The NFL Draft live performance sequence with Fall Out Boy, Motley Crüe, and Thundercat, defined by a younger and an outdated

Working within the media area, you get plenty of public relations emails in your inbox every day. While you may wish to write about each that comes by, there merely will not be sufficient hours within the day to the touch on all of them.

However, generally a e mail — and on this case a topic line — comes by that simply stops you in your tracks.

Like this one, which introduced all work at SBNation to a halt for extra time yesterday than we care to confess:

Every subsequent phrase in that topic line is one other step in a protracted and winding journey. A journey that, frankly, whenever you learn it for the primary time you can not assist however marvel the way it will finish.

The awe on the group of musical acts then gave technique to a sure … bewilderment from a few of our youthful writers.

“Motley who?”

So as a part of our ongoing effort to maintain our readers as well-informed as doable about every part that’s taking place in sports activities welcome to our newest installment of “a young and an old,” at SBNation. In this installment Mark Schofield — one in every of our resident “olds” — will attempt to assist JP Acosta — our main “young” — make sense of the 2023 NFL Draft Concert sequence and, specifically, Mötley Crüe.

Mark: Okay JP. So, let me preface this dialogue this manner: The Nineteen Eighties had been a really unusual and completely different time. You have to contemplate the larger nationwide — and admittedly world — panorama. The United States was locked in a Cold War with the Soviet Union, a conflict that stored the spectre of nuclear nightmare over all our heads. We even regarded to Sylvester Stallone and Sting to assist ease tensions between the 2 nations, hoping cooler heads would prevail. A interval of financial progress led to issues over an economic system that would slide again into recession. Technological developments led folks in lots of industries, comparable to journalism, educating, customer support and extra to marvel if their jobs would quickly grow to be out of date. And spring soccer was within the air, because of the USFL.

Wait, what?

Anyway a brand new period of music was upon us, with a wave of bands that had been described on the time as “heavy metal,” however may very well be thought-about extra “rock” by at this time’s requirements. They would additionally, over time, grow to be often called “hair metal” bands because of the mixture of musical influences, and grooming kinds.

One of the most important — and first — such bands to hit the scene? Mötley Crüe. Hailing from California, their mixture of power, sound, and elaborate stay performances quickly took the music world by storm. Their first two albums, Too Fast for Love and Shout on the Devil, had a a lot more durable edge but it surely was their third launch, Theater of Pain, that noticed the Crüe begin to morph into the glam/hair band they ultimately turned.

With me to date? Any questions?

JA: First query: why are they Mötley? Why is Crüe spelled like that? And what on Earth is “hair metal”?

As SB Nation’s resident younger, I’ll admit: I do know of Mötley Crüe however have by no means heard a single music. I’ll say, naming an album Theater of Pain kinda rocks and if their songs go as onerous as their album names then I’m in

MS: All truthful factors. Certainly Theater of Pain is maybe their greatest album title, maybe with Generation Swine an in depth second, which was their launch in 1997. We’ll additionally put the self-titled Mötley Crüe to the facet.

As for the band’s title, it was an concept of one in every of their founding — and present — members Mick Mars. When Mars was in one other band, they had been described as a “motley looking crew.” Mars liked that description, however jotted it down as a “mottley cru.” They got here up with Motley Crue, and added the umlauts on the suggestion of singer Vince Neil, because the band was consuming the German beer Löwenbräu on the time. So you might have a German-looking title with the suggestion of consuming beer and partying? Everything to get suburban children like me into the closest Newbury Comics.

As for the “hair metal” side. If you possibly can image a fusion between heavy metallic and pop music, which will get suburban mall rats like me into the closest music retailer, then there’s your reply. This wave of music is maybe greatest identified for the concept of the “power ballad,” when a band from this style immediately drops one thing a bit slower and softer, making an attempt to faucet into their emotional facet.

Perhaps essentially the most well-known from Mötley Crüe? “Home Sweet Home.”

JA: Wait, they did energy ballads too? I solely consider energy ballads after I’m describing Disney songs.

MS: Oh completely? Like, right here’s the official music video for “Home Sweet Home:”

A: Yes that is nonetheless a banger. B: Yes, there’s A LOT happening right here. And C: Again, the Nineteen Eighties had been odd.

So, does that clear issues up? At least considerably?

JA: That music video positive is one thing, however yeah I received the gimmick down now.

MS: Okay cool. Also, simply know that the band members are relatively well-known for his or her personal lives. Lives that turned relatively public. Perhaps essentially the most notable right here is drummer Tommy Lee. Just, please promise me you’ll not Google him whereas working or whereas utilizing any Vox Media know-how. Because, nicely, that’s in all probability not the most secure play.

JA: Too late already typing.

(/searches Wikipedia)

I remorse every part.