Editing Tommy Lee

{{short description|American drummer (born 1962)}}
{{for multi|the American actor|Tommy Lee Jones|the song|Tommy Lee (song)|other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox person 
| name               = Tommy Lee
| image              = Tommy_Lee_2012.jpg
| caption            = Lee in 2012
| birth_name         = Thomas Lee Bass
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1962|10|3}}
| birth_place        = [[Athens]], [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]]
| nationality        = American
| occupation         = Musician
| years_active       = 1979–present
| spouse             = {{ubl|
*{{marriage|Elaine Starchuk|1984|1985|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|[[Heather Locklear]]|1986|1993|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|[[Pamela Anderson]]|1995|1998|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|[[Brittany Furlan]]|2019|2025|end=separated}}
}}
| children           = 2
| module             = {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See WP:WikiProject Musicians -->|embed=yes
| background   = solo_singer
| instrument   = {{flatlist|
* Drums
* piano
* vocals
}}<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_musical_artist#instrument--->
| genre        = {{flatlist|
* [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]
* [[hard rock]]
* [[glam metal]]
* [[nu metal]]
* [[rap metal]]
}}
| label        = {{flatlist|
* [[Leathür Records|Leathür]]
* [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
* [[MCA Records|MCA]]
* [[mau5trap]]
}}
| current_member_of = {{flatlist|
* [[Mötley Crüe]]
* [[Methods of Mayhem]]
* [[Rock Star Supernova]]
}}
| website = {{URL|tommylee.com}}
}}
}}

'''Thomas Lee''' (born '''Thomas Lee Bass'''; October 3, 1962)<ref name="Tommy Lee AMG">{{cite web |last=Prato |first=Greg |title=Tommy Lee Biography |access-date=January 28, 2014 |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tommy-lee-mn0000521424/biography |website=AllMusic}}</ref> is an American musician who co-founded and plays drums for the [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Mötley Crüe]]. He also founded [[rap metal]] band [[Methods of Mayhem]] and has pursued solo musical projects.

==Early life==
Lee was born Thomas Lee Bass on October 3, 1962, in&nbsp;[[Athens]], Greece, to father David Lee Thomas Bass, an American U.S. Army sergeant, and mother Vassiliki "Voula" Papadimitriou (Greek:&nbsp;Βασιλική Παπαδημητρίου), a&nbsp;contestant on the 1957 Miss Greece beauty contest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://greekamericangirl.com/athena-kottak-drummin-to-a-greek-beat/ |title=Athena Kottak: Tommy Lee's Little Sister Drummin' to a Greek Beat |date=March 29, 2014 |access-date=March 8, 2018 |first=Irene |last=Archos |website=GreekAmericanGirl.com |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610125720/http://greekamericangirl.com/athena-kottak-drummin-to-a-greek-beat/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Team |first=G. C. T. |title=Tommy Lee Turns 54 Today |url=https://greekcitytimes.com/2016/10/03/tommy-lee-turns-54-today/ |access-date=July 5, 2020|website=Greek City Times |date=October 3, 2016}}</ref> He has a younger sister, [[Athena Lee|Athena]], who is also a drummer. When Lee was approximately two years old,<ref>{{cite web |title=HoneyDew Podcast #81: Tommy Lee |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLmfWrB97Ds |first=Ryan |last=Sickler |date=14 July 2020 |website=YouTube}}</ref> his father moved the family back to the United States, settling in California.<ref name="Tommy Lee AMG"/>

Lee received his first drum sticks when he was four years old, and his first proper drum kit when he was a teenager. Lee attended [[Covina, California|Royal Oak High School]] where he met [[Vince Neil]] and was part of the marching band.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ew.com/article/2005/08/02/follow-tommy-lee-he-goes-college/ |title=Follow Tommy Lee as he goes to college |work=Entertainment Weekly |last=Snierson |first=Dan |date=August 2, 2005 |access-date=January 15, 2025}}</ref> He dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music, starting with the L.A. club band Suite 19.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.biography.com/people/tommy-lee-222294 |title=Tommy Lee |website=Biography.com |access-date=December 23, 2018 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090011/https://www.biography.com/people/tommy-lee-222294 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As a teenager, he listened to [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Van Halen]], [[Cheap Trick]], [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], [[AC/DC]] and [[The Sweet|Sweet]]. His main drumming influences are [[John Bonham]], [[Tommy Aldridge]], [[Alex Van Halen]] and [[Terry Bozzio]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drummagazine.com/features/post/tommy-lee-double-bass-old-schooler/ |title=Tommy Lee: Double Bass Old Schooler |first=Jared |last=Cobb |date=November 16, 2009 |website=Drum Magazine.com |access-date=May 12, 2014}}</ref> <!--After transferring from [[South Hills High School (West Covina, California)|South Hills High School]]; he joined the marching band at Royal Oak High School (now Royal Oak Middle School) in [[Covina, California]]. -->

