Nikki Sixx (Frank Feranna Jr.) and Tommy Lee first met in 1978 when both were trying to make it as musicians in Los Angeles. Lee was playing with a local band called Suite 19 at the time and Sixx was forming a band with singer Lizzie Grey. After a few failed collaborations, they decided to team up together.
In 1980, Nikki Sixx placed an advertisement in The Recycler, a local musician trade magazine, seeking "one bad ass guitar player, must have pierced ear." Mick Mars (Robert Deal) answered the ad and auditioned for the band's vacant guitarist position. Mars impressed them and agreed to join.
Vince Neil was a childhood friend of Tommy Lee, they attended the same high school together back in California. Neil joined the band a couple of months later on vocals. Finally, the band met a drummer named Tommy Lee (the brother of Mick Mars) and recruited him to perform on all of their recordings, officially adding him to the group as of January 1, 1981.