The first pressing of the glam metallers’ debut was limited to a mere 900 copies, as Glen Bushell explains…
Several bands can lay claim to be the inventors of glam metal, but if you were to put a pin in one of the early cornerstones of the genre it would have to be Mötley Crüe’s 1981 debut, Too Fast for Love. It was raw, unabashed heavy rock that drew from the Crüe’s early influences of The Sweet, Sex Pistols and Alice Cooper.
The first pressing was released on Leathür Records, founded by Mötley Crüe and their manager, Alan Coffman. It is believed that only 900 copies were originally pressed before the band were quickly signed to Elektra and the album was subsequently reissued. The first pressing has a black and white sleeve, with the now iconic shot of Vince Neil’s leather-clad crotch paying a sideways homage to The Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers album. The text is also in black and white, as opposed to the red lettering that would feature on the Elektra pressings going forward.
A couple of other key differences to look for when spotting the first press are on the rear of the sleeve, the centre of the image is left blank, whereas on the second and third issue a pair of sunglasses have been added in. Also, the original image on the insert features Nikki Sixx with his arms crossed; he is in a slightly different pose on the later pressings.
True first pressings rarely surface, but this is the holy grail for Mötley Crüe collectors, with Mint condition copies changing hands around the £2,000 mark.
Glen Bushell