Nikki Sixx
Encyclopedia
Nikki Sixx is an American musician, songwriter, author, fashion designer, radio host, and photographer, best known as the co-founder and bassist of the band Mötley Crüe
. Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a member of Sister
before going on to form London
with his Sister band mate Lizzie Grey
. In 2000 he formed side project group 58
with Dave Darling
, Steve Gibb
and Bucket Baker issuing one album, titled Diet for a New America, the same year while in 2002 he formed the hard rock supergroup
Brides of Destruction
with L.A. Guns
guitarist Tracii Guns
. Formed in 2006, initially to record an audio accompaniment to Sixx's autobiography The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
, his side band Sixx:A.M.
features songwriter and producer
and vocalist James Michael
and guitarist DJ Ashba
.
Sixx has also worked with a number of artists and groups, co-writing and/or producing songs, such as Sex Pistols
's guitarist Steve Jones
, Lita Ford
, Alice Cooper
, Meat Loaf
, Marion Raven
, Drowning Pool
, Saliva
and The Last Vegas
among others.
Sixx launched the clothing line "Royal Underground" in 2006 with Kelly Gray, formerly the co-president and house model of St. John. Initially the label concentrated on men's clothing before expanding into women's while in 2010, Premiere Radio Networks
launched nationally syndicated rock
/alternative
music radio programs "Sixx Sense" and "The Side Show Countdown" with both hosted by Sixx and co-hosted by Kerri Kasem
.
. He is of Italian-American
ancestry on his father's side. Sixx was partially raised by his single mother, Deana Richards, and by his grandparents after his father left the family. Nikki later moved in with his grandparents after his mother abandoned him. Sixx relocated several times while living with his grandparents.
While living in Jerome, Idaho
, Sixx became a teenage vandal, breaking into neighbors' homes, shoplifting, and being expelled from school for selling drugs. His grandparents sent him to live with his mother, who had moved to Seattle. He lived there for a short time, and learned how to play the bass guitar
having bought his first instrument with money gained from selling a prior guitar he had stolen.
He changed his name to "Nikki Sixx", he said, because of
and began various jobs such as working at a liquor store and selling vacuums over the phone while he auditioned for bands. He eventually joined the group Sister
, led by Blackie Lawless
, after answering an ad in the Recycler for a bass player. Soon after recording a demo, Sixx was fired from Sister along with bandmate Lizzie Grey
.
Sixx and Grey formed the group London
soon afterwards, in 1978. During this time, he legally changed his name to Nikki Sixx. After a number of lineup changes, London added former Mott the Hoople
singer Nigel Benjamin to the group recording a 16-track demo in Burbank. After the departure of Benjamin, along with the failure to find a replacement, Sixx departed London. The group would go on to feature Sixx's former Sister band mate Blackie Lawless (later of W.A.S.P.
), Izzy Stradlin
(then of Hollywood Rose
, later of Guns N' Roses
) and drummer Fred Coury
(later of Cinderella
).
In 2000, a number of the London demos recorded with Sixx were included on London Daze
by Spiders & Snakes, led by former London guitarist Lizzie Grey.
, later being joined by guitarist Mick Mars
through an ad in the local newspaper he was reading, then by singer Vince Neil
with whom Tommy had attended high school. The band decided to self-record their debut album, Too Fast for Love
, which was subsequently released in November 1981 on the band's own Leathür Records
label. After signing with Elektra Records
they re-released the album. The band then went on to record and release Shout at the Devil
, raising the band to national fame. They issued two more albums, Theatre of Pain
in 1985 and Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987, followed by Dr. Feelgood
in September 1989.
Unlike his bandmates, Nikki Sixx became addicted to heroin. Nikki Sixx, from The Heroin Diaries: "Alcohol, acid, cocaine... they were just affairs. When I met heroin it was true love." He estimates he overdosed "about half a dozen times".
