Native name	Grenada
Common name	Grenada
Image coat	Coat of Arms of Grenada.png
National motto	“Ever Conscious of God We Aspire, Build and Advance as One People”
National anthem	''Hail Grenada''
Royal anthem	''God Save the Queen''
Official languages	English
Demonym	Grenadian
Ethnic groups	82% black, 13% mixed black and European, 5% European and East Indian, and trace of Arawak/Carib
Capital	St. George’s
Largest city	capital
Government type	Parliamentary democracy
Leader title1	Monarch
Leader name1	Elizabeth II
Leader title2	Governor General
Leader name2	Carlyle Glean
Leader title3	Prime Minister
Leader name3	Tillman Thomas
Legislature	Parliament
Upper house	Senate
Lower house	House of Representatives
Sovereignty type	Independence
Established event1	from the United Kingdom
Established date1	February 7, 1974
Area rank	203rd
Area magnitude	1 E7
Area km2	344
Area sq mi	132.8
Percent water	1.6
Population estimate	110,000
Population estimate rank	185th
Population estimate year	July 12, 2005
Population density km2	319.8
Population density sq mi	828.3
Population density rank	45th
Gdp ppp	$1.449 billion
Gdp ppp year	2011
Gdp ppp per capita	$13,895
Gdp nominal	$822 million
Gdp nominal year	2011
Gdp nominal per capita	$7,878
Hdi	0.813
Hdi rank	74th
Hdi year	2007
Hdi category
Currency	East Caribbean dollar
Currency code	XCD
Utc offset	−4
Utc offset dst	−4
Drives on	left
Cctld	.gd
Calling code	+1-473
Footnotes	a 2002 estimate. }}

Grenada () is an island country and Commonwealth realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its size is , with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's. The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada Dove.

History

Pre-history and early European contacts

Grenada was first sighted by Europeans in 1498 during the third voyage of Christopher Columbus to the new world. At the time the indigenous Island Caribs (Kalinago) who lived there called it Camahogne. The Spaniards did not permanently settle on Camahogne. The English failed in their attempt at settlement in 1609.

French colony (1649–1763)

On March 17, 1649, a French expedition of 203 men from Martinique led by Jacques du Parquet founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. Within months this led to conflict with the local islanders which lasted until 1654 when the island was completely subjugated by the French. Those indigenous islanders who survived either left for neighboring islands or retreated to remoter parts of Grenada where they were marginalised—the last distinct communities disappeared during the eighteenth century. Warfare continued during the seventeenth century between the French on Grenada and the Caribs of present day Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The French named the new French colony La Grenade, and the economy was initially based on sugar cane and indigo. The French established a capital known as Fort Royal (later St. George). To shelter from hurricanes the French navy would often take refuge in the capital's natural harbour, as no nearby French islands had a natural harbour to compare with that of Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada during the Seven Years' War in 1762.

British colony (1763–1950)

Grenada was formally ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The French re-captured the island during the American War of Independence, after Comte d'Estaing won the bloody land and naval Battle of Grenada in July 1779. However the island was restored to Britain with the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. Britain was hard pressed to overcome a pro-French revolt in 1795–1796 led by Julien Fedon.

Nutmeg was introduced to Grenada in 1843 when a merchant ship called in on its way to England from the East Indies. The ship had a small quantity of nutmeg trees on board which they left in Grenada, and this was the beginning of Grenada's nutmeg industry that now supplies nearly forty percent of the world's annual crop.

In 1877 Grenada was made a Crown colony. Theophilus A. Marryshow founded the Representative Government Association (RGA) in 1917 to agitate for a new and participative constitutional dispensation for the Grenadian people. Partly as a result of Marryshow`s lobbying, the Wood Commission of 1921–1922 concluded that Grenada was ready for constitutional reform in the form of a 'modified' Crown colony government. This modification granted Grenadians the right to elect 5 of the 15 members of the Legislative Council, on a restricted property franchise enabling the wealthiest 4% of adult Grenadians to vote.

Towards independence (1950–1974)

In 1950 Eric Gairy founded the Grenada United Labour Party, initially as a trades union, which led the 1951 general strike for better working conditions. This sparked great unrest—so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the 'red sky' days—and the British authorities had to call in military reinforcements to help regain control of the situation. On October 10, 1951, Grenada held its first general elections on the basis of universal adult suffrage - Eric Gairy's Grenada United Labour Party won 6 of the 8 seats contested. From 1958 to 1962 Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies.

On March 3, 1967, Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State. Herbert Blaize was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada from March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974.

