Tommy Land
Tommy Lee: The Mystery behind the Man
Published by Atria Books
Review By Robin Steeley
“After years of fighting the shit, and winning and losing all kinds of battles, I've learned one thing: I see the cult of celebrity as a test. You might follow your dream to make art, but it comes with a price. I think what you do, how you act, and who you are after you've made it is the test of your mettle.”
(Excerpt from Tommyland, Atria books)
Tommyland reveals that there are many layers to the real life and times of Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. Living life constantly in the spotlight Lee is finally able to shed light on many subjects and tell his side of the many sordid stories of his life.
There are many surprising things brought to life, many would be amazed to know that he found the music of Sarah McLachlan inspiring while doing jail time for a domestic violence charge. He has obviously varied taste in music and is even collaborating with Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys, an unlikely pairing. You might find it surprising that he hates musicians that cheat on their wives while on the road, the rocker himself devoting nearly an entire chapter to this subject alone. I think it shows a lot about his character, it’s hard to stay faithful in the Hollywood, Rock and Roll atmosphere of the music industry.
The sad thing is that the story of his marriage was told to all via the media and it became worse then a freak circus. From the now infamous porn tape to the abuse allegations and subsequent jail time, the tragic drowning in Tommy’s back yard, it has been dragged through the dirt repeatedly and it makes you wonder how they manage to have any kind of a normal life at all.
The rise, fall, and now rebirth of now legendary Motley Crue is told at a somewhat different angle then Neil Strauss’s book The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s most Notorious Rock Band. It still gives you an excellent idea of what the repercussions of the lifestyle had and the reckless wild abandon that he was introduced to at the tender age of seventeen.
Overall I think the book shows Tommy’s maturing and growing as both a person and a musician. To me the best description of the book is in the words of Tommy himself:
“Right now, though, you have to know that I'm more interested in revealing what's most important about my life, like how I cook my steaks; what I think of the tabloids, the truth, my ex-wives, my ex-band, my music; and what an innocent observer might find hanging around my house on any given Sunday. You'll see, just sit back - you'll get plenty of facts and I'll tell you my story, but my real mission is that I want you to know how my memories smell.”
