Family Dysfunction

A pervasive theme throughout the book and throughout the lives of the Motley Crue members is family dysfunction. Each one of the boys comes from either a fragmented or abusive home life which fuels their rebelliousness and anger. Nikki has an alcoholic mother who stifles him after Nikki's father abandons the family. As a young boy, Nikki even sues his mother for abuse hoping the courts will let him live on his own. Nikki finds much later that he had a disabled sister living in a sanitarium but his mother always kept Nikki from her. Tommy's parents love him but because his mother is Greek and does not speak English, people in the household communicate via notes and sign language. Later a psychiatrist will tell Tommy that his need to communicate is exhibited through the inordinate amount of tattoos on his body. Also, Tommy concludes that Silence...