Independence and revolution (1974–1983)

Independence was granted in 1974 under the leadership of the Premier, Sir Eric Matthew Gairy, who became the first Prime Minister of Grenada.

Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy’s government and some opposition parties including the New Jewel Movement (NJM). Gairy’s party won elections in 1976, but the opposition did not accept the result, accusing it of fraud. In 1979 the New Jewel Movement under Maurice Bishop launched a paramilitary attack on the government resulting in its overthrow.

The constitution was suspended and Bishop's "People's Revolutionary Government" ruled subsequently by decree. Cuban doctors, teachers, and technicians were invited in to help develop health, literacy, and agriculture over the next few years. Agrarian reforms started by the Gairy government were continued and greatly expanded under the revolutionary government of Maurice Bishop.

Invasion by the United States

Some years later a dispute developed between Bishop and certain high-ranking members of the NJM. Though Bishop cooperated with Cuba and the USSR on various trade and foreign policy issues, he sought to maintain a "non-aligned" status. Bishop had been taking his time making Grenada wholly socialist, encouraging private-sector development in an attempt to make the island a popular tourist destination. Hardline Marxist party members, including Communist Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard, deemed Bishop insufficiently revolutionary and demanded that he either step down or enter into a power-sharing arrangement.

On October 19, 1983, Bernard Coard and his wife Phyllis, backed by the Grenadian Army, led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop under house arrest. These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island. Bishop had enough support from the population that he was eventually freed after a demonstration in the capital. When Bishop attempted to resume power, he was captured and executed by soldiers along with seven others, including government cabinet ministers. The Coard regime then put the island under martial law.

After the execution of Bishop, the People's Revolutionary Army formed a military government with General Hudson Austin as chairman. The army declared a four-day total curfew, during which (it said) anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight.

The overthrow of a moderate government by one which was strongly pro-communist worried U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Particularly concerning was the presence of Cuban construction workers and military personnel who were building a airstrip on Grenada. Bishop had stated the purpose of the airstrip was to allow commercial jets to land, but U.S. military analysts argued that the only reason for constructing such a long and reinforced runway was so that it could be used by heavy military transport planes. The contractors, American and European companies, and the EEC, which provided partial funding, all claimed the airstrip did not have military capabilities. Reagan was worried that Cuba – under the direction of the Soviet Union – would use Grenada as a refueling stop for Cuban and Soviet airplanes loaded with weapons destined for Central American communist insurgents.

On October 25 combined forces from the United States and from the Regional Security System (RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed ''Operation Urgent Fury''. The U.S. stated this was done at the behest of Dame Eugenia Charles of Dominica. While the Governor-General Sir Paul Scoon later stated that he had also requested the invasion, it was highly criticised by head of state HM Queen Elizabeth II and the governments of Britain, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. The United Nations General Assembly condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 in favor to 9, with 27 abstentions. The United Nations Security Council considered a similar resolution, which failed to pass when vetoed by the United States.

After the invasion of the island nation, the pre-revolutionary Grenadian constitution came into operation once again. Eighteen members of the PRG and the PRA (army) were arrested after the invasion on charges related to the murder of Maurice Bishop and seven others. The eighteen included the top political leadership of Grenada at the time of the execution as well as the entire military chain of command directly responsible for the operation that led to the executions. Fourteen were sentenced to death, one was found not guilty and three were sentenced to forty-five years in prison. The death sentences were eventually commuted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the Grenada 17.

Grenada since 1983

When U.S. troops withdrew from Grenada in December 1983, Nicholas Brathwaite of the National Democratic Congress was appointed prime minister of an interim administration by the Scoon until elections could be organized. The first democratic elections since 1976 were held in December 1984 and were won by the Grenada National Party under Herbert Blaize who served as prime minister until his death in December 1989. Ben Jones succeeded Blaize as prime minister and served until the March 1990 election, which was won by the National Democratic Congress under Nicholas Brathwaite who returned as prime minister for a second time until he resigned in February 1995. He was succeeded by George Brizan who served until the June 1995 election which was won by the New National Party under Keith Mitchell who went on to win the 1999 and 2003 elections and served for a record 13 years until 2008.

In 2000–2002, much of the controversy of the late 1970s and early 1980s was once again brought into the public consciousness with the opening of the truth and reconciliation commission. The commission was chaired by a Roman Catholic priest, Father Mark Haynes, and was tasked with uncovering injustices arising from the PRA, Bishop’s regime, and before. It held a number of hearings around the country. Brother Robert Fanovich, head of Presentation Brothers’ College (PBC) in St. George’s tasked some of his senior students with conducting a research project into the era and specifically into the fact that Maurice Bishop’s body was never discovered. Paterson also uncovered that there was still a lot of resentment in Grenadian society resulting from the era and a feeling that there were many injustices still unaddressed.

