MÖTLEY CRÜE Recruits Drummer TOMMY CLUFETOS After TOMMY LEE Breaks Ribs Before 'The Stadium Tour' Kickoff

Due to an injury, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee played only the first five songs of the band's much-anticipated comeback performance at "The Stadium Tour" kickoff show earlier today (Thursday, June 16) in Atlanta, Georgia. Lee made it through "Wild Side", "Shout At The Devil", "Too Fast For Love", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" and "Saints Of Los Angeles" at Truist Park before announcing to the crowd that he broke several ribs days earlier, forcing him to hand over the sticks for the remainder of the performance to Tommy Clufetos (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH).

"We did it! You did it. We did it. We're fucking here," Lee told the crowd. "Two and a half years.

"Okay, well, anyway, what I've gotta tell you is about 14 days ago, I fuckin' broke not one, not two, not three, but four fuckin' ribs right here.

"I wish I had a fuckin' badass story, like me and Connor McGregor fuckin' scrapping out in some fuckin' bar or something. But I don't," he continued.

"Anyway, I hope you guys have a fucking great time. And my boy Tommy Clufetos back here, he's gonna help me get through this. 'Cause the doctors told me, 'No playing, bro. No playing.' And I was like, 'Are you fucking high, bro? We've got a fucking tour to do.' So anyway, I ain't fuckin' sitting out for shit. My boy's gonna help me out here, and I'll see you guys later. On with the goddamn show."

Clufetos stepped in for "Live Wire" and finished the band's set, which included a surprise guest appearance by Machine Gun Kelly on the song "The Dirt". Lee rejoined his bandmates for "Home Sweet Home" toward the end of the show.

Lee has since issued the following statement regarding his injury: "Man ya'll ain't gonna believe this shit!.... I broke 4 fucking ribs! But I've been resting and healing and even though the doctor tells me I shouldn't play at all, you know I'm stubborn and I'll beast through the pain every show for as many songs as I can!

"And have no fear, my boy Tommy Clufetos is here to help me out until I'm back at 100%...we've all been waiting years for this moment and there's no way I'm missing this! On with the show!"

The setlist was as follows:

01. Wild Side
02. Shout At The Devil
03. Too Fast For Love
04. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
05. Saints Of Los Angeles
06. Live Wire
07. Looks That Kill
08. The Dirt (Est. 1981) (with Machine Gun Kelly)
09. Medley: Rock And Roll, Part 2 / Smokin' In The Boys Room / White Punks On Dope / Helter Skelter / Anarchy In The U.K.
10. Home Sweet Home
11. Dr. Feelgood
12. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
13. Piece Of Your Action
14. Girls, Girls, Girls
15. Primal Scream
16. Kickstart My Heart

Clufetos is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx's bandmate in a project called L.A. RATS. The quartet, which also features Rob Zombie and John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),came together last year expressly to record a cover of "I've Been Everywhere" for the soundtrack to the movie "The Ice Road".

CRÜE's long-delayed North American trek with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021 and then to 2022. "The Stadium Tour" will conclude on September 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"The Stadium Tour" marks the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017, but this jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final show on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.