Like a lot of metalheads, Fozzy frontman/professional wrestling legend Chris Jericho is concerned whether Vince Neil will be ready for Mötley Crüe's 'Stadium Tour' reunion next year with Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
Neil has famously struggled with his singing voice in the last decade, but concerns over his fitness were renewed this past May when he labored through a set of Mötley Crüe classics at an Iowa music festival. Neil eventually gave up on the performance during "Girls, Girls, Girls," complaining that his voice was "gone."
Not long after video from the concert began making the rounds online, Neil cancelled a subsequent performance in New York.
Speaking with Loudwire Nights, Jericho said Neil's lack of progress was disheartening to fans like himself, more than a year after the 'Stadium Tour' was originally supposed to happen.
"I'm disappointed to see Vince the way he is, because I think if he lost some weight and did some training and came out there and was in some semblance of shape, A.) his voice will sound better just from that alone, and B.) people would go, 'Holy s--t! Did you see Vince Neil? He looks great.'"
On a more positive note, Jericho added that Neil is capable of getting back on track, and he has plenty of help available to him if he wants it.
"I think if he really wants to do it, he could do it," Y2J continued. "But I don't know if he does. And that's the thing. And it's up to him. And either way, it's Mötley Crüe, people are gonna go, and they're gonna love it. But to me, as a performer, I would take that as a challenge: 'I've got one year. Let's do this. It's been long enough. Let's do this for real. Let me call [Def Leppard guitarist] Phil Collen and Duff McKagan and other rock guys that have got themselves into great shape [and ask] 'How did you do it?'''
Collen, a famous fitness junkie, confirmed in June to The Jeremy White Podcast that he'll be happy to hit the gym with any of his tour mates. But Neil will hopefully make some progress before rehearsals.
"There’s a lot at stake when you go out [on tour], and you wanna be your best," Collen said. "Hopefully we’ll be working out together and all that stuff. That’s the other thing — we do have a camaraderie, especially with Mötley Crüe. With Nikki [Sixx], we were talking just before the tour [was announced], like, ‘We’re gonna work out together. We’re gonna do all this stuff.’"
People in Mötley Crüe's camp, including manager Allen Kovac and Sixx, have expressed optimism about the likelihood that Neil will get back into fighting shape in time. Neither has commented on the matter recently, however.