MÖTLEY CRÜE celebrates 40 years of 'Theatre Of Pain' with new deluxe box set from BMG
29-09-2025
Rock legends MÖTLEY CRÜE today announced a special 40th-anniversary limited-edition deluxe box set for “Theatre Of Pain”, out November 14 via BMG.
Released in June of 1985, “Theatre Of Pain” marked a bold new chapter for MÖTLEY CRÜE — stylistically daring, musically explosive, and unapologetically street glam.
Fueled by the swagger of “Smokin’ In The Boys Room” and the anthemic pull of “Home Sweet Home”, the CRÜE‘s third studio album broke new ground while staying true to their hard rock roots. This trailblazing album set the music and style template for many bands that followed, while the CRÜE themselves continued to evolve and reinvent their look and sound with each album.
“Theatre Of Pain” was MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s first LP to hit the U.S. Top 10, landing at No. 6, and became a global smash (No. 7 Australia, No. 7 Sweden, No. 5 Finland, No. 11 Canada, first U.K. Top 40 at No. 36). The album is now RIAA-certified four times platinum in the U.S. and three times platinum in Canada.
The album’s lead single, MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s cover of “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”, became the band’s first U.S. Top 20 hit, reaching No. 16. The iconic “Home Sweet Home” video was the most requested on MTV for over 90 days, leading to the infamous “Crüe Rule”, limiting videos to 30 days. The song recently hit No. 1 again — this time at U.S. classic rock radio — thanks to MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s new version featuring global superstar Dolly Parton.
The 40th-anniversary deluxe box set for “Theatre Of Pain” is a must-have for fans and collectors, featuring reimagined artwork, the newly remastered album on color vinyl, a never-before-released 1985 Long Beach live concert (2LP),rare demo recordings (1LP),and a 76-page hardcover book packed with never-before-seen photos and memories from the “Theatre Of Pain” era. This definitive set captures the raw energy and spirit of a band at their peak — and is available only for a limited time.
“Theatre Of Pain” 40th-anniversary limited edition box set includes:
* 1LP remastered “Theatre Of Pain” original album on color vinyl
* 2LP never-before-released live album originally recorded for Westwood One radio broadcast on color vinyl
* 1LP rare demos album on color vinyl
* 76-page hardcover book featuring many never before published photos from “Theatre Of Pain” Tour
In addition to the limited-edition deluxe box set, “Theatre Of Pain” 40th-anniversary edition will be available in standard audio, Dolby Atmos audio, as well as a variety of physical configurations including standard CD and LP sets alongside CD and LP exclusive variants at Walmart, an LP exclusive for independent retail, an LP exclusive for Amazon and an LP exclusive for Urban Outfitters. A limited-edition “Theatre Of Pain” 40th-anniversary cassette will also be available exclusively at the Crüeseum.
Original Theatre Of Pain Album Tracklist:
Side A
1. City Boy Blues
2. Smokin’ In The Boys Room
3. Louder Than Hell
4. Keep Your Eye On The Money
5. Home Sweet Home
Side B
1. Tonight (We Need A Lover)
2. Use It Or Lose it
3. Save Our Souls
4. Raise Your Hands To Rock
5. Fight For Your Right
Live In Long Beach / Westwood One 2LP Tracklist (ONLY available in Box Set):
Side A
1. Looks That Kill
2. Use It Or Lose It
3. Shout At The Devil
4. Fight For Your Rights
5. Ten Seconds To Love
Side B
1. Piece Of Your Action
2. Home Sweet Home
3. Red Hot / Guitar Solo
4. Keep Your Eye On The Money
Side C
1. Louder Than Hell / Drum Solo
2. Too Young To Fall In Love
3. Knock ‘Em Dead, Kid
4. Live Wire
Side D
1. Smokin’ In The Boys Room
2. City Boy Blues
3. Helter Skelter
4. Jailhouse Rock
Rare Demos LP Tracklist (ONLY Available in Box Set):
Side A
1. Home Sweet Home (Demo)
2. Smokin’ In The Boys Room (Demo – Alternate Guitar Rough Mix)
3. City Boy Blues (Demo)
4. Home Sweet Home (Demo - Instrumental Rough Mix)
Side B
1. Keep Your Eye On The Money (Demo)
2. Tommy’s Drum Piece From Cherokee Studios
3. Hotter Than Hell (Demo for Louder Than Hell)
Pre-save / pre-add / pre-order Theatre Of Pain 40th Anniversary AT THIS LOCATION.
Fans can step inside the Crüeseum to experience the new Theatre of Pain Collection, showcasing unseen candid moments, tour-worn clothing, backstage itineraries, powerful live photography, and more from Mötley‘s 1985 classic.
