Mötley Crüe Announce New Single, ‘Dogs of War’

Mötley Crüe promises there’s more where its brand new song “Dogs of War” came from.

The track and video, both out Friday (April 26), are the first releases under a new deal with Nashville’s Big Machine Records. It’s also the Crüe’s first new song since the Machine Gun Kelly collab “The Dirt (Est. 1981)” from the soundtrack for the 2019 Netflix biopic of the same name and the band’s first recording with new member John5 (Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie), who replaced original guitarist Mick Mars last year.

“We want to keep putting out new music, too, so we don’t get stagnant,” frontman Vince Neil tells Billboard. “We recorded ‘(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)’ by the Beastie Boys and we recorded this song, too, and I thought it turned out pretty good.” And while no firm plans have been specified for future material (although an EP has been rumored for fall), both Neil and John5 say there’s more Motley music on the runway.

“There’ll definitely be new music out next year, for sure,” Neil says, “’cause we recorded a couple of other songs, too. Maybe we’ll release one of those by the end of the year, but I can’t say. But we want to keep putting out new music — not, maybe, an album but a few songs here, a few songs there, and that’s good.”

John5 confirms that “there’s gonna be more music to come out, that’s for sure. [Bassist] Nikki (Sixx) calls me all the time and says, ‘Hey dude, check this out’ and it sounds like it could be a demo from, like, the Too Fast For Love album or the Shout at the Devil album. He just has that inside him; he’s created this music and it sounds just like that era because that’s who the guy is.”

Neil describes the fiery-tempoed “Dogs of War” as “like old school meets new school. It’s got that old school vibe about it, but it’s new music. Nikki came up with it and he sent me the music and I thought it was really cool. So I started singing it and we got in the studio and it turned into the song I think the fans are really gonna like it.” The song was produced by frequent Crüe collaborator Bob Rock, which Neil says was a source of comfort for the band.

“He’s great,” the singer explains. “He’s  a lot of fun. He’s smart. He’s creative. He knows what the wants. He knows what to get from each guy to make them be their best. That’s what a good producer does, takes what you have and makes it better – and that’s what (Rock ) does to Mötley Crüe. That’s what we love about him. We know he’s not gonna change and we didn’t want any change. We wanted to do it just the way we always recorded with him.”

The upcoming video, meanwhile, is an animated, all-CGI affair directed by Nick DenBoer that depicts the band in various levels of an apocalyptic, video game-like battle. It also includes a clever nod to the pig masks the group wore on the cover of 1997’s Generation Swine album. 

In making the new label deal announcement, Big Machine Chairman and CEO Scott Borchetta — the driving force behind the 2014 Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute to Mötley Crüe compilation — says that, “Growing up in Southern California, I was in Hollywood when these new sheriffs showed up and took over the city. It was loud. It was powerful. It was game changing. (The band has) reignited the flame with ferocious new Crüe Music.”

Neil, who resides in Nashville, calls Borchetta “a good friend … and a good friend of the band’s. They’re just a smart company that knows how to market songs and how to get them on the radio and do all the stuff you gotta do. They’re perfect for us.”

BMG remains the band’s home for catalog releases, however. This year it’s already released a Dolby Atmos remaster of The Dirt Soundtrack to celebrate its fifth anniversary as well as a Record Store Day re-release of the rarities compilation Supersonic and Demonic Relics on vinyl for the first time. Since this year is the 25th anniversary of the band’s legendary Dr. Feelgood album, fans have been speculating about some sort of release to commemorate that later in the year.

Back in 2014, of course, Mötley Crüe famously signed a “binding” contract for its The Final Tour farewell trek stipulating that support act Alice Cooper could cut their heads off if they broke it. Then, however, came The Dirt, which despite overwhelmingly negative reviews was a rating success, while the soundtrack hit No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and Top 5 on the Top Rock Albums and Soundtrack Albums charts. “The Dirt (Est. 1981)” single was also a Top 10 Mainstream Rock hit. 

“The Dirt got us so many new fans, a whole generation that hadn’t seen Mötley Crüe. That kinda brought us back to want to play again,” Neil says. The Crüe did regroup for The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard in 2022, while John5 came on board later in the year in place of Mars, who announced he was retiring from touring. (The band and Mars are currently embroiled in legal actions regarding the latter’s departure and status in the band, which Neil would not comment on.)

“John brings a lot,” Neil says. “He’s an amazing, creative guitar player. He hears stuff us normal people don’t hear. He brings a lot to the song and a lot to the band, and we’re just so happy to have him.” The feeling is mutual according to John5, who collaborated with Sixx on Sixx A.M. projects and co-wrote the three new songs on The Dirt Soundtrack.

“I love Motley and I’ve known Mick, Tommy (Lee) and Nikki for so long, it’s just like playing with your friends,” the guitarist says. “Their music is something I care about. I care about the history and I care about the future of this band, so I want to do things with the utmost respect and make sure everything is done right and execute it to the ability it deserves.”

Mötley Crüe will play selected shows this year starting May 3-4 at Hard Rock Live in Atlantic City, N.J. and including several festival dates.

Check out the full tour itinerary below:

May 3-4 — Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock Live

May 9 — Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville

June 22 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

June 23 — Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

July 11 — Calgary, Canada @ Calgary Stampede

July 13 — Ottawa, Canada @ Ottawa Bluesfest

July 14 — Quebec, Canada @ Festival d’Ete de Quebec

July 19 — Minot, ND @ North Dakota State Fair

August 10 — Springfield, IL @ Illinois State Fair

August 14 — Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fair

August 17 — Thackerville, OK @ Winstar Casino

August 29 — St. Paul, MN @ Minnesota State Fair

August 31 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun

Sept. 26 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live

Sept. 28 — Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival 

Oct. 13 — Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Fest