==Music career==
In the late 1970s Lee's band, Suite 19, was a regular on the [[Sunset Strip]] club circuit in Los Angeles along with other up-and-coming acts such as [[Van Halen]] and [[Quiet Riot]]. He became acquainted with bassist [[Nikki Sixx]], whose bands [[Sister (American band)|Sister]] and later [[London (heavy metal band)|London]] played the same circuit. Sixx was forming a theatrical band that borrowed heavily from Sister's fusion of occult imagery with a theatrical [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] performance, and became a fan of Lee's drumming. It was during this time period that Lee dropped his surname and earned the nickname "T-bone" due to his 6′ 2½″ height and his lean physique. When London finally broke up in 1981, Lee and Sixx decided to form a new group together. Shortly afterward, guitarist [[Mick Mars]] joined the band. Seeking a charismatic frontman, Lee mentioned to the others a singer, [[Vince Neil]], whom he had known casually in high school; Neil soon joined the group, and Mötley Crüe was formed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patton |first=Alli |date=2023-05-19 |title=The Origin Story of Mötley Crüe |url=https://americansongwriter.com/the-origin-story-of-motley-crue/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Mötley Crüe===
{{main|Mötley Crüe}}
[[File:Crue CIMG4784.JPG|thumb|right|Mötley Crüe from left to right: [[Nikki Sixx]], Lee, [[Mick Mars]], and [[Vince Neil]]]]
Mötley Crüe quickly built a strong fanbase, and released its debut album ''[[Too Fast for Love]]'' in 1981 on its own independent label ([[Leathür Records]]). [[Elektra Records]] decided to sign the band shortly thereafter, reissuing the 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 (Mötley Crüe album)|Girls, Girls, Girls]]'', and 1989's ''[[Dr. Feelgood (album)|Dr. Feelgood]]''—establishing the quartet as one of the biggest [[hard rock]]/[[heavy metal music|metal]] bands of the 1980s.

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 noted for [[mooning]] the crowd at nearly every show. The band was known for its decadent behavior both on and offstage, often consuming excessive amounts of drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, pills and alcohol. The duo of Lee and Sixx are called the "Terror Twins".<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/motley-crue-the-dirt-soundtrack-interview-798822/ |title=Inside Motley Crue's First New Songs Since Their Final Concert |date=4 January 2024 |access-date=2024-01-04 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |last=Grow |first=Kory}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://people.com/music/motley-crue-where-are-they-now/ |title=The Members of Mötley Crüe: Where Are They Now? |date= April 17, 2023|access-date=2024-01-04 |website=[[People.com]] |last=Briese |first=Nicole}}</ref>

In 2004, Lee reunited with the original Mötley Crüe line-up to release the double-disc anthology album entitled ''[[Red, White & Crüe]]'', which went quadruple-platinum and launched a monumental reunion tour to support it, ''[[Red, White & Crüe ... Better Live Than Dead|The Red, White & Crüe Tour 2005: Better Live Than Dead]]'', the band's first tour in six years. Mötley Crüe finished the year at #8 on the Top Concert Money Earners list. It played 81 shows and grossed {{USD|33}} million according to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Boxscore.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-05 |title=Tommy Lee Net Worth 2022 |url=https://mashoor.media/tommy-lee-net-worth/ |access-date=2024-06-08 |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Solo career===
[[File:Tommy Lee at Digital Playground Party 3.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Lee in 2004]]
Lee came back once with Mötley Crüe to go on the ''Crüe's Greatest Hits'' tour in 1999. With the popularity of [[rap metal]], he 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 the band's 2001 autobiography, ''[[The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band|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)|Quaternary EP]]) to the soundtrack of then-wife [[Pamela Anderson]]'s 1996 movie, ''[[Barb Wire (1996 film)|Barb Wire]]'', and produced an album for the pre-[[Goldfinger (band)|Goldfinger]] project from [[John Feldmann]] and [[Simon Williams (bassist)|Simon Williams]], the [[Electric Love Hogs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K88GFEJCGc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/0K88GFEJCGc| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |work=YouTube |access-date=February 6, 2010 |date=March 12, 2008 |title=Electric Love Hogs in the Studio With Tommy Lee}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Lee parted ways with [[Methods of Mayhem]] partner [[TiLo (rapper)|TiLo]] and began recording with members of [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]]. He then released his first solo album. The album, 2002's ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Tommy Lee album)|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]] (ex-[[Flotsam and Jetsam (band)|Flotsam & Jetsam]], [[Voivod (band)|Voivod]], [[Metallica]]) and [[Gilby Clarke]] (ex-[[Guns N' Roses]]).

