Footage of Mötley Crüe’s July 19 concert in Kansas City shows the band using a drum backing track. Proof of this is a missed count-in on their song “Looks That Kill” as Tommy Lee rushes to get behind his drum kit just in time.
Tommy Lee misses his mission
The use of pre-recorded audio tracks is not uncommon at big shows, but Mötley Crüe fans are disappointed. In a video clip of a concert-goer, a slight booming noise can be heard through the PA system as the transition between “Live Wire” and “Looks That Kill” begins.
Meanwhile, Lee is seen making adjustments to his drum kit before finally taking his seat for the next track. Before he has his drumsticks in his hands, a cymbal count-in can be heard. The drummer only starts drumming when the other instruments join in.
Loudwire has reached out to the Mötley Crüe team for comment on what’s happening. However, the reply they received only said that the band is not currently taking media inquiries.
KISS also use playbacks
A similar situation happened earlier this year: Eric Singer, drummer of the band KISS, messed up the timing of the pyrotechnic effects during “Detroit Rock City” at a show in Belgium. In the course of this, a background track of Paul Stanley’s vocals was revealed. His voice came through even though he wasn’t behind a microphone.
Lee suffered a fractured rib early in the tour and as a result only played a few songs. The drummer has now recovered and has been doing the full program again since June 29th. Mötley Crüe is currently in North America as part of their “The Stadium Tour”.