Exposed (Vince Neil album)

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 line-up 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 Vik Foxx continued to play drums. 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.

In an interview conducted with Metal Sludge, Robbie Crane said that he left the band after getting into a fight and punching Neil. In 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 Vince Neil's debut solo single "You're Invited (But Your Friend Can't Come)". The song exists in two different versions, the first of which was included on the soundtrack to the Les Mayfield movie Encino Man - a music video was later released for this version featuring a cameo from Pauly Shore. The track was later re-recorded for the album with Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens.

Also included is a cover version of "Set Me Free" from the Sweet’s Desolation Boulevard album, as well as a Soussan / Neil ballad titled "Forever", which was dedicated to his wife Sharise, who filed for divorce from Neil earlier that year. At the end of the song, there is a few seconds of silence followed by a little girl's voice saying "Oh No!" (this is Vince's deceased daughter Skylar). Pornstar Janine Lindemulder can also be seen in the video for the second single "Sister of Pain".

The song "Can't Change Me" was released as the third single which Neil also shot a video for, the video was filmed at the Record Plant.

"Can't Have Your Cake" was released as the fourth single which also features a music video. The video would feature an up-and-coming starlet by the name of Pamela Anderson, and Vince Neil's son Neil Wharton, who portrayed a young Vince Neil in the video.

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

The track The Last Goodbye was co-written with Todd Meagher and pulled from the album last minute due to a dispute between Meagher and Neil which came to a head with a brawl at the Roxbury on Sunset Strip. The song was a ballad written about Neil's split from Mötley Crüe.

Band members

Additional musicians

Production