On the night of December 23, 1987, Sixx was declared dead for two minutes after a heroin overdose, only to be revived by paramedics with two adrenaline
shots to the heart (this incident was the inspiration for the song "Kickstart My Heart
"). In an interview, Sixx states that after he was declared dead, the ambulance arrived and one of the paramedics in the ambulance was a Mötley Crüe fan. "Apparently, the paramedic took one look at me and said, 'No one's gonna die in my ambulance.'" He also recalled having an out of body experience
while being revived. When Nikki came to in the hospital, he ripped the tubes out of his nose and escaped into the parking lot where two girl fans gave him a ride home wearing just a pair of leather pants. At the time, Nikki's near death experience did not do much to change his ways. Not long after returning home, he shot up in his bathroom and passed out until the next morning, where he found the needle he had used the night before still dangling from his arm. On an earlier trip to London, Sixx overdosed at a dealer's house and the dealer apparently tried to beat the life back into him with a bat. Afterward, the dealer dumped Sixx into a nearby dumpster. Sixx recounted the incident in The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
, saying, "I had overdosed in London
exactly a year earlier: Valentine's Day
1986. We had played the Hammersmith Odeon".
This incident was the inspiration behind the lyric "Valentine's in London, found me in the trash" from the Mötley Crüe song "Dancing on Glass".
Soon after his overdose, he and his bandmates went into rehab. In 1989, the band produced their most successful record, Dr. Feelgood
, with producer Bob Rock
. The album stayed on the charts for 114 weeks after its release. After releasing the compilation album Decade of Decadence
, that included a new version of "Home Sweet Home", in 1991, Neil departed the group and was replaced by John Corabi
formerly of The Scream
. They released one self titled album
with Corabi, in 1994, before firing him and releasing Generation Swine
with Neil returning as lead vocalist. In 1999, Tommy Lee left the group and formed Methods of Mayhem
. He was replaced by former Ozzy Osbourne
drummer Randy Castillo
. The group remastered and reissued all of their studio albums as well as releasing a new album titled New Tattoo
in 2000. Due to Castillo's illness, former Hole
drummer Samantha Maloney
filled in for Castillo for the subsequent tour. The group went on hiatus soon after before reuniting in 2004, during which Sixx declared himself sober
. A 2001 autobiography entitled The Dirt
packaged the band as "the world's most notorious rock band". The book made the top ten on The New York Times Best Seller list and spent ten weeks there.
In 2006 Mötley Crüe completed a reunion tour featuring all four original members and embarked on a co-headlining tour with Aerosmith
, called "The Route of All Evil".
In April 2008, the band announced the first Crüe Fest
, a summer tour, that featured Sixx's side project Sixx:A.M.
, Buckcherry
, Papa Roach
and Trapt
. On June 24, 2008, Mötley Crüe released their ninth studio album, Saints of Los Angeles
, with Sixx credited as either writer or co-writer on all tracks. The second Crüe Fest, Crüe Fest 2
, commenced a year after the first and featured Charm City Devils
, Drowning Pool
, Godsmack
, and Theory of a Deadman
, in addition to Mötley Crüe themselves.
Sixx is controversial for an October 30, 1997 incident at Greensboro Coliseum
in which during a Mötley Crüe concert
he goaded the audience to physically attack a security guard
for repeatedly punching a female fan. In May 2001, Sixx addressed the issue and claimed he had apologized to the victim of the incident.
Sixx wrote most of Mötley Crüe's material, including tracks such as "Live Wire
", "Home Sweet Home
", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Kickstart My Heart
", "Wild Side
" and "Dr. Feelgood
". In the 1990s, all four members began contributing to the material on the albums.
, guitarist Steve Gibb
(formerly of Black Label Society
and Crowbar) and drummer Bucket Baker. They released one single, titled "Piece of Candy", and their debut album, Diet for a New America, also in 2000 through Sixx's Americoma label and Beyond Records. The group did not tour and was described by Sixx as "strictly an artistic thing."
in Los Angeles 2002 initially with the name Cockstar after Mötley Crüe
went on hiatus and Guns left L.A. Guns
. Sixx also invited former Beautiful Creatures
guitarist DJ Ashba
to join the group however he declined to focus on his solo band, ASHBA. Ashba would eventually join Sixx in Sixx:A.M.
.
After a few lineup changes, that included Sixx's former Mötley Crüe band mate John Corabi
, keyboardist Adam Hamilton
and drummer Kris Kohls
of Adema
, the group was composed of Sixx, Guns, singer London LeGrand
and drummer Scot Coogan
formerly of Ednaswap
and Annetenna
.
