Mötley Crüe 'Saints Of Los Angeles'. A3 Music TV. Mötley Crüe was formed on January 17, 1981 when bassist Nikki Sixx left the band London and began rehearsing with Tommy Lee and vocalist/guitarist Greg Leon[4]. Lee had worked previously with Leon in a band called Suite 19[5] and the trio practiced together for some time with Leon eventually deciding not to continue. The bassist and drummer then began a search for new members. Sixx and Lee soon met guitarist Bob "Mick Mars" Deal. Mars was quickly auditioned and subsequently hired by Sixx and Lee. Mars had been playing for a band, White Horse, when one of the members called the group "a motley looking crew." He had remembered the phrase and later copied it down as Mottley Cru-. Modifying the spelling slightly, 'Mötley Crüe' was eventually selected with the inspiration to add the two sets of umlauts supposedly coming from the German beer the members were drinking at the time. The group was still in need of a singer. Lee had known Neil from their high school days at Royal Oak HS in Covina and the two had performed in different bands on the garage-band circuit. On seeing him perform with the band Rock Candy at the Starwood in Hollywood, Mars suggested Mötley Crüe hire Vince. At first he refused. However, as the other members of Rock Candy became involved in outside projects, Neil grew anxious to try something else. When Lee made one final appeal to audition, he accepted.
