Las Vegas Weekly

May 22, 2009 · 8:41 AM

Vince Neil enjoys honeymoon-style break and starts a business pre-Russia

By Robin Leach

Vince Neil and his wife Lia.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Motley Crue rocker Vince Neil decided on a “staycation” as his brief break from touring, and instead of heading to his Las Vegas home, he treated wife Lia to a honeymoon-style mini-vacation at Steve Wynn’s Encore! I was at their January 2005 wedding at the Four Seasons Hotel here performed by Surreal Life star and rapper MC Hammer.

I caught up with Vince shortly after he returned to town from a concert in Columbus, Ohio, as part of Motley Crue’s world tour. He told me: “We have a five-day break before we start up again on June 1 in Russia. We’ll leave for New York on Wednesday, and then go to London for the weekend and fly on to Moscow.

“We were last there in 1990 and played at the Peace Festival. Back then it was still total Communism, but we got a warm welcome. We expect this time it will be much wilder.”

Vince and the boys continue the Russian tour dates and additional Eastern European concerts for all of June and then kick off Crue Fest 2 on July 3. Afterward, Vince will return home here for the July 11 opening of his new off-Strip Dr. Feelgood’s club bar.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Vince Neil autographs a Crue Fest poster.

“We suffered the usual delays with permits, but the date is now set since it works out on two days off between tour dates. I’ll be back for the party and to play on opening night,” he said. “Crue Fest goes through until September, and of course we’ll be in town to play the new Joint at the Hard Rock on Aug. 1.

“This is the tour that never ends! We get a month off after Crue Fest 2 and then start up again in Canada and get ready to go down to Japan and Australia before getting back to Vegas for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday.”

I asked Vince if he was feeling the stress of the constant worldwide traveling for the tour. He said: “It’s funny, but the more I play, the stronger the voice becomes. It actually gets better with the grueling schedule.”

Meantime, Vince, who has already hit entrepreneurial success with his wine and alcohol company, told me his tequila brand is now in 42 states and doing well. “I’m at a very happy and contented stage of my life,” he said, “but I have to keep busy even when we’ve got a few days off from touring.

Photo: Courtesy

Motley Crue.

“So I’ve gone into the air charter business. I’ve bought a Lear 60 jet that can fly super-speed direct between Las Vegas or Los Angeles and New York. It will be based here in Vegas, and I’m decorating it now as the wildest rock and roll-themed jet in the skies. It will beat anything anybody has ever seen on a rock star’s bus.”

Vince has promised Vegas DeLuxe a sneak peek of his second Dr. Feelgood’s Bar -- the first is in West Palm Beach, Fla. We’ll have that photo report before the July 11 opening.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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