New York, March 2 – In its continuing effort to shed its stodgy image, the New York Stock Exchange invited Motley Crue to ring the closing bell on Wednesday. (Being so hip, the NYSE folks realized they’d never get these dudes out for the 9:30 am opening bell.)

The guys came into the hall about ten minutes before the close of trading, and scattered shouts of “Rock on!” rang out from down on the exchange floor. Someone tried to throw a book up to the group so that Tommy Lee could sign it. The occasion was to mark Viacom subsidiary VH1’s sponsorship of Motley Crue’s reunion tour. Nikki Sixx wanted a souvenir; as they left the podium, he picked up the gavel and slipped it into his pocket.