Motley Crue launching traveling rock festival

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Motley Crue is taking a page from the Ozzy Osbourne playbook by launching its own touring hard-rock festival, the band said on Tuesday.

Crue Fest, whose roster also includes Grammy-nominated acts Buckcherry and Papa Roach, will kick off in West Palm Beach, Fla., on July 1, and take in 41 cities across United States and Canada.

The amphitheater trek will help the band promote its autobiographical new album "Saints of Los Angeles," which is due in stores on June 17.

Singer Vince Neil, bass player Nikki Sixx, guitarist Mick Mars and drummer Tommy Lee performed the title track, as well as the classic single "Kickstart My Heart" during a news conference in Hollywood.

Lee said he hoped Crue Fest would turn into "somewhat of an OzzFest, and carries on for years and years and years, which would be badass, right?"

OzzFest, which Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, launched in 1996, has become the annual high point for the heavy metal community. Details of this year's edition are due to be announced shortly.

Crue Fest's lineup also includes Sixx's side project Sixx: A.M. and Los Angeles rock band Trapt. Sixx said Motley Crue chose bands that "live the rock 'n' roll lifestyle," in much the same way as his band has done so for the past 25 years.

"They all look and smell and -- I imagine some of you will find out -- taste like rock stars," Sixx said.

Buckcherry arguably has the most drawing power of any of the bands, including Motley Crue. Given up for dead a few years ago, the band is enjoying a massive comeback with its independently made album "15," which has occupied the upper reaches of the Billboard 200 for more than two years. The single "Crazy Bitch" was a big radio hit.

After the tour ends in Pittsburgh on August 31, Sixx said Motley Crue would consider bringing Crue Fest to South America or Europe.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman)