Vince Neil tells his side in ‘Tattoos & Tequila’

To have experienced the hard-living, hard-drugging days of rock ’n’ roll in the 1980s and live to tell about it with some semblance of memory is considered a badge of honor these days, if the mass of biographies (auto and otherwise) can be an indication.

But no one seems to fascinate the public more than those bad boys of Motley Crue. From the release of the tell-all book “The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band” in 2002, to Tommy Lee’s shocking bio “Tommyland” in 2005, to Nikki Sixx’s 2008 compilation “The Heroin Diaries,” it would seem like every little detail of the band’s rise to fame and their indulgences in sex and drugs would have been documented for their fans to devour. And for the most part, it has been — according to the individual memories of the writers and their current state of soberness at the time of writing.

But now it’s lead singer Vince Neil’s turn to tell the story of his time with the Crue — as he remembers it.

In his book, “Tattoos & Tequila: To Hell and Back with One of Rock’s Most Notorious Frontmen,” Las Vegas resident Neil collaborates with writer Mike Sager to tell the world his side of the story.

Sager sets the tone of the book as an interview session that was spread over a long period of time (when he could catch Neil in a mood to cooperate), with the results being Neil telling a lot of stories about his time with the band, his relationships, his family life and his current projects, which include ownership of a tequila company, two tattoo establishments in Las Vegas, and several nightclubs/strip clubs/restaurants in which he has an interest.

Neil describes growing up in Los Angeles as the child of a multiracial couple, his troubled teenage years, and his introduction into music by way of winning local lip-synching contests. He discusses his problems with drugs and alcohol, his trips in and out of rehab, and the horrifying car accident that took the life of the drummer of Hanoi Rocks, for which Neil spent a brief time in jail.

Neil also talks about his family, his three previous marriages, his children (including the devastating loss of his daughter Skylar), and his current life, in which he is trying his best to walk the straight and narrow. (Though he's set to stand trial in January on misdemeanor drunken driving and speeding charges after he was stopped in June near the Strip.)

Sprinkled throughout the book are interviews with Neil’s family (his mother, father and sister), his wives (ex and current), musicians, managers and two of Neil’s oldest children. Their input gives a more complete picture of just who Vince Neil was and is.

Fans of Motley Crue will find most fascinating the tales of the on again, off again relationship Neil has with the three men who would ride the rocket ship to fame with him: his high school pal Tommy Lee, the moody but brilliant guitarist Mick Mars and songwriter/bassist Nikki Sixx. The love/hate sentiments can be felt through Neil’s recollections, and a distinct tinge of bitterness and resentment colors the pages. He was the frontman of the group, but he never really felt like a true partner in the organization that became Motley Crue. (It is interesting that Nikki Sixx is the only band member to contribute to this book and he only had good things to say about Neil.)

You have to hand it to Vince Neil — at 49 he made it through all the ups and downs of Motley Crue. In his own words: “It was a miracle we survived at all.”