The 2006 [[Rock Star: Supernova|season]] of ''[[Rock Star (TV series)|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 (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 (Tommy Lee song)|Good Times]]" which was the theme song to his reality TV series ''[[Tommy Lee Goes to College]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=18859 |title=Tommy Lee Goes to College! soundtrack |website=Top40 Charts |date=29 November 2005}}</ref> and "Hello, Again" which features [[Andrew McMahon]] from [[Something Corporate]] and [[Jack's Mannequin]]. Lee was also a guest DJ at [[WINS-FM|WXRK]] "K-Rock" in New York during the Fourth of July Monster Metal Meltdown in 2005.<ref name=":0" />

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

[[File:Criss Angel and Tommy Lee.jpg|thumb|upright|Lee (right) with illusionist [[Criss Angel]] at the [[2007 Scream Awards]]]]
In November 2007, it was announced by Nikki Sixx that Lee was no longer a member of Mötley Crüe. The drummer 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 tour dates in 2006. Lee had already quit once in September 2007 before returning to the band. Vince Neil denied the claims that Tommy Lee resigned from the band, and said that Mötley Crüe would be going into the studio in January to start recording its new album. In the end, Lee did end up recording the new album, ''[[Saints of Los Angeles]]'', and toured with the band in 2008 on its Crüe Fest tour.

Tommy Lee's more recent 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 clocked over 60 club dates as DJs throughout North America in 2007 alone, with stops in the Bahamas and Central America. Lee and Aero debuted as DJs on the mainstage at Ultra Music Festival during Winter Music Conference (WMC) in 2004. Lee and Aero began DJing together in 2000. In 2009, Lee appeared in select cities with [[Sharam]], one half of Grammy-winning [[Deep Dish (band)|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. He played keyboards with [[Deftones]] at a benefit show for now deceased bassist Chi Cheng in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0D3Dh_XHA0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/h0D3Dh_XHA0| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |date=December 11, 2009 |title=DEFTONES - Anniversary Of An Uninteresting Event - w/ Tommy Lee and Mike Shinoda |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2014, Lee performed on [[the Smashing Pumpkins]]' ''[[Monuments to an Elegy]]'' album.<ref name=SmashingPumpkins>{{cite magazine |last1=Grow |first1=Kory |title=Motley Crue's Tommy Lee to Drum on Smashing Pumpkins Record |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/motley-crues-tommy-lee-to-drum-on-smashing-pumpkins-record-20140508 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 8, 2014 |access-date=March 7, 2016}}</ref> That same year, he rejoined his Mötley Crüe bandmates for the group's farewell tour. As part of a legal agreement between the four band members, each signed a contract which would prevent any of them from ever touring under the Mötley Crüe moniker again unless all members were involved.<ref name=SmashingPumpkins/>

