On July 9, 1995, at the Worldwide KISS Konvention in Nashville, TN I asked Gene & Paul why they fired Vinnie Vincent. Kinda funny, kinda sad.

ARTISTdirect.com editor Rick Florino recently conducted an interview with MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer and METHODS OF MAYHEM mastermind Tommy Lee. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

ARTISTdirect.com: What inspired you to bring METHODS OF MAYHEM back now?

Tommy Lee: 2000 was the first album, and now it’s 2010! [Laughs] Every once in awhile, I’ve got to get my anything-goes-hat on and go for it. That’s what METHODS OF MAYHEM means to me. Anything goes stylistically. Whether it’s having a bunch of guest stars on the record like the first album or this one. I made this record with the whole world!

ARTISTdirect.com: Well, that aligns with your boundless mentality.

Tommy Lee: Totally, man! If I would’ve known how much work was involved in doing this, I probably wouldn’t have done it knowing that, but I’m glad I did it because it’s sick. People sent in the wildest stuff from all over the globe. You’re going to trip out when you hear it. It’s really a bitching record.

and how does this affect you??? This is a life lesson…no notes…your taking the test already…

The Ant and the Grasshopper

IN a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. 1 “Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?” 2 “I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.” 3 “Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; “we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food, and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: “IT IS BEST TO PREPARE FOR THE DAYS OF NECESSITY.”