Tommy Lee is undoubtedly one of the most famous drummers in the world. Part of that comes from his outstanding instrumental ability, of course, as the engine behind hard rock legends Motley Crue. And, yes, part of it comes from the notoriety he gained as a tabloid sensation, someone whose private life became public consumption and provided endless fodder for celebrity magazines, gossip websites, and late-night comedians. You might think that there’s nothing about Tommy Lee that you haven’t heard a million times before. And maybe, if you’re a diehard fan, you’ve heard all the tidbits we’re about to present to you now. But we’re guessing that there are one or more of these Tommy Lee facts that are new to you.
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1. His Father Was a Soldier and His Mother Was a Beauty Queen
That sentence sounds like the opening line to some John Mellencamp story song, doesn’t it? But in the case of Tommy Lee, it’s actually true. It helps to know that Lee was born in Athens, Greece, and his family didn’t come to America till he was a year old in 1963. His mother was Vassiliki Papadimitriou, who competed in the Miss Greece pageant before Lee was born. Meanwhile, his father was David Lee Thomas Bass, who met Lee’s Mom when he was serving in the Army. One wonders if his drumming career would have even gotten off the ground were it not for the family’s relocation to California.
2. He’s Done Session Work for a Fascinating Cross-Section of Artists
Most of Lee’s drum work has come in the service of Motley Crue. But he has occasionally broken out of the Crue cocoon to do sessions, and the artists he’s chosen to help out are what you might call an eclectic mix. In 1991, he played on the Richard Marx song “Streets of Pain,” helping out the hitmaking pop balladeer on a track that was co-written by Fee Waybill of The Tubes. Lee played on the 2010 Cee Lo album The Lady Killer, and Green later returned the favor by guesting with Motley Crue in concert. Perhaps the most striking collaboration came when Lee was the sole drummer used by Billy Corgan and company on the 2014 Smashing Pumpkins album Monuments to an Elegy, one of that group’s most well-received albums since their ‘90s heyday.
3. He Once Was Part of a Supergroup That Originated on a Reality Show
As part of the talent show reality TV boom of the 2000s that was spurred on by American Idol, CBS took a shot with a show called Rock Star. The idea was to use a singing competition to find a lead singer for an established rock band. In the first season, the show looked for a lead singer to replace Michael Hutchence in INXS. And then, in Season 2, Lee, Jason Newsted (formerly of Metallica), and Gilby Clarke (formerly of Guns N’ Roses) formed a supergroup titled Supernova that would gain a singer from the show. That singer turned out to be Lukas Rossi, but this project was somewhat doomed. For one, they couldn’t use the name Supernova because of a lawsuit brought by another band of the same name, which meant they had to go with the awkward name Rock Star Supernova. Their debut album in 2006 was savaged by critics and didn’t do much commercially, and the band was pretty much kaput by 2008. Rossi did guest on the Tommy Lee solo album Andro in 2020.
4. One of Lee’s Favorite Drummers was a Founding Member of the 80’s New Wave Band Missing Persons
When you hear Lee talk about his favorite drummers, there are some predictable names on the list. But he has also constantly talked up Terry Bozzio, who first rose to acclaim in the ‘70s as a member of Frank Zappa’s ever-changing backup band, playing on classic albums like Zoot Allures and Shake Yerbouti. Those Zappa records are most likely where Lee gained his admiration for Bozzio’s dazzling technique (and his massive drum kit). Bozzio also met singer and future wife Dale Bozzio while with Zappa, and the pair joined guitarist Warren Cuccurullo to form Missing Persons, who scored minor ‘80s hits such as “Words” and “Destination Unknown.”
5. During a Concert, Lee Got Stuck Over the Crowd on His Drum Rollercoaster
On December 31, 2015, Motley Crue played what was supposed to be its final concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Needless to say, the retirement didn’t stick. But one thing that did stick was the rollercoaster-like contraption that Lee was using to play one of his show-stopping drum solos. Lee hung suspended over the audience for several minutes while Crue’s crew worked furiously to get it rolling. Ever the showman, Lee kept the audience engaged with some profane patter until the contraption once again began to move.
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