Earlier this month, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil has revealed that he suffered a stroke last Christmas, leading to the postponement of the band’s Las Vegas residency.
The residency, which was originally scheduled for March 28 – April 19, 2025, ended up being moved to September 2025 due to what MÖTLEY CRÜE said in March was “a required medical procedure advised by Neil‘s doctors.”
In a new interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Neil opened up about his previously undisclosed medical condition, saying: “I had a stroke. My whole left side went out… I had to learn to walk again, and that was tough. The doctors said they didn’t think I’d be able to go back on stage again. I go, ‘No, no, I’m gonna do it. Watch and see.'”
Neil continued: “I went from people carrying me to the bathroom, because I couldn’t walk myself, finally to a wheelchair. I graduated to a walker, and then I had a cane. Now I don’t need anything. But it’s like a full-time job getting back to where you feel good again.”
Vince added: “It takes a while to get your brain to start moving your legs, for them to do what your brain wants to do. You try to walk but it doesn’t come out right.”
The 64-year-old singer said that he worked with a football coach in Nashville, where Neil resides, and has been “doing a lot of running,” adding, “It’s been tough, but I’m back, I’m 90, 95 percent to where I was before, and it’s going to be great.”
Prior to Vince‘s August 1, 2025 concert at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, Massachusetts with his solo band, Neil hadn’t performed live since hitting the stage with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.
MÖTLEY CRÜEwill release a new compilation, “From The Beginning”, on September 12 on CD and vinyl via BMG.
“From The Beginning” spans four decades of CRÜE anthems, kicking off with the band’s first global single and MTV video “Live Wire” and winding through the years to 2024’s Top 5 rock smash “Dogs Of War”. In between are the hits and fan favorites that shaped the rock genre and a generation, including “Kickstart My Heart”, “Dr. Feelgood”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Shout at the Devil”, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room”, “Wild Side” and many more. It includes a stunning new version of the band’s revered classic “Home Sweet Home”, reimagined as a heartfelt duet with none other than globally beloved superstar Dolly Parton.
The CD version of “From The Beginning” features 19 tracks, while the vinyl has been expanded to 21 songs, including “Afraid” and the title track of last year’s “Cancelled” EP.
CD track listing:
01. Live Wire
02. Take Me To The Top
03. Shout At The Devil [remastered – 2021]
04. Looks That Kill [remastered – 2021]
05. Too Young To Fall In Love [remastered – 2021]
06. Smokin’ In The Boys Room [remastered – 2021]
07. Home Sweet Home [remastered – 2021]
08. Girls, Girls, Girls
09. Wild Side
10. Dr. Feelgood
11. Without You
12. Kickstart My Heart
13. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
14. Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
15. Primal Scream
16. The Dirt (Est. 1981)
17. Saints of Los Angeles
18. Dogs Of War
19. Home Sweet Home (feat. Dolly Parton)
2LP track listing:
Side A
01. Live Wire
02. Take Me To The Top
03. Shout at the Devil [remastered -2021]
04. Looks That Kill [remastered – 2021]
05. Too Young To Fall In Love [remastered -2021]
06. Smokin’ In The Boys Room [remastered -2021]
Side B
01. Home Sweet Home [remastered -2021]
02. Girls, Girls, Girls
03. Wild Side
04. Dr. Feelgood
05. Without You
Side C
01. Kickstart My Heart
02. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
03. Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)
04. Primal Scream
05. Afraid *
Side D
01. Saints of Los Angeles
02. The Dirt (Est. 1981)
03. Dogs Of War
04. Cancelled *
05. Home Sweet Home (feat. Dolly Parton)
* LP-only tracks
MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx and guitarist John 5 made guest appearances on “Bygones”, a song from Parton‘s “Rockstar” album.
“Bygones”, which also features JUDAS PRIEST‘s Rob Halford, debuted atop the Mediabase Classic Rock Songs chart in June 2023.
John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band’s co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.
Last October, MÖTLEY CRÜE released the “Cancelled” EP, featuring the title track, MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s cover version of the BEASTIE BOYS classic “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)” and “Dogs Of War”. All three songs were recorded in April 2023 with longtime producer Bob Rock.
MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s deal with Big Machine sees the band and the label working together again after making the 2014 project “Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe”, which featured CRÜE tracks covered by country stars RASCAL FLATTS, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Darius Rucker and more. Big Machine also partnered with John 5 for the release of his 2021 album “Sinner”.
MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s last studio album was 2008’s “Saints Of Los Angeles”, which was followed by a 2009 “Greatest Hits” compilation.
In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for “The Dirt” movie, including the single “The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)”, “Ride With The Devil”, “Crash And Burn” and the band’s own spin on Madonna‘s “Like A Virgin”.
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