With the ’80s drawing to a close, many had wondered if Mötley Crüe would survive the decade. Explaining this statement further, the band initially sustained a massive blow in late 1984 when Vocalist Vince Neil survived a brutal car accident that tragically killed Hanoi Rocks Drummer Nicholas “Razzle” Dingley. Something that landed Neil in massive trouble with the law… amazingly, the band bounced back, toured, and put out the more Glam Metal sounding Theatre of Pain in 1985.
However, their troubles were far from over… because Nikki Sixx’s growing addiction problems were beginning to spiral out of control. Battling through it, the band put out the successful Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987, but months after the release, Sixx suffered a heroin overdose in which he was declared clinically dead on the way to the hospital. A factor that landed him in rehab; leading up to this dreadful moment, he kept a journal of the addiction (which eventually became the best-selling 2007 book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star). With this, 1988 found Mötley Crüe not touring for the first time in years, leaving many to wonder what was next.
Understanding this brief recap of their manic history, you can see why little to no one could imagine them releasing any music any time again in the ‘80s era… let alone 1989! Defying the odds, the band found sobriety together and entered the studio in late 1988 to record the Dr. Feelgood album. An album which is highly regarded as one of their best ever, they clearly found new focus after turbulent times, spending an entire year to write and record the material, as opposed to 1987’s Girls, Girls, Girls, which they wrote up in about three weeks.
Call it a miracle, destiny, determination, or a bit of all three, together Neil, Sixx, Lead Guitarist Mick Mars, and Drummer Tommy Lee pulled together some of their best writing. An album that brought back a heavier edge felt on classic albums such as 1983’s Shout at the Devil, you also can hear the progression in their sound that was no doubt a product of learning what did and did not work with prior albums. With this in mind, Dr. Feelgood dished out something for every fan of Mötley Crüe, whether it be the crushing title-track and “Kickstart My Heart” (which was inspired by near-death experience) or the balladeque “Without You” and hooky Glam Metal-like “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.).”
These are just some of the boldest songs on the album, but Dr. Feelgood does not have one dull moment and possesses an energy you can feel with each blistering, distorted guitar note. Becoming the band’s best-selling album (hitting over six million copies sold), it hit number one in the USA, broke the top ten in various other countries, and has tons of other interesting bits of details.
Offering up just a handful, apparently, Lars Ulrich was so impressed with Bob Rock’s production of Dr. Feelgood that Metallica enlisted him to work on their legendary 1991 self-titled black album.
Furthermore, few realize it, but Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Bryan Adams, and Night Ranger’s Jack Blades all provide back vocals for “Same Ol’ Situation” and “Sticky Sweet,” while Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen do so on “She Goes Down.” These are only a few of the fascinating details behind the album; it makes sense that Dr. Feelgood should have a grand celebration of its thirty-fiveth anniversary.
Turning thirty-five years old back in August, many marked their calendar for November 22, 2024, because this would be the release of the brand new 35th Anniversary Editions of Dr. Feelgood. Available digitally, the real turn-on here is the ability to own it as either a CD or vinyl LP box set. Breaking down both of these physical format options, there is a lovely green/black colored 3LP and or 3CD box set. Both are encased in a lovely box featuring a glossy print of the classic album work, but what it is is what you find inside that will wow you.
Looking at this, the guts of the box set offer the original album remastered, The Dr. Feelgood Demos, and a Dr. Feelgood Live Tracks CD or LP. Each sounding absolutely stunning, you also will find a lovely 24-page album-size book with never-before-seen photos and album lyrics, an 18”x 24” reimagined album art poster, a replica backstage pass, a patch, a replica live show handbill, 16-page Dr. Feelgood Tour Itinerary, a replica press kit, really cool folder holding an 8” x 10” press photo, a medical envelope (where you will find the individually CDs if you purchase that set), and a guitar pick.
Altogether, it is truly the ultimate edition of Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood and probably the last you will ever need to purchase. Certainly, put together with thought and care like 2023’s 40th-anniversary limited-edition deluxe box set of Shout at the Devil, it is recommended to pick up the newly pressed deluxe editions of Dr. Feelgood today. That is why Cryptic Rock gives the 35th Anniversary Limited Edition Dr. Feelgood Box Set 5 out of 5 stars.
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