On September 7, 2004, after being hurricane-free for forty-nine years, the island was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan. Ivan struck as a Category 3 hurricane and caused 90% of the homes to be damaged or destroyed. On July 14, 2005, Hurricane Emily, a Category 1 hurricane at the time, struck the northern part of the island with winds, causing an estimated USD $110 million (EC$ 297 million) worth of damage. By December 2005, 96% of all hotel rooms were to be open for business and to have been upgraded in facilities and strengthened to an improved building code. The agricultural industry and in particular the nutmeg industry suffered serious losses, but that event has begun changes in crop management and it is hoped that as new nutmeg trees gradually mature, the industry will return to its pre-Ivan position as a major supplier in the Western world.

In April 2007, Grenada jointly hosted (along with several other Caribbean nations) the 2007 Cricket World Cup. The island's prime minister was CARICOM Representative on cricket and was instrumental in having the World Cup Games brought to the region. After Hurricane Ivan, the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) paid for the new $40 million national stadium and provided the aid of over 300 laborers to build and repair it. During the opening ceremony, the anthem of the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) was accidentally played instead of the PRC's anthem, leading to the firing of top officials.

The 2008 election was won by the National Democratic Congress under Tillman Thomas.

Geography

The island Grenada is the largest island in the Grenadines; smaller islands are Carriacou, Petit Martinique, Ronde Island, Caille Island, Diamond Island, Large Island, Saline Island, and Frigate Island. Most of the population lives on Grenada, and major towns there include the capital, St. George’s, Grenville and Gouyave. The largest settlement on the other islands is Hillsborough on Carriacou.

The islands are of volcanic origin with extremely rich soil. Grenada’s interior is very mountainous with Mount St. Catherine being the highest at 840 m. Several small rivers with beautiful waterfalls flow into the sea from these mountains. The climate is tropical: hot and humid in the rainy season and cooled by the trade winds in the dry season. Grenada, being on the southern edge of the hurricane belt, has suffered only three hurricanes in fifty years.

Hurricane Janet passed over Grenada on September 23, 1955, with winds of 185 km/h, causing severe damage. The most recent storms to hit have been Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004, causing severe damage and thirty-nine deaths and Hurricane Emily on July 14, 2005, causing serious damage in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada which had been relatively lightly affected by Hurricane Ivan.

Parishes

Grenada is divided into 6 parishes:

Carriacou and Petite Martinique, two of the Grenadines, have the status of dependency.

Politics

As a Commonwealth realm, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State. The Crown is represented by a Governor-General, who is currently Carlyle Glean. Day-to-day executive power lies with the Head of Government, the Prime Minister. Although appointed by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the Parliament.

The Parliament consists of a Senate (thirteen members) and a House of Representatives (fifteen members). The senators are appointed by the government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by the population for five-year terms. With 51% of the votes and eleven seats in the 2008 election, the National Democratic Congress won the July 8, 2008 election. The opposition New National Party won the remaining four seats.

Grenada is a full and participating member of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

The military of Grenada comprises two branches:

Royal Grenada Police Force, which includes a Special Service Unit

Coast Guard

Economy and tourism

Economic progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have boosted annual growth to 5%–6% in 1998–99; the increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a common currency (the East Caribbean dollar) with seven other members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Grenada is a leading producer of several different spices. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, allspice, orange/citrus peels, wild coffee used by the locals, and especially nutmeg, providing 20% of the world supply, are all important exports. The nutmeg on the nation's flag represents the economic crop of Grenada; the nation is the world’s second largest producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia).

Tourism is Grenada’s main economic force. Conventional beach and water-sports tourism is largely focused in the southwest region around St George, the airport and the coastal strip; however, ecotourism is growing in significance. Most of these small ecofriendly guesthouses are located in the Saint David and Saint John parishes. You will find a lot of different accommodations from luxury like the Spice Island Beach Resort to small cottages resorts like Mango Bay Cottages.The tourism industry is increasing dramatically with the construction of a large cruise ship pier and esplanade. Up to 4 cruise ships per day were visiting St. Georges in 2007–2008 during the cruise ship season.

The island has also pioneered the cultivation of organic cocoa which is also processed into finished bars by the Grenada Chocolate Company.

Tourism is concentrated in the southwest of the island, around St. George, Grand Anse, Lance Aux Epines, and Point Salines. Grenada has many idyllic beaches around its coastline including the long Grand Anse Beach in St George which is considered to be one of the finest beaches in the world and often appears in countdowns of the world's top 10 beaches.