In 2022, Lee had a phone conversation with [[Foo Fighters]] drummer [[Taylor Hawkins]] just hours before the latter's death. It was reported that Lee was one of the last people to speak to Hawkins while he was still alive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tommy Lee Says He Spoke to Taylor Hawkins Hours Before His Death |url=https://www.etonline.com/tommy-lee-says-he-spoke-to-taylor-hawkins-hours-before-his-death-in-emotional-tribute-181509 |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Entertainment Tonight}}</ref> Lee later appeared with Nikki Sixx in a tribute concert for Hawkins at [[Kia Forum]] in [[Inglewood, California]] on September 27, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fighters |first=Foo |date=2022-08-17 |title=Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert Updates: How To Watch, Artists Added & Charities Announced |url=https://foofighters.com/news/taylor-hawkins-tribute-concert-updates-how-to-watch-artists-added-charities-announced/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Foo Fighters}}</ref>
==Film and television appearances==
In 2004, Lee starred in a reality show on [[NBC]] titled ''[[Tommy Lee Goes to College]]''. Lee was also one of the producers of the show. In spring 2008, Lee began filming another reality TV show with rapper [[Ludacris]] for [[Planet Green]] ([[Discovery Channel]]'s 24-hour eco-friendly network) titled ''[[Battleground Earth]]''. In 2019, Lee guest starred on Season 7, Episode 14 of ''The Goldbergs'' as Professor Lee.

Throughout October 2020, Lee played the Devil in four episodes of ''Halloween in Hell'', a fictionalized musical horror podcast. The series also starred [[Iann Dior]], [[24kGoldn]], Dana Dentata, Phem, and [[Machine Gun Kelly (musician)|Machine Gun Kelly]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quiles |first1=Alyssa |title=Here's How Tommy Lee and MGK Ended Up Spending 'Halloween In Hell' |url=https://www.altpress.com/features/halloween-in-hell-machine-gun-kelly-podcast-trailer/ |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |date=October 19, 2020 |access-date=April 3, 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, Lee starred in the action horror thriller ''[[The Retaliators (film)|The Retaliators]]'' as a strip club DJ.

==Personal life==

===Relationships===
Lee has been married four times.

His first wife was Elaine Starchuk,<ref name="Tommy Sofia engagement at Eonline">{{cite news |url=http://www.eonline.com/news/514443/tommy-lee-gets-engaged-to-girlfriend-sofia-toufa |title=Tommy Lee Gets Engaged to Girlfriend Sofia Toufa |first=Peter |last=Gicas |work=[[E!]] News |date=February 25, 2014 |access-date=February 25, 2014}}</ref> whom he married in 1984, divorcing a year later.

On May 10, 1986, Lee married for the second time, this time to actress [[Heather Locklear]]. The couple divorced in 1993. Their relationship was later chronicled in the Mötley Crüe biographical film ''[[The Dirt (film)| The Dirt]]'' which was released in March 2019 on [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kenny |first=Glenn |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1996/05/17/tommy-lee-and-heather-locklear-wed-ten-years-ago |title=The Seven-Year Hitch |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=May 17, 1996 |access-date=June 14, 2009 |archive-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011151905/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,292548,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Before meeting actress and [[Playboy Playmate|''Playboy'' Playmate]] [[Pamela Anderson]], Lee was engaged to model [[Bobbie Brown]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/in-dirty-rocker-boys-video-vixen-bobbie-brown-dishes-t-1798252101 |title=In Dirty Rocker Boys, video vixen Bobbie Brown dishes the dirt |first=Nathan |last=Rabin |date=September 15, 2016 |website=The A.V. Club |access-date=January 9, 2019 |archive-date=January 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110183341/https://music.avclub.com/in-dirty-rocker-boys-video-vixen-bobbie-brown-dishes-t-1798252101 |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 19, 1995, just four days after meeting her, Lee married Anderson.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pamela Anderson |url=http://www.people.com/people/pamela_anderson/biography/ |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-date=February 25, 2014 |archive-date=August 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829075437/https://people.com/people/pamela_anderson/biography/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> They have two sons together: Brandon Thomas Lee (born June 5, 1996)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/bay-watch-ends-happily-article-1.717816 |title=Bay(by) Watch Ends Happily |first=A.J. |last=Benza |work=[[New York Daily News]] |location=New York City |date=June 6, 1996 |access-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308185638/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/bay-watch-ends-happily-article-1.717816 |url-status=live}}</ref><!--information released to media by the parent's representative--> and Dylan Jagger Lee (born December 29, 1997).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/31/nyregion/chronicle-860271.html |title=Chronicle |first=Nadine |last=Brozan |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 31, 1997 |access-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180308191735/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/31/nyregion/chronicle-860271.html |url-status=live}}</ref><!--information released to media by the parent's representative--> The couple divorced in 1998,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6479855/tommy-lee-pam-anderson-marriage-anniversary |title=Tommy Lee & Pam Anderson Married 20 Years Ago Today |date=February 19, 2015 |access-date=March 8, 2018 |first=Joe |last=Lynch |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-date=June 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616035204/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6479855/tommy-lee-pam-anderson-marriage-anniversary |url-status=live}}</ref> and were involved in a custody battle over their sons until both were granted joint custody in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reiter |first=Amy |date=2002-10-04 |title=Tug-of-love |url=https://www.salon.com/2002/10/04/npfri_104/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Salon}}</ref> Although divorced, the couple reunited briefly upon Lee's release from jail but eventually split again in 2001.

