MÖTLEY CRÜE's TOMMY LEE: 'I'm Not As Crazy As Everybody Thinks'

U.K.'s The Independent recently conducted an interview with MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On flying from Los Angeles to London:

"We were going to charter a private jet [from the U.S.]. We usually do. But it's a lot of money just so you can smoke. I absolutely hate the airport and traffic. Those two things absolutely bum me out. And, oh my God, I got metal — my nipples are pierced and there's a wallet chain — and you are like there for an hour getting shaken down at security. It just sucks. It puts you in a bad mood. Do I look like I have a bomb on me? C'mon. I just want to get there."

On being misperceived by the media:

"I wrote my autobiography ['Tommyland'] and I star in my own reality TV show because I want people to get to know Tommy. Not Tommy Lee, just Tommy: the guy who is a father, who loves just about everything. It gets frustrating when everyone has a certain perception of you. I'm really a cool, mellow guy. I'm not as crazy as everybody thinks."

On spending four months in jail for spousal abuse:

"When I was in solitary confinement with no TV, nothing, I just sat there in peace and quiet. I was like, 'Wow! I need this. Okay, Tommy, you have two choices: you can be miserable or you can take this quiet time and ask yourself some questions, ask yourself where you are.'"

On whether he got horribly bored in jail:

"All the time. Well, actually Monday through to Wednesday was terrible. I looked forward to Thursdays when they would come and get me, take me up to the roof and stick me in a cage. At least I got to go outside."

On swapping prison for the world's better hotels:

"The best hotel room ever was at the Camino Real, at Cancun, in Mexico, when I got married on the beach to Pamela. The elevator goes right up to the penthouse and you have your own swimming pool. Mind you, four days ago, I stayed in a hotel in Dallas, Texas, and — you are gonna love this — it was called The Notorious Suite. It had a raised stage and stripper pole in it."

On being "in awe" of his life:

"I'm still alive. I'm like, 'Wow! we just sold 45 million records... Oh my God, I married the prettiest girl in all the world.' It's constant. I have had a wonderful, amazing, exciting life and two beautiful kids. It doesn't suck. A few days ago, I took the kids in a helicopter to the drag races."

On being single:

"Single's fun — you don't have to check in with your girl, but it's not easy. I do get lonely." His wish is "to find the ultimate partner, a little partner in crime — female, of course. She'd be pretty and funny — a sense of humour is good. That would be nice."

Any chance of a reunion with Anderson? "Probably — her and the boys came to THE ROLLING STONES show a few days ago. We are crazy about each other," he says. "I guess we are just trying to figure out what the hell we are doing. We are going through a weird phase, but we love each other. We are stuck with each other because we have two beautiful children. I'd definitely like to give it another go."