The singer from Motley Crue, Vince Neil, might have been unaware of what he was in for, when he started the job that brought him fame in the early eighties. However, he has definitely lived an eventful life. Let us look closer at the tragic details about Vince Neil, which bring a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘rock and roll excess’.
The Loss of his Young Daughter
In 1995, Neil’s daughter, Skylar, died from kidney cancer aged four. Neil was a young father himself, aged thirty-four. Skylar contracted her illness during a period when Neil was recovering from various other professional and personal problems. Neil recorded a solo album, called ‘Carved in Stone’, featuring a ‘Song for Skylar’ that he wrote in tribute to his daughter. All the proceeds from the song were donated to charity. The vocalist also founded a Memorial Fund for his daughter, which raised millions of dollars for research into children’s cancer.
Assaulting a Sound Engineer
In 2004, while playing a solo concert in Dallas, Neil attacked sound engineer Michael Talbert, knocking him unconscious for almost a minute. According to the police, Neil became angry after the engineer didn’t turn the guitar volume up high enough. The vocalist subsequently cancelled his planned tour of the United Kingdom.
Killing Razzle in a Road Accident
In 1984, Neil ran out of booze during a drinking session with the band Hanoi Rocks, and offered to drive to the liquor store to replenish supplies. He was totally intoxicated, but the drummer of Hanoi Rocks, Nicholas ‘Razzle’ Dingley, chose to travel with him. Neil crashed his vehicle, at sixty-five mph, into another couple of cars. He suffered minor cuts and cracked ribs, however, two other motorists were seriously injured and Razzle died upon arriving at the hospital. Neil served fifteen days of a thirty-day jail sentence and was given five years probation. Also, he had to do community service for 200 hours and pay the people he injured $2.6 million.
Getting Married and Divorced Multiple Times
At the time of writing, Vince Neil had tied the knot and divorced on four different occasions. Consequently, he pledged never to get married again. When questioned about this, Neil usually avoids being too specific about the reasons behind his failed relationships. However, his ex-partners regularly claim that the vocalist’s ongoing affairs with groupies resulted in the breakups.
Grappling With Nicholas Cage
In 2016, Neil was socializing with Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage at the Las Vegas Aria Hotel, when a fan walked up to them to request an autograph from Cage. For some unknown reason, Neil was enraged by this and grabbed the woman’s hair, pulling her down to the floor. Cage was unimpressed and put the deranged singer into a restraint hold. Neil was charged with misdemeanor battery, but got away with a fine of $1000 and six months probation. The woman who was assaulted filed a lawsuit against Neil, and this case has yet to be settled.
Problems With Lawyers and Finances
Like many famous people, Vince Neil has squandered much of his considerable wealth. In 2005, he reached an all-time financial low, when he filed for Chapter Seven bankruptcy, after accumulating debts in excess of $1.5 million. In 2010, Neil was sued by the lawyer who had arranged his bankruptcy, because he owed fees totaling $16,000.
Attacking Various Women
In 2003, Neil was charged with assaulting a sex worker at the Moonlite BunnyRanch — the renowned legal brothel in Nevada. He was told to complete an anger management course and pay a $1000 fine. Alicia Jacobs, who Neil used to date, accused him of assault in 2011, following an alleged incident of domestic violence, where she was left with visible bruising. Neil pled guilty to disorderly conduct in a deal with prosecutors, to get the charge of domestic battery dropped. He was fined $1000 again.
Rehabilitation, Addiction and Relapsing
Even before joining Motley Crue, Neil claims that he was a regular drug user. During the band’s initial rise to fame, his cocaine abuse was so bad that the other band members had to intervene, and force him to curtail his habit. When his autobiography was published in 2010, he claimed to have quit alcohol and drugs permanently. Just a few days after this, it was reported on CBS News that Neil was facing DUI charges.
Driving While Under the Influence
In 2007, Neil was caught drunk behind the wheel, when a Las Vegas policeman noticed the erratic maneuvers his Ferrari was making. Nonetheless, after negotiating with the prosecutors, Neil avoided the DUI by pleading no contest to reckless driving. He faced the same charge in 2010, but with the additional accusation of smashing a fan’s camera, prior to hitting the road. He was placed under house arrest for fourteen days, then sent to jail for the same time period.