From 2002 until 2003, Lee was engaged to dancer [[Mayte Garcia]], ex-wife of [[Prince (musician)|Prince]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/04/30/tommy-lees-wedding-mayte/ |title=Tommy Lee's wedding to Mayte is off |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=April 30, 2003 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Garcia sang on Lee's album ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Tommy Lee album)|Never a Dull Moment]]'' and toured with him.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Tommy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLydJJUzFOUC&q=mayte+tommy+lee&pg=PA233 |title=Tommyland |date=October 13, 2009 |publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4165-0766-6|page=233}}</ref>

In 2008, it was announced that Lee and his ex-wife Anderson were back together and living with each other and their children, but they split for good soon afterward.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20206681,00.html |title=Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee Back Together Again, but mostly for the children |last=Wells |first=Melody S. |work=People |date=June 13, 2008 |access-date=June 16, 2008 |archive-date=January 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122100347/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20206681,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From 2014 until 2017, Lee was engaged to Greek-German singer [[Sofia Toufa]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-tommy-lee-engaged-sofia-toufa-20140225-story.html |title=Rocker Tommy Lee engaged to Sofia Toufa; marriage will be his 4th |first=Nardine |last=Saad |date=February 25, 2014 |work=Los Angeles Times |quote="There comes a time in a mans life when you just know your partner is for LIFE!!" the 51-year-old wrote. "Say hello to my fiancé and soon to be wife @SOFIofficial"}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://people.com/celebrity/tommy-lee-engaged-to-sofia-toufa/ |title=Tommy Lee Engaged to Sofia Toufa |first=Tim |last=Nudd |date=February 25, 2014 |work=People}}</ref>

Lee announced on February 14, 2018, that he had proposed to his girlfriend, social media celebrity [[Brittany Furlan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eonline.com/news/913811/tommy-lee-is-engaged-to-vine-star-brittany-furlan |title=Tommy Lee Is Engaged to Vine Star Brittany Furlan |first=Kendall |last=Fisher |date=February 14, 2018 |work=E! Online |access-date=February 23, 2018}}</ref> They were married a year later on February 14, 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://people.com/music/tommy-lee-brittany-furlan-married/ |title=Tommy Lee Marries Social Media Star Brittany Furlan: 'We Did It!' |work=People|access-date=February 15, 2019}}</ref>

===Sex tape===
Lee and Anderson had videotaped their sexual activities while on a [[houseboat]] on [[Lake Mead]], [[Arizona]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a38812754/pam-and-tommy-true-story-pamela-anderson-sex-tape/ |title=The Mad, Sad True Story of 'Pam and Tommy' & the Stolen Sex Tape |publisher=Esquire.com |date= February 9, 2022|accessdate=2022-03-08 |last1=Nicholson |first1=Tom}}</ref> The video was stolen in 1995, released on the internet in 1997, and became a prime example of viral pornography. According to ''[[The Dirt]]'', Lee claims that he was having work done at his house, and a person (who, according to the book, was a former porn star by the name of Rand Gauthier)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/pam-and-tommy-the-untold-story-of-the-worlds-most-infamous-sex-tape-194776/ |title= Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World's Most Infamous Sex Tape |first=Amanda Chicago |last=Lewis |date=December 22, 2014 |magazine= Rolling Stone}}</ref> working at the house found the tape and sold it. During the video, Lee infamously blew the boat's horn. Anderson sued the video distribution company, [[Seth Warshavsky|Internet Entertainment Group]]. The Lees never received a financial settlement agreement with IEG. Pamela Anderson dropped the case to concentrate on her mental health and her children. Thereafter, the company began making the tape available to subscribers to its websites again tripling the normal traffic on the website.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pelline |first=Jeff |title=Pamela Lee drops video case |url=http://news.cnet.com/Pamela-Lee-drops-video-case/2100-1023_3-205848.html?tag=mncol |work=CNET News |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=August 2, 2010 |date=December 1, 1997}}</ref>

