Motley Crue - Quaternary (1994)

This five-track EP featuring John Corabi, was originally going to be called 'Leftwovers' as these were cuts left over from the 'Motley Crue' album sessions. I'm not sure how much of this is true because this EP is more an experimental trip and I couldn't have imagined Tommy Lee's industrial rap-rock 'Planet Boom' featuring on any Crue album. 'Planet...' opens the EP and it's a messy, choppy groove with Tommy rapping over the top, and that's about it really, it's a messy piece of experimentalism from a time when I was already sick to death of rap/rock crossover. The Mick Mars written 'Bittersuite' is better, leaking into the system with a deep, rootsy blues-based riff, it's a three-minute instrumental that also featured on the 'Supersonic & Demonic Relics' compilation. Next up we're treated to 'Father' solely written by Sixx. This is a chunky industro groover with Sixx on vocals who is backed by a danced up chug, his vocal sneer isn't remarkable but it's not a bad track, but for me it's Corabi's 'Friends' that enlightens the most. This quirky jaunt is Beatles-esque in its approach, leading in with a wistful piano and those silky tones. It's a reflective track that wallows for the most part and takes 90 seconds to reach its Beatle bounce, combining elements of McCartney's 'Frog Song' if anything, with a surreal trippy ballad. The EP closes with 'Babykills,' a struttin' swaggering funked up hot-cake of a track (Corabi on vocals) featuring some killer guitars and swanky vocal.This is probably the sexiest non-Vince track the band recorded, but from here Crue with Corabi would be no more. 7/10