Flights at the Maurice Bishop International Airport connect with other Caribbean islands, the United States, and Europe. There is also a daily fast ferry service between St. George and Hillsborough. Beginning in October 2009 new passenger ferry service between Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Trinidad provided by Grenada-based BEDY Ocean Line is scheduled to begin.

Demographics

A majority of the citizens are descendants of the African slaves brought by the English and French; few of the indigenous Carib and Arawak population survived the French purge at Sauteurs. A small percentage of descendants of indentured workers from India were brought to Grenada mainly from the North Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh between May 1, 1857 – January 10, 1885. Today, Grenadians of Indian descent comprise the second largest ethnic group (i.e. after Afro-Grenadians). There is also a small community of French and English descendants. The rest of the population is of mixed descent.

Grenada, like many of the Caribbean islands is subject to a large amount of migration, with a large number of young people wanting to leave the island to seek life elsewhere. With 110,000 people living in Grenada, estimates and census data suggest that there are at least that number of Grenadian-born people in other parts of the Caribbean (such as Barbados and Trinidad) and at least that number again in First World countries. Popular migration points for Grenadians further north include New York City, Toronto, the United Kingdom (London and Yorkshire predominantly — see Grenadians in the UK) and sometimes Montreal, or as far south as Australia. This means that probably around a third of those born in Grenada still live there.

The official language, English, is used in the government, but Grenadian Creole is considered the lingua franca of the island. French Patois (Antillean Creole) is also spoken by about 10%–20% the population. Some Hindi/Bhojpuri terms are still spoken amongst the Indian descendants, mostly those pertaining to the kitchen; such as ''aloo, geera, karela, seim, chownkay, and baylay.'' The term ''bhai'', which means 'brother' in Urdu and Hindi, is a common form of greeting amongst Indo-Grenadians males of equal status.

Religion

{|class = wikitable !Religion!!Percentage |- |Roman Catholic||53 |- |Anglican||14 |- |Other Protestant||33 |- |Rastafari/Spiritist||1.3 |- |Hindu||0.7 |- |Muslim||0.3 |- |Buddhist||0.2 |- |Baha'i||0.2 |} Including a small community of Rastafarians living in Grenada, most of the population belong to Christian churches. About half of the population are Roman Catholic; while the largest Protestant denomination is Anglican, with Presbyterian and Seventh Day Adventist taking up much of the remainder. Most churches have denomination-based schools but are open to all. There are a small Hindu and Muslim populations descended mostly from Gujarati Indian immigrants who came during the colonial period and set up merchant shops.

Language

English is the country's official language, but the main spoken language is either of English-based creole languages (Grenadian Creole English) which reflects the Indian, African and European heritage of the nation. The creoles contain elements from a variety of African languages; Grenadian Creole, however, is also influenced by French. Grenadian Creole French is mainly spoken in smaller rural areas, but today it can only be heard in a few small pockets of the society. Grenadian Creole French is mainly known as Patois or Kwéyòl.

Culture

Although French influence on Grenadian culture is much less visible than on other Caribbean islands, surnames and place names in French remain, and the every day language is laced with French words and the local dialect or Patois. Stronger French influence is found in the well seasoned spicy food and styles of cooking similar to those found in New Orleans, and some French architecture has survived from the 18th century. Island culture is heavily influenced by the African roots of most of the Grenadians, but Indian and Carib Amerindian influence is also seen with dhal puri, rotis, Indian sweets, cassava and curries in the cuisine.

The "oildown" is considered to be the national dish. The phrase "oil-down" refers to a dish cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed, leaving a bit of coconut oil in the bottom of the pot. Early recipes call for a mixture of salted pigtail, pigs feet (trotters), salt beef and chicken, dumplings made from flour, provision: breadfruit, green banana, yam and potatoes. Callaloo leaves are some times used to retain the steam and for extra flavour.

Soca, calypso, and reggae set the mood for Grenada's annual Carnival activities. Over the years rap music became famous among Grenadian youths, and there have been numerous young rappers emerging in the islands underground rap scene. Zouk is also being slowly introduced onto the island. The islanders’ African and Carib Amerindian heritage plays an influential role in many aspects of Grenada’s culture.

As with other islands from the Caribbean, cricket is the national and most popular sport and is an intrinsic part of Grenadian culture.

