Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961) is an American musician.
He is best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley
Crüe, but he has also released material as a solo artist. Neil served
time in prison after being convicted of vehicular manslaughter in the
1984 death of Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley.Neil was
born in Hollywood, California to Shirley (née Ortiz) and Clois "Odie"
Wharton. He has Mexican ancestry on his mother's side and Native
American ancestry on his father's. During the 1960s, his family moved
around Southern California from Inglewood to Watts, before finally
settling in Glendora, attending Sunflower Intermediate School and
later Royal Oak High School. As well as having an interest in music
while a teenager, Neil was also interested in surfing, basketball,
baseball, football and wrestling.Neil was discovered while performing
with his band Rock Candy and joined Mötley Crüe in 1981. The
newly-formed band was seeking a lead vocalist and were impressed by
Neil after seeing him perform live at drummer Tommy Lee's suggestion.
Lee had known Neil in high school and thought the vocalist's image
would fit well with the new band. With Mötley Crüe, Neil made his
recording debut with the band's 1981 debut album Too Fast for Love.
The band's next album, 1983's Shout at the Devil, brought Mötley
Crüe to international stardom, and a string of hit releases
throughout the decade including Theatre of Pain, Girls, Girls, Girls
and the number 1 album Dr. Feelgood established the band as one of the
most popular rock acts in the world. Producer Tom Werman, who produced
much of Mötley Crüe's material in the 1980s, has said that Neil is
the least artistic and least involved in the creative process of all
the band members.
He is best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley
Crüe, but he has also released material as a solo artist. Neil served
time in prison after being convicted of vehicular manslaughter in the
1984 death of Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley.Neil was
born in Hollywood, California to Shirley (née Ortiz) and Clois "Odie"
Wharton. He has Mexican ancestry on his mother's side and Native
American ancestry on his father's. During the 1960s, his family moved
around Southern California from Inglewood to Watts, before finally
settling in Glendora, attending Sunflower Intermediate School and
later Royal Oak High School. As well as having an interest in music
while a teenager, Neil was also interested in surfing, basketball,
baseball, football and wrestling.Neil was discovered while performing
with his band Rock Candy and joined Mötley Crüe in 1981. The
newly-formed band was seeking a lead vocalist and were impressed by
Neil after seeing him perform live at drummer Tommy Lee's suggestion.
Lee had known Neil in high school and thought the vocalist's image
would fit well with the new band. With Mötley Crüe, Neil made his
recording debut with the band's 1981 debut album Too Fast for Love.
The band's next album, 1983's Shout at the Devil, brought Mötley
Crüe to international stardom, and a string of hit releases
throughout the decade including Theatre of Pain, Girls, Girls, Girls
and the number 1 album Dr. Feelgood established the band as one of the
most popular rock acts in the world. Producer Tom Werman, who produced
much of Mötley Crüe's material in the 1980s, has said that Neil is
the least artistic and least involved in the creative process of all
the band members.
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