Mötley Crüe have unleashed a cover of the Beastie Boys' Fight for Your Right

Motley Crue studio portrait
(Image credit: Ross Halfin)

Mötley Crüe have released a cover of the Beastie Boys' hip-hop classic Fight for Your Right. Or, to give it its full title, (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!). The recording comes from a new three-track EP, Cancelled, which will be released on October 4. The EP also includes Dogs Of War, released as a standalone single in April, and the title track. 

“It was really great getting in the studio and working on some tracks together,” say the band in a statement. “What started out as a couple of demo ideas turned into this EP produced by Bob Rock. We look forward to getting back into the studio again soon and writing more new music, as well.”

Mötley Crüe originally debuted their cover of Fight For Your Right at their "secret" show at London's Underworld club in 2013. The performance took place on the eve of their co-headline show with Def Leppard at London's 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.

Fight For Your Right is the second Mötley Crüe release to feature John 5, who replaced long-standing guitarist Mick Mars in 2022, and it seems as though he's fitting in well.

"John is such a great guitar player," frontman Vince Neil told Classic Rock earlier this year. "People love him. The band loves him. He basically made me a better singer. I get to focus on just my singing. He knew all the songs before we even hired him. He can play anything. He’s an exciting, creative guitar player and he’ll definitely be involved in the new music. It'll be really neat to listen to his ideas."      

Fight For Your Right - YouTube Fight For Your Right - YouTube
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Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.