An important aspect of Grenadian culture is the tradition of story telling, with folk tales bearing both African and French influences. The character, ''Anancy'', a spider god who is a trickster, originated in West Africa and is prevalent on other Caribbean islands as well. French influence can be seen in ''La Diablesse'', a well-dressed she-devil, and ''Ligaroo'' (from Loup Garoux), a werewolf.

See also

Outline of Grenada

Index of Grenada-related articles

Caribbean Sea

International rankings of Grenada

Windward Islands

; Member of:

Commonwealth of Nations

United Nations

Notes

References

Adkin, Mark. 1989. ''Urgent Fury: The Battle for Grenada: The Truth Behind the Largest U.S. Military Operation Since Vietnam''. Trans-Atlantic Publications. ISBN 0-85052-023-1

Beck, Robert J. 1993. ''The Grenada Invasion: Politics, Law, and Foreign Policy Decisionmaking''. Boulder: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-8709-4

Brizan, George 1984. ''Grenada Island of Conflict: From Amerindians to People’s Revolution 1498–1979''. London, Zed Books Ltd., publisher; Copyright, George Brizan, 1984.

Martin, John Angus. 2007. ''A–Z of Grenada Heritage''. Macmillan Caribbean.

Sinclair, Norma. 2003. ''Grenada: Isle of Spice (Caribbean Guides)''. Interlink Publishing Group; 3rd edition. ISBN 0-333-96806-9

Stark, James H. 1897. ''Stark’s Guide-Book and History of Trinidad including Tobago, Grenada, and St. Vincent; also a trip up the Orinoco and a description of the great Venezuelan Pitch Lake''. Boston, James H. Stark, publisher; London, Sampson Low, Marston & Company.

Steele, Beverley A. 2003. ''Grenada: A History of Its People (Island Histories)''. MacMillan Caribbean. ISBN 0-333-93053-3

External links

Official Website of the Government of Grenada

Chief of State and Cabinet Members

Grenada at ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''

grenadaisland.com

The Grenada Revolution online

Brief History of Grenada

Presentation Brothers College

Spice vibes

The evolution of class forces in Grenada

Key Development Forecasts for Grenada from International Futures

}}

Category:Caribbean countries Category:Member states of the Caribbean Community Category:Constitutional monarchies Category:English-speaking countries and territories Category:Former British colonies Category:Former French colonies Category:Island countries Category:Lesser Antilles Category:Liberal democracies Category:Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations Category:States and territories established in 1974 Category:Member states of the United Nations

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name	Tommy Lee
background	solo_singer
birth name	Thomas Lee Bass
birth date	October 03, 1962
Birth place	Athens, Greece
height
instrument	Drums, piano, vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, turntables
genre	Heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal, alternative metal, rap metal, electrohouse, progressive house
occupation	Musician, songwriter, drummer, DJ
years active	1981–present
label	Leathür, Elektra, MCA
associated acts	Mötley Crüe, Methods of Mayhem, Rock Star Supernova, Fuel, Deadmau5, Sum 41, Jack's Mannequin, Rob Zombie, DJ Aero
website
notable instruments	Pearl DrumsZildjian CymbalsAhead SticksRemo Drum HeadsMacBook ProSchecter Guitar ResearchRandall Amplifiers}}

Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962), best known as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects. He has been married to model Elaine Bergen and actresses Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson.

Early life

Lee was born on October 3, in Athens, Greece, as Thomas Lee Bass, the son of David Oliver Bass, a US Army serviceman of Welsh descent, and Vassiliki Papadimitriou, a 1957 ''Miss Greece'' contestant. His family moved to West Covina, California one year after his birth. He received his first drum when he was four and his first drum kit when he was a teenager. Lee has one younger sister, Athena Lee (Athena Michelle Bass, b. 1964), who was married to James Kottak, the drummer for the band Scorpions and she was also the drummer of his solo band KrunK.

As a teen he listened to Queen, Kiss, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Judas Priest. After listening to Kiss, his main drum influence became Peter Criss. After transferring from South Hills High School (West Covina, California); he joined the marching band at Royal Oak High School (now Royal Oak Middle School) in Covina, California.

Music career

His first successful band ''Suite 19'' played the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles during the late 1970s. At this time he met future bandmate, Nikki Sixx. Casually, Sixx was forming a theatrical band that would specialize in anthemic heavy metal, and was impressed by Lee's drumming. At this time, he changed his name to Tommy Lee and earned the nickname "T-bone" due to his 6′ 2½″ height and his skinny physique. Shortly afterward, guitarist Mick Mars joined the band. Mars recommended a singer Tommy had met while in high school, Vince Neil, who soon joined the group, and Mötley Crüe was formed.

