MÖTLEY CRÜE's TOMMY LEE: 'I Can't Believe We're Still Walking Around Alive'

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee spoke to the San Antonio Express-News about the group's "Red, White, and Crüe 2005...Better Live Than Dead" tour, his solo album and his upcoming reality TV show, among other topics. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

On the fact that MÖTLEY CRÜE are still touring:

"When I look back, I can't even believe we're still walking around alive and (stuff)," he said. "It was handfuls of this and bucket loads of that. I'm surprised people woke up after they passed out.

"When they say the circus is coming to town, we're definitely bringing it. That's what you'd expect from MÖTLEY. It's just a given that we're not gonna show up with some (crappy) production.

"Oh, I got some crazy (stuff) crackin'. It's actually really (freakin') dangerous. For the first time, I think I'm actually a little scared. If there's a preshow cocktail, it'll probably only be one!"

On his upcoming reality TV show, "Tommy Lee Goes to College", which features cameras following the partying playboy around the University of Nebraska as he pursues beer, coeds, a stint in the marching band and, ahem, higher education:

"It was (freakin') nonstop from the second I got there. People were tripping out. Without giving away too many details, we did the entire spectrum of being in college, from me trying to be in a frat to me going '(Screw) this! I'm starting my own frat!' I've never had that experience. These guys would finish their tests at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. and start having beers."

On his upcoming solo album:

"The record's killer, bro! Dave Navarro's on it, I got Slash, Butch Walker, Andrew from SOMETHING CORPORATE, GOOD CHARLOTTE. I had Pink on a track for a while, but she couldn't give it to me cause all the (freakin') business people got involved, ya know?"

On his 1998 incarceration for spousal abuse.

"For the most part everyone was pretty cool to me except some of the sheriffs. As far as the inmates, if anything, people wanted my autograph and (stuff). It was weird. Dude, everyone there is a (freakin') criminal, ya know? You just do your time and get the (hell) out."

On his autobiography, "Tommyland":

"It's been (freakin') killer, dude. I never, ever, in a million years thought I'd be staring at a newspaper seeing my name on a best-selling authors list. It's crazy!"

On his two sons with Pamela Anderson, ages 7 and 8:

"They're doing karate, soccer, football, baseball, you name it. Of course, they're doing music. For my youngest boy's birthday, I got him a P.A. system and they got a little band called the TERMITES. He had some friends over and they were taking turns jamming and making the craziest racket you ever heard in your life. I had a little tear in my eye. It's all good, man."