A fictionalized [[miniseries]], ''[[Pam & Tommy]]'', debuted on [[Hulu]] in February 2022 chronicling the theft and distribution of the stolen tape.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pam & Tommy|url=https://press.hulu.com/shows/pam-tommy/|access-date=2022-02-16|website=Hulu}}</ref> [[Sebastian Stan]] portrayed Lee and [[Lily James]] was cast as Anderson.

===Legal troubles===
In 1998, Lee served six months in county jail after pleading [[nolo contendere|no contest]] to kicking [[Pamela Anderson]] while she was holding their son Dylan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/06/23/1023864527266.html |title=The trials of Tommy Lee |date=June 24, 2002 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=May 29, 2011}}</ref> During an altercation over Anderson's refusal to call and ask her parents not to come over to the family's house, Lee assaulted his wife, leaving her with "bruises, a torn fingernail and fear for the safety of her two sons, Dylan and Brandon."<ref>{{cite news |last1=McAllister |first1=Sue |title=Tommy Lee Gets 6 Months in Jail for Beating His Wife |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-21-me-51994-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=July 7, 2016}}</ref> In May 2000, Lee served five days in jail for violating his [[probation]] by drinking alcohol.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-may-31-me-35854-story.html |title=Rocker Tommy Lee Released After 5 Days in Jail |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 31, 2000 |accessdate=February 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tommy-lee-back-in-jail-205373/ |title=Tommy Lee Back in Jail |first=Jennifer |last=Vineyard |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 30, 2022 |accessdate=February 2, 2022}}</ref>

Lee faced a 1998 lawsuit when he allegedly exposed a right-facing [[Nazi]] [[swastika]] tattoo on his arm to public scrutiny (the tattoo was actually a left-facing swastika). In 1996, Lee had pleaded 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432392/19980402/lee_tommy.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020805141709/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432392/19980402/lee_tommy.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 5, 2002 |title=Lee Wants Tattoo Hidden From Jury |website=MTV.com |date=April 2, 1998 |access-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref> Shortly after claiming that the introduction of the tattoo into the court record would produce prejudice, Lee denied its existence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432391/19980406/lee_tommy.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224164159/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432391/19980406/lee_tommy.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 24, 2007 |title=News – Lee denies tattoo of swastika |website=MTV.com |date=April 6, 1998 |access-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref> Lee's attorney reported the swastika was a "stupid tattoo obtained several years ago."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NEWS+LITE+:+JUDGE+BACKS+JURY+IN+SPELLING+CASE-a083817255 |title=News Lite: Rocker Lee wants swastika forgotten |work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]] |date=April 2, 1998 |via=Thefreelibrary.com |access-date=October 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022061253/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NEWS+LITE+:+JUDGE+BACKS+JURY+IN+SPELLING+CASE-a083817255 |archive-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref>

In October 1997, Lee, along with Nikki Sixx, 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Saidman |first=Sorelle |date=September 7, 1999 |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432367/.jhtml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911033454/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1432367/.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |title=Tommy Lee Gets Naked, Nikki Sixx Gets Arrested... Again |website=MTV.com |access-date=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