Mötley Crüe

Mötley Crüe quickly built a strong fan base and they released their debut album ''Too Fast for Love'' in 1981, on their own independent label (Leathür Records). Elektra Records decided to sign the band shortly thereafter, reissuing their debut in 1982. The band then began a string of hit releases throughout the decade—1983's ''Shout at the Devil'', 1985's ''Theatre of Pain'', 1987's ''Girls, Girls, Girls'', and 1989's ''Dr. Feelgood''-establishing the quartet as one of the biggest hard rock/metal bands of the '80s.

Lee used several memorable gimmicks during his drum solos at concerts, such as having his entire kit revolving and spinning, or having the entire kit float above the crowd while he continued to play. He was legendary for mooning the crowd at nearly every show. The band was known for their decadent behavior both on and offstage, often consuming excessive amounts of drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, pills and alcohol.

In 2004, Lee reunited with the original Mötley Crüe line-up to release the double-disc album of hits entitled ''Red, White & Crüe'', which went quad platinum and launched a monumental reunion tour to support it, ''The Red, White & Crüe Tour 2005: Better Live Than Dead'', the band's first in six years. They finished the year number 8 on the top concert money earners list. They played 81 shows and grossed $33 million US (Billboard Boxscore).

Solo career

Tommy Lee came back once with Motley Crüe to go on the ''Crüe's Greatest Hits'' tour in 1999. With the popularity of rap metal, Lee formed a band called Methods of Mayhem. The band released a self-titled album the same year and toured in support of it. Although Lee distanced himself from Mötley Crüe after splitting, he agreed to take part in their 2001 autobiography, ''The Dirt''. In addition to Mötley Crüe and Methods of Mayhem, Lee has made guest appearances on albums by other artists, such as Stuart Hamm, Nine Inch Nails and Rob Zombie. He also contributed a song, "Planet Boom" (originally on Mötley Crüe's Quaternary EP) to the soundtrack of then-wife Pamela Anderson's 1996 movie, ''Barb Wire'', and produced an album for the pre-Goldfinger project from John Feldmann and Simon Williams, the Electric Love Hogs. Lee parted ways with Methods of Mayhem partner Tilo and began recording with members of Incubus. He then released his first solo album. The album, 2002's ''Never a Dull Moment'', has tones of rap metal and electronica. The song "Blue" features guest vocalist Rodleen Getsic (the credits read: "Rolleen"). In August 2002, Tommy Lee and his solo band joined Ozzfest, mainstage. In 2006, he formed a new band called Rock Star Supernova with Jason Newsted (Voivod, ex-Metallica) and Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N' Roses).

The 2006 season of ''Rock Star'' selected Lukas Rossi as the lead singer for Supernova. Dilana, Magni Ásgeirsson, and Toby Rand with his own band Juke Kartel were the three runners up and accepted an offer to go on tour with Supernova. The self titled debut album Rock Star Supernova was released on November 21, 2006.

Lee released his autobiography, ''Tommyland'' and his second solo album, ''Tommyland: The Ride'' in 2005. The CD featured as a soundtrack to the book and includes the singles, "Tryin to be Me", "Good Times" which was the theme song to his reality TV series "Tommy Lee Goes to College" and "Hello, Again" which features Andrew McMahon from Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin. Tommy Lee was also a guest DJ at WXRK "K-Rock" in New York during the Fourth of July Monster Metal Meltdown in 2005.

Lee also recorded drum tracks for the alternative rock band Jack's Mannequin, which has released the album ''Everything in Transit''.

In November 2007, it was announced by Nikki Sixx that Tommy Lee was no longer a member of Mötley Crüe. Lee reportedly quit after the rest of the band sued his manager, Carl Stubner, for forcing Tommy to take part in reality TV shows, thus forcing the cancellation of a lengthy leg of Crüe tourdates in 2006. Lee already quit once in 2007 in September before returning to the band. Vince Neil refuted the claims that Tommy Lee resigned from the band and that the band would be going into the studio in January to start recording their newest studio album. In the end, Tommy Lee did end up recording the new album, Saints of Los Angeles, and toured with Crüe in 2008 in their tour, Crüefest. Mötley Crüe is now on their Saints of Los Angeles Tour, which started on February 2, which includes Lee. This tour will be followed by Crüfest 2.

