The Real Motley Fool

When celebrity tag-along Robin Leach’s February 11th post on his "Vegas Luxe Life" blog announced that Motley Crue had signed a $100 million-plus deal with Live Nation, it didn’t take long for the news to spread across the Internet.

Trouble is that no one bothered to double-check the news with Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars or Live Nation.

Leach is shown in pics with Vince Neil at the singer’s birthday bash with a caption describing the alleged megabucks deal to produce three albums and perform three world tours, the first reportedly starting in July.

The rumor was picked up by Blabbermouth.net, which promptly ran with it along with a tidbit about the contract running for 10 years with "169 concert dates on the first global journey."

That’s bull, according to Sixx.

"Motley Crue has not signed any deals. Any information reported to the contrary is false and misleading," Sixx posted on the band’s Web site.

Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin told Pollstar the rumor was "not true at all" and referred to Sixx’s commentary.

Blabbermouth.net did manage to post Sixx’s concise version of the story later that day.

Meanwhile, Idolator.com wrote about Leach’s claim and Sixx’s denial but took a different angle in its analysis:

"But if Vince wasn’t just having some sort of birthday-celebration-induced dream … could the 360 deal be for him solo, with Live Nation sharing in the profits from his alcohol-making endeavors?" Idolator asked. "After all, Sammy Hagar is much richer from his tequila empire than he ever dreamed he’d be from singing ‘Poundcake’ night after night."