On June 16, 2001, 4-year-old Daniel Karven-Veres drowned in Lee's swimming pool while attending a birthday party for Lee's 5-year-old son, Brandon. Daniel's parents, [[James Veres]] and [[Ursula Karven]], sued Lee for negligence. Lee was cleared by a jury in April 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.courttv.com/trials/tommylee/verdict_ctv.html |title=Tommy Lee cleared in boy's drowning death |first=Harriet |last=Ryan |date=April 17, 2003 |website=CourtTV.com |access-date=October 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830014240/http://www.courttv.com/trials/tommylee/verdict_ctv.html |archive-date=August 30, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In September 2007, Lee was kicked out of the [[MTV Video Music Awards]] ceremony after engaging in a fight with [[Kid Rock]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b56122_Kid_Rock_Tommy_Lee_Rock_n_Brawl_at_VMAs.html |title=Kid Rock, Tommy Lee Rock 'n' Brawl at VMAs |first=Gina |last=Serpe |work=E! Online |date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Jayson |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569305/20070910/lee_tommy.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911190538/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569305/20070910/lee_tommy.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2007 |title=Kid Rock, Tommy Lee Battle At VMAs — Watch the Video |website=MTV.com |date=September 10, 2007 |access-date=October 21, 2011}}</ref> Kid Rock was cited for assault on Lee and pleaded guilty.<ref name="motley attack">{{cite news |title=Kid Rock Cited for Misdemeanor Assault |url=http://www.moono.com/news/news05595.html |date=September 11, 2007 |work=Moono |publisher=UGO Networks |access-date=July 22, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904235100/http://moono.com/news/news05595.html |archive-date=September 4, 2008}}</ref>

===Activism===
Lee is a supporter of [[animal rights]] and [[PETA]]. In 2010, Lee sent a letter to Terry Prather, the president of [[SeaWorld]], protesting the treatment of [[Tilikum (orca)|Tilikum]] the [[orca]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/tommy_lee_campaigns_against_seaworld_for_sick_twisted_whale_masturbating_practice |title=Tommy Lee Campaigns Against SeaWorld over "Sick and Twisted" Whale Masturbating Practice |first=Alex |last=Hudson |date=December 8, 2010 |website=Exclaim.ca |access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref> Lee believed the animal should be set free and claimed that SeaWorld would not comply, as Tilikum is their primary sperm donor. Lee wrote that he was appalled by SeaWorld's "sick and twisted" methods for obtaining Tilikum's sperm. Lee concluded that he wished to avoid further tragedies of trainers being killed, as these tragedies had resulted from the whales' aversion to captivity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tommy Lee Explodes Over Whale Sperm |date=December 7, 2010 |website=TMZ.org |url=http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/07/tommy-lee-sea-world-killer-whale-peta-sperm-masturbation/ |access-date=October 11, 2013}}</ref>

In 2013, Lee sent a letter to the then-[[Alberta]] Premier [[Alison Redford]] requesting that she end the [[Calgary Stampede]]'s [[Chuckwagon racing|chuckwagon races]] that have resulted in the deaths of 50 horses since 1986 (the horses were euthanized after suffering injuries). Lee, in his capacity as a member of PETA, wrote, "There was a time when cowboys respected their horses instead of riding them to death just to show off for a crowd"; the ministry responded that Lee's letter was worthwhile.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kaufmann |first=Bill |title=Drummer Tommy Lee urges stop to Calgary Stampede's chuckwagon races |newspaper=Toronto Sun |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2013/04/26/drummer-tommy-lee-urges-stop-to-calgary-stampedes-chuckwagon-races |access-date=October 11, 2013}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Solo albums===
*''[[Never a Dull Moment (Tommy Lee album)|Never a Dull Moment]]'' (2002)
*''[[Tommyland: The Ride]]'' (2005)
*''[[Andro (album)|Andro]]'' (2020)

===With Mötley Crüe===
{{Main|Mötley Crüe discography}}

===With Methods of Mayhem===
*''[[Methods of Mayhem (album)|Methods of Mayhem]]'' (1999)
*''[[A Public Disservice Announcement]]'' (2010)

===With Rock Star Supernova===
* ''[[Rock Star Supernova (album)|Rock Star Supernova]]'' (2006)