Tommy Lee's current artistic endeavors include touring as an electronic dance music DJ with his Methods Of Mayhem DJ/production partner, DJ Aero (birth name: Chester Deitz). As DJs, they are also known as Electro Mayhem and have clocked over 60 club dates as DJs throughout North America (with stops in the Bahamas and Central America) in 2007 alone, with more international dates planned for 2008 (including a stop in Iceland). Lee and Aero debuted as DJs on the mainstage at Ultra Music Festival during Winter Music Conference (WMC) in 2004. Lee and Aero have been DJing together since 2000, and they will again have a major presence at Miami's WMC in 2008. In 2009, Lee appeared in select cities with Sharam, one half of Grammy Award nominated and Grammy Award winning Deep Dish, accompanying Sharam live on the piano during his house DJ sets. Lee and DJ Aero also accompanied deadmau5 in his 2011 Meowington Hax tour.

In an interview held backstage at the 2009 Download Festival, Tommy Lee confirmed that he is currently working on his yet-to-be-named third solo album. It is expected to be released sometime in 2010. On June 27, 2010 Tommy played drums for Ludacris at the BET Awards 2010. On March 25, 2010, he co-presented the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) along with Roger Sanchez and DJ Rap.

Television career

In 2004, Lee briefly attended, but did not enroll in, the University of Nebraska for a few weeks in the fall of 2004, while filming a reality television show for NBC called ''Tommy Lee Goes to College.'' The show featured a "fish-out-of-water" premise as it followed Lee's effort to fit into the collegiate experience, including trying out for the marching band (as a drummer), taking courses in horticulture, chemistry, and literature, and receiving constant support from a sexy and smart tutor.

Lee was also one of the producers of the show. In spring 2008, Lee commenced filming another reality TV show with rapper Ludacris for Planet Green (Discovery Channel's 24-hour eco-friendly network) titled,"Battleground Earth". The show focuses on environmental challenges between Lee and Ludacris to raise awareness for green causes. The Planet Green shows aired through until September 2008.

In June 2010, it was announced that Lee would guest-star in an episode of ''Californication'' as a singer. Also in 2010, Lee appeared on an episode of the Comedy Central show, ''Tosh.0''.

Personal life

Relationships

Lee was married to Elaine Bergen in 1984; they divorced after one month.

In 1986, Lee married actress Heather Locklear. The couple divorced in 1993.

In 1995, he married actress and ''Playboy'' Playmate Pamela Anderson (1995–98). They have two children. Anderson and Lee married only four days after meeting, after Lee pursued her while she was on vacation with a friend. They wed on a beach, Anderson wearing only a white bikini. The couple divorced in 1998. Although divorced, the couple reunited briefly upon his release from prison but eventually split again.

In 2008 it was announced that he and Pamela Anderson were back together and living with each other and their children.

Sex tape

Lee and Anderson had videotaped their sexual activities while on vacation. The video was stolen in 1995 and released on the Internet, becoming a prime example of viral pornography. According to The Dirt, Tommy Lee says that he was having work done at his house, and a person (who, according to the book, was a former porn star) working at the house found the tape and sold it. Anderson sued the video distribution company, Internet Entertainment Group. Ultimately, the Lees entered into a confidential settlement agreement with IEG. Thereafter, the company began making the tape available to subscribers to its Web sites again, resulting in triple the normal traffic on the site.

Legal issues

Lee served four months in prison after pleading no contest to kicking Pamela Anderson while she was holding their son Dylan.

Lee suffered a 1998 lawsuit when he exposed a swastika tattoo on his arm to public scrutiny (the tattoo was in fact a swastika facing backwards). In 1996, Lee had pled no contest to criminal charges of battery against a Jewish photographer after Lee attacked the man outside the famous Viper Room, in L.A. When the photographer sued Lee, the "swastika" tattoo (which has since been removed) was said to be visible and Lee’s lawyer argued it would inflame the jury and create unfair prejudice against Lee. Shortly after claiming that the introduction of the tattoo into the court record would produce prejudice, Lee denied its existence. Lee's attorney reported the swastika was a “stupid tattoo obtained several years ago”.

In October 1999, Tommy Lee was arrested in North Carolina after instigating a riot during the 1997 concert at Greensboro Coliseum. Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx allegedly made racist comments to a black security guard, suggesting that the crowd attack him. Sixx and Lee were said to have poured beer over the guard's head.

On June 16, 2001, four-year-old Daniel Karven-Veres drowned in Lee's swimming pool while attending a birthday party for Lee's 5-year-old son, Brandon. His parents, James Veres and Ursula Karven, sued Lee for negligence. Lee was cleared by a jury in April 2003.

In September 2007, Lee was kicked out of the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony after engaging in a fight with Kid Rock. Kid Rock was cited for assault on Lee and pled guilty.

