for the duration. I’m not wussing out on this.’ Instead of running home and sitting six weeks out while he recovers, he’s [out on the road and] he’s part of the team. I think that’s badass.”
The tour, which also features Def Leppard, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Classless Act will continue through Sept. 9. See all of the remaining stops here and get your tickets at this location.
Stadium Tour, Opening Night Photos – Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts + Classless Act
See photos from opening night of the Stadium Tour.
