Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe Reveals Stroke and Recovery Journey
Vince Neil, the frontman of iconic rock band Mötley Crüe, has revealed he suffered a stroke following Christmas, leading to a challenging recovery and the rescheduling of the band's Las Vegas residency. The singer candidly discussed his health scare and the road back to the stage in a recent interview.
Neil's Health Scare
According to Neil, he woke up the day after Christmas unable to move the left side of his body. "I had a stroke," Neil explained in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "My whole left side went out." He had gone to bed feeling fine, making the sudden health crisis all the more shocking.
The stroke forced Mötley Crüe to postpone their scheduled residency at Park MGM's Dolby Live. The initial dates in March and April were moved to September and October to allow Neil time to recover. The band, currently consisting of Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and John 5 alongside Neil, announced at the time that Neil required a "required medical procedure."
The Road to Recovery
The recovery process was arduous. "I had to learn to walk again, and that was tough," Neil shared. "The doctors said they didn’t think I’d be able to go back on stage again. I go, ‘No, no, I’m gonna do it. Watch and see.’" Neil underwent months of physical therapy at his home in Nashville, where he lives with his girlfriend, Rain Hannah.
"I went from people carrying me to the bathroom, because I couldn’t walk myself, finally to a wheelchair," Neil recounted. "I graduated to a walker, and then I had a cane. Now I don’t need anything. But it’s like a full-time job getting back to where you feel good again."
Fortunately, Neil's vocal ability was unaffected. He worked with a local football coach in Nashville to regain his physical strength and coordination, including performing agility drills. Neil stated, "I've doing that a lot, a lot of running — I learned how to run again. It's been tough, but I’m back, I’m 90-, 95-percent to where I was before, and it’s going to be great."
Addressing Backing Track Allegations
Neil also addressed accusations from former bandmate Mick Mars regarding the use of backing tracks during live performances. "No, we never did that, ever. It was Mick Mars who got pissed off, because we fired him, basically," Neil stated. He claimed that Mars was the one relying on tape due to performance issues. Mars left the band in October 2022 and was replaced by John 5.
Solo Performance and Other Incidents
Prior to the residency, Neil returned to the stage with his solo band in August. Additionally, a Learjet he owned was involved in an accident at Scottsdale Airport in July, resulting in a fatality and injuries to Hannah, although Neil was not present. Neil commented on the incident, stating, "Rain broke six ribs, the cracked vertebrae still hurts her, it’s what she deals with. But she is back on her horses. she goes riding all the time."
Mötley Crüe's Las Vegas Residency
Mötley Crüe is currently performing their Las Vegas residency, titled "Mötley Crüe: The Las Vegas Residency," at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The residency dates are Sept. 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27; Oct. 1 and 3. Tickets start at $54.12 and are available through Ticketmaster. The band also released a new greatest hits collection titled "From The Beginning," covering their career highlights from "Live Wire" to "Dogs Of War."
Neil promises an "extensive" setlist with both popular hits and deep cuts, ensuring fans get a taste of the full Mötley Crüe experience. He is determined to give his best performance despite the challenges he has faced, saying, "I am going to push through the best I can."