Activism

Tommy Lee is a supporter of animal rights and PETA. He made a donation to support PETA's campaign against Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Equipment

Drums

Pearl

*18x26 bass drum

* 6.5x14 snare

* 11x14 rack tom

* 11x14 floor tom

* 14x16 floor tom

Tommy uses the Pearl Tru-Trac drum heads, a Electronic vibe/ triggers. On the 2011 and current (2012) Tour Tommy is using his Pearl Drums rollercoaster drum set. They all are mounted in place while doing his (360 Drum Solo) in which he plays drums upside down!.

Cymbals

Avedis Zildjian

* 14" Z Custom Splash

* 15" A Rock HiHats

* 15" A New Beat HiHats

* 18" Z Custom Projection Crash

* 19" Z Custom Medium Crash

* 20" A Custom Medium Crash

* 20" Z Custom Ride

* 9.5" Large Zil Bell

* 22" Oriental China Trash

Hardware

Pearl Demon Double Bass Drum Pedals.

9500 Hi-Hat Stand

9300 Snare Drum Stand (x2)

9900 Double Tom Stand

9700 Cymbal Stand (x5)

9100 Drum Throne

Sticks

Vic Firth (1980's-1990's)

AHEAD Tommy Lee signature drum sticks, Silver Sleves. (2000-present)

Album discography

Solo

Year

Album details

Peak chart positions

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2002

*1st studio album

*Released: May 21, 2002

MCA Records>MCA

2005

''Tommyland: The Ride''

*2nd studio album

*Released: August 9, 2005

*Label: TL Education Services Inc.

Mötley Crüe

''Too Fast for Love'' (1981) Platinum US US #40

''Shout at the Devil'' (1983) 4x Platinum US US #10

''Theatre of Pain'' (1985) 4x Platinum US US #6

''Girls, Girls, Girls'' (1987) 4x Platinum US US #2

''Dr. Feelgood'' (1989) 6x Platinum US US #1

''Decade of Decadence'' compilation (1991) 2x Platinum US US #2

''Mötley Crüe'' (1994) Gold US US #7

''Quaternary'' EP (1994)

''Generation Swine'' (1997) Gold US US #4

''Greatest Hits'' (1998) compilation Gold US US #20

''Supersonic and Demonic Relics'' compilation (1999)

''Live: Entertainment or Death'' live album (1999) US #133

''Millennium Collection'' (2003)

''Music To Crash Your Car To, Volume 1'' box set (2003)

''Music To Crash Your Car To, Volume 2'' box set (2004)

''Red, White & Crüe'' compilation (2005) Platinum US US #6

''Carnival of Sins Live, Vol. 1'' live album (2006)

''Carnival of Sins Live, Vol. 2'' live album (2006)

''Saints of Los Angeles'' (2008) Gold US US #4

''Mötley Crüe: Greatest Hits'' (2009)

Methods of Mayhem

''Methods of Mayhem'' (1999) Gold US US #71

''A Public Disservice Announcement'' (2010) US #153

Rock Star Supernova

''Rock Star Supernova'' (2006) US #101

Guest performances

''Rush Street'' (1991) - Richard Marx

''The Urge'' (1991) - Stuart Hamm

''The Downward Spiral'' (1994) - Nine Inch Nails

''Whore'' (1996) - Dalbello (drums on "Revenge of Sleeping Beauty" track; remark by Sergey Lavrov)

''Hellbilly Deluxe'' (1998) - Rob Zombie

''The Sinister Urge'' (2001) - Rob Zombie

''Everything in Transit'' (2005) - Jack's Mannequin

''Angels & Devils'' (2007) - Fuel

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions	Certifications	Album
Billboard Hot 100>USHot 100	UK Singles Chart>UK	ARIA Charts>AUS	Canadian Singles Chart>CAN	Media Control Charts>GER
	"Hold Me Down"							rowspan="4"
"Sunday"
	"Ashamed"
"Higher"
	"Tryin to Be Me"
"Hello, Again"
2006	"Make Believe"

References

External links

Mötley Crüe Videos

Tommy Lee: The luckiest man alive? Hustler Magazine

Tommy Lee co-hosts Battleground Earth on Planet Green

Hollywood A-List News: Tommy Lee

Rock Star SuperNova official site

Rock Star SuperNova official site on SonyBMG

Ink Not Mink Interview with PETA

Tommy Lee Interview DJ Interview Clubplanet

Category:1962 births Category:American heavy metal drummers Category:American male singers Category:Greek emigrants to the United States Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American vegetarians Category:Animal rights advocates Category:Glam metal musicians Category:Living people Category:Mötley Crüe members Category:Musicians from California Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Athens Category:People from Los Angeles County, California

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