Exposed (Vince Neil album) explained

Exposed
Type:studio
Artist:Vince Neil
Cover:Vince Neil Exposed.jpg
Released:April 27, 1993
Recorded:1992
Studio:Record Plant, Hollywood,
Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, California
Genre:Hard rock, glam metal, heavy metal
Length:52:25
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Ron Nevison
Next Title:Carved in Stone
Next Year:1995

Exposed is the debut solo album of Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil following his exit from the band in 1992. It was released in 1993 and reached No. 13 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[1]

The album was recorded at the Record Plant in Los Angeles in 1992. Neil titled the album Exposed because he thought of the album as his moment in the spotlight, no longer being a member of Mötley Crüe.

Neil's manager, Bruce Bird, died of a brain aneurysm during the recording. Neil later hired Burt Stein.

Background

Vince Neil, together with then manager Bruce Bird and Jack Blades, originally approached long time friend and ex-Ozzy bassist Phil Soussan to help him write the album and put a band together. Soussan left his then current band Beggars & Thieves and wrote several tracks with Neil of which 5 were included on the album. The original lineup was to have featured Adrian Vandenberg of Whitesnake and Manic Eden on guitar but a switch was made at the last minute, at Warner Bros. recommendation, and Steve Stevens was hired. The former Billy Idol guitarist and Atomic Playboys founder, claims to have subsequently played all bass and guitar tracks on Exposed. During the final recording process, Soussan left the band after differences with Stevens, who had insisted on wanting to play bass on the album. Robbie Crane was then switched from rhythm guitar to bass, Dave Marshall was hired as rhythm guitarist and Vikki Foxx continued to play drums.[2] The band's first show was played at the Roxy under the name "Five Guys From Van Nuys". The band eventually went on tour, opening for Van Halen on their 1993 tour promoting their live album and the biggest gig was in Canada at Molson Park north of Toronto playing on the same bill with Van Halen and Kim Mitchell on Canada Day July 1, 1993, to over 50,000 fans

In an interview conducted with Metal Sludge, Robbie Crane said that he left the band after getting into a fight and punching Neil. On that occasion, the band musicians had missed a show due to a broken down bus, and Neil had to perform with members of other bands (Slaughter and Warrant), and the two got into a heated exchange when Crane arrived at the venue. Crane said that he hit a drunken Neil, causing Neil to hit and cut his head open on a spike on the ground. Crane also said that Foxx was fired from the band after stealing equipment.

Content

The album includes Neil's debut solo single "You're Invited (But Your Friend Can't Come)". The song exists in two versions; the first of which was included on the soundtrack to the Les Mayfield movie Encino Man – a music video was released for this version featuring a cameo from Pauly Shore. The track was rerecorded for the album with Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens.

Also included is a cover of "Set Me Free" from the Sweet's Desolation Boulevard, and the Soussan/Neil ballad "Forever", dedicated to the latter's wife Sharise, who filed for divorce from Neil earlier that year. At the end of the song is a few seconds of silence, followed by a little girl's voice saying "Oh no!" – this is Vince's late daughter Skylar.

Pornstar Janine Lindemulder can be seen in the video for the second single "Sister of Pain". The video for the third single, "Can't Change Me", was filmed at the Record Plant. The video for the fourth single, "Can't Have Your Cake", featured the then up-and-coming Pamela Anderson, and the singer's son Neil Wharton, who portrayed a young Vince Neil in the video.

Neil recorded two bonus tracks for the Japanese edition: "Blondes (Have More Fun)" and the Ramones' cover "I Wanna Be Sedated".

"The Last Goodbye",[3] cowritten with Todd Meagher, was pulled from the album at the last minute due to a dispute between Meagher and Neil that culminated in a brawl at the Roxbury on Sunset Strip. The song was a ballad, about Neil's split from Mötley.

"Exposed did well... and I'm sure the record that Mötley Crüe did without me was also very good," Neil said in 2000, "but my solo record wasn't Mötley Crüe and theirs wasn't either. The magic just wasn't there."[4]

Personnel

Band members

Additional musicians

Production

Photography

Charts

Album

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] 84
UK Albums Chart[6] 44
US Billboard 200 (US)[7] 13

Singles

YearTitleChartPosition
1992"You're Invited (But Your Friend Can't Come)"US Album Rock Tracks[8] 17
Australian Singles Chart63
UK Singles Chart[9] 63
1993"Sister of Pain"US Album Rock Tracks12
"Can't Have Your Cake"US Album Rock Tracks34

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Exposed Billboard Albums . . . January 1, 2015 .
  2. Web site: 20 Questions With Robbie Crane . Metal Sludge. January 1, 2002 . January 1, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150101214840/http://www.metalsludge.tv/?p=28639 . January 1, 2015 . dead .
  3. Web site: The Last Goodbye Warner / Chappel Music . Warner / Chappell Music .
  4. Dave. Ling. We are lüdicröus!. Classic Rock #12. March 2000. 48.
  5. 200.
  6. Web site: Artist Chart History: Vince Neil . August 29, 2021 . Official Charts Company.
  7. Vince Neil Chart History: Billboard 200 . Billboard . December 3, 2021.
  8. Vince Neil Chart History: Mainstream Rock Airplay . Billboard . December 3, 2021.
  9. Web site: Vince Neil Chart History . . August 29, 2021.