===Guest appearances===
* ''[[Rush Street (Richard Marx album)|Rush Street]]'' – [[Richard Marx]] (1991) 
* ''[[The Urge (album)|The Urge]]'' – [[Stuart Hamm]] (1991) 
* ''[[whore (album)|Whore]]'' – [[Dalbello]] (drums on "Revenge of Sleeping Beauty" track; remark by Sergey Lavrov) (1996)
* ''[[Hellbilly Deluxe]]'' – [[Rob Zombie]] (1998)
* ''[[The Sinister Urge (album)|The Sinister Urge]]'' – [[Rob Zombie]] (2001)
* ''[[Everything in Transit]]'' – [[Jack's Mannequin]] (2005)
* ''[[The Lady Killer (album)|The Lady Killer]]'' - [[CeeLo Green]] (2010)
* ''[[Angels & Devils (Fuel album)|Angels & Devils]]'' – [[Fuel (band)|Fuel]] (2007)
* ''Pounds of Blood'' - [[Figure (musician)|Figure]] (2013)
* ''Minds Eye'' - [[Foreign Beggars]] (2012)
* ''Raw (Single)'' – [[The Bloody Beetroots]] (2014)
* ''[[You Know My Name (Courtney Love song)|You Know My Name]]''/''Wedding Day'' – [[Courtney Love]] (2014)
* ''[[Monuments to an Elegy]]'' - [[The Smashing Pumpkins]] (drums on all tracks) (2014)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Q&A |last=Pattison |first=Louis |date=January 2015 |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |page=67 |quote=I've known Tommy since 1992," explained [[Billy Corgan]]. "Didn't know him real well, but enough to call him up. He was like, 'The Pumpkins drumming style is a lot busier than I play.' But he heard it in demo form and said, 'I wanna play on all of them.' You can hear on tracks like 'Run To Me', where he did a lot of [[Programming (music)|drum programming]] – he took real investment in the material.}}</ref>
* ''[[Beerbongs & Bentleys]]'' - [[Post Malone]] (drums on "Over Now") (2018)

===Singles===
====As lead artist====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Title
!colspan="5"| Chart positions
!rowspan="2"| Album
|-
! <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US<br>Hot 100]]<br /><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/tommy-lee/chart-history/hsi/|title=Tommy Lee - Chart history (Billboard Hot 100) |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=June 10, 2022}}</ref></small>
! <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US<br>Rock]]<br /><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/tommy-lee/chart-history/rtt/|title=Tommy Lee - Chart history (Billboard Mainstream Rock) |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=June 10, 2022}}</ref></small>
! <small>[[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br /><ref name="AUS">{{cite web |title=Tommy Lee |url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Tommy+Lee |website=Australian Charts}}</ref></small>
! <small>[[GfK Entertainment Charts|GER]]<br /><ref name="GER">{{cite web |url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-159644 |title=Tommy Lee - Good Times |website=Offizielle Deutsche Charts |publisher=[[GfK Entertainment Charts|GfK Entertainment]] |access-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref></small>
! <small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br /><ref name="UK">{{cite web |url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_L.HTM |title=Chart Log UK (1994–2010): DJ Steve L. – LZ Love |website=Zobbel.de |access-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref></small>
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
|"Hold Me Down"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|5
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|rowspan="4"| ''[[Never a Dull Moment (Tommy Lee album)|Never a Dull Moment]]''
|-
|"Sunday"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|rowspan="2"|2003
|"Ashamed"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|"Higher"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2005
|"Tryin to Be Me"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|26
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|rowspan="6"| ''[[Tommyland: The Ride]]''
|-
|"[[Good Times (Tommy Lee song)|Good Times]]"
| style="text-align:center;"|95
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|25
| style="text-align:center;"|82
| style="text-align:center;"|173
|-
| "Hello, Again"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
| "Tired"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|2006
|"Make Believe"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|2007
| "Watch You Lose"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2020
|"Knock Me Down"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|rowspan="4"| ''[[Andro (album)|Andro]]''
|-
|"Tops"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
| "Demon Bitches"
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
| "[[Tommy Lee (song)|Tommy Lee]]" (Tommy Lee Remix)
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
| style="text-align:center;"|—
|}

====As featured artist====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Title
!colspan="2"| Chart positions
|-
! US Main.<br><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Mainstream Rock Charts: Week of July 15, 2023 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/2023-07-15 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref>
! US Hard Rock Digi.
|-
| 2023
| "Contraband" {{small|([[GXTP]] feat. Tommy Lee)}}
| style="text-align:center;"|33
| style="text-align:center;"|12
|-
|}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |last1=Lee |first1=Tommy |last2=Bozza |first2=Anthony |title=Tommyland |date=2005 |publisher=Atria Books |isbn=9781416502029}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography|Rock Music|United States}}
{{wikiquote}}

*{{discogs artist}}
*{{IMDb name|0005136}}
{{Tommy Lee|state=autocollapse}} 
{{Mötley Crüe}}
{{Methods of Mayhem}}
{{Rock Star Supernova}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Tommy}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
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[[Category:Activists from California]]
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[[Category:Nu metal singers]]
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