MOTLEY CRUE: THE NEW STATUS QUO

A few years back, Status Quo went to see their solicitors in some sort of confused belief that they had a legal right to have their records played on Radio One. They weren't merely laughed out of court, but marched back in so they could be laughed out of court all over again. Now, Motley Crue are suing NBC as, apparently, somewhere in the constitution there's a bit which suggests NBC has no right to decide who does and doesn't appear on its programmes.

This all stems from Vince Neil saying "fuck" on the New Year's Eve Leno special - apparently, Neil didn't realise the programme he was on was live; (the word "wit" should presumably be added to his expletive for a working definition); NBC decided that it really didn't want to have the Crue on any of its shows anymore; sadly they took the decision because they're being cowed by the FCC and not on artistic grounds. Anyway, being America, it's all going to court, because - hey - it's a free speech issue:

The lawsuit accuses NBC of singling out the group, saying network officials stopped short of banning other artists who swore on-air, including U2 frontman Bono, who used the same expletive at last year's Golden Globe Awards.

"This is about fair and equal treatment. We have a right to be treated in the same way as other artists who have made the same mistake," bassist Nikki Sixx said in a statement.

The band are seeking to have the ban lifted, and to get compensation for "lost record sales" - although, frankly, boys, the fewer people who get to see your arthritic reunion, the more records you'll be likely to sell. You should be compensating NBC.

Neil recently went into business as a vinter (no, really - flogging wines is a really great career choice for someone who killed a bloke because he was driving while pissed) so it's not like he really needs the money, is it?

If the Crue win the case, it would almost certainly mean anyone could pitch up at the NBC studios to exercise their constitutional right to bellow "ballsack" and "gashy smudges" on their network.

music tv censorship nbc motley crue vince neil