It’s not unusual for steaming platforms to change and update artwork for their content. New images draw in new viewers, and gives those of us who idly scroll through homepages a sense of what a particular title might be about. That said, its probably best if the artwork doesn’t feature someone else.
That’s what happened with Amazon Prime’s update on their 2020 Mötley Crüe documentary, “Rock ‘n Roll Icon: Mötley Crüe.” Perhaps hoping to capture some the new audiences recently exposed to the iconic rock band, the streaming platform update the splash art to a full-band picture…of Steel Panther.
For those who don’t know, Steel Panther is a satirical metal band that specifically parodies 80s glam metal bands, like Mötley Crüe. Their music is great, but members of Crüe are not always as appreciative of the mockery as Steel Panther’s fans.
After Steel Panther’s frontman Michael Starr told an interviewer that if he could bring back one musician from the dead it would be Vince Neil, and clarifying that he meant “the Vince Neil from back in the day, because that guy is dead,” after being informed that Neil is still very much alive and touring with his solo band, Nikki Sixx took to Twitter calling Steel Panther “wannabes,” “assholes,” and “backstabbers.”
Steel Panther guitarist Satchel also recalls how everyone “hated us” when both bands toured with Def Leppard back in 2011, remarking “they wanted to kill us. Every night they wanted to kill us.”
This latest snafu will probably not make things better, especially since the actual band can be seen in the upper right hand corner of the image, faces cropped out.
The documentary is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. And, as of time of writing, still prominently features Steel Panther on the splash art. As for the real life bands, Mötley Crüe is currently on tour with Def Leppard, Poison, and Joan Jett through September. Steel Panther has a slate of shows planned for the fall.