They were advised by radio programmers that the name Cockstar would not be announced on air. They briefly adopted the moniker Motordog before settling on Brides of Destruction.
They entered the studio with producer Stevo Bruno to begin recording what would become Here Come the Brides
. The Brides played their first show opening for Mudvayne
and Taproot
on November 14, 2002 at the Ventura Theatre in California.
After signing a deal with Sanctuary Records, the group released Here Come the Brides
in 2004, with the album debuting at number 92 on the Billboard 200
selling over 13,000 copies. A tour of the US, Europe, including an appearance at Download Festival in the United Kingdom, and Australia followed.
On October 25, 2004 it was announced that the group were to go on hiatus while Sixx reunited with Mötley Crüe for a reunion tour. The group continued without Sixx, however, with Guns adding former Amen
bassist Scott Sorry
to the group as Sixx's replacement.
The second Brides of Destruction album, titled Runaway Brides
, released in 2005 featured three songs co-wrote by Sixx during the Here Come the Brides sessions.
, with friends producer
/songwriter James Michael
and guitarist DJ Ashba
(Guns N' Roses
, formerly of Beautiful Creatures
and BulletBoys
). They recorded and released The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in August 2007 through Eleven Seven
. The single "Life Is Beautiful" received strong radio and video play peaking at number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The band made their live debut at Crash Mansion on July 16, 2007. They performed five songs from the album, with former Beautiful Creatures drummer Glen Sobel filling in on drums. On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of Mötley Crüe
's Crüe Fest
. The tour began on July 1, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Florida
. During Crüe Fest, Papa Roach
drummer Tony Palermo
served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was released on November 25, 2008, which included a bonus live EP
entitled Live Is Beautiful
which features recorded performances from the band's summer tour.
In April 2009, both Sixx and Michael confirmed that the band were in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material is "inspiring. it feels like we may have topped ourselves on this album coming up, and can't wait for you to hear what it sounds like." In 2010, the group continued recording the album with plans to release it by the late 2010/early 2011 with the group bringing in Paul R. Brown to shoot the video for the album's first single. During an interview in July, Sixx stated that the album was almost finished.
With the release of 'Lies of the Beautiful People' in April 2011, Sixx took to a feud with Facebook. Having posted stills from his photography book 'This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life, Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx' on Facebook, the social network deemed a shot portraying a porn star to contravene the site's rules on pornography, and deleted it. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Sixx encouraged fans to replace their profile pictures with a similar shot of the same female performer. When over 250,000 did so, the act resulted in a number of fans having their Facebook accounts deleted. Sixx's criticism of Facebook centered around his consideration of the original photograph being art - and should therefore have been judged by different standards of decency.
by Steve Jones
, formerly of the Sex Pistols
. Sixx co-wrote and performed on the song, "We're No Saints".
In 1991, Sixx played bass on "Feed My Frankenstein" on Alice Cooper
's Hey Stoopid
album. Sixx also co-wrote the track "Die For You", along with Cooper and Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars
(who plays guitar on the song).
In 2002, Sixx played on Butch Walkers first solo album "Left of Self Centered"
In 2005 Sixx collaborated with the Norwegian singer Marion Raven
on two songs, "Heads Will Roll" and "Surfing the Sun", for Raven's debut album, Here I Am. A new version of "Heads Will Roll" appeared on Raven's 2006 EP Heads Will Roll
and on her 2007 U.S. debut album, Set Me Free.
In 2006, he was one of the songwriters for Meat Loaf
's long-awaited album, Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
.
In September 2007, Sixx released a book titled The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
, a collection of his journal entries from 1986 and 1987 (when his heroin addiction was at its most dangerous). Written with British journalist Ian Gittins, it also presents the present-day viewpoints of his bandmates, friends, ex-lovers, caretakers, business associates and family as they respond to specific passages. The book debuted at number 7 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Along with Big & Rich
(John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin), and James Otto
, Sixx co-wrote the song "Ain't Gonna Stop" for Otto's 2008 Sunset Man CD on Warner Bros/Raybaw Records.
In September 2011, Sixx is scheduled to appear on the live streaming video site backBEAT
basses. Between 2000 and 2003 Gibson
produced the Nikki Sixx Signature Blackbird. The Gibson Blackbird was for all intents and purposes a standard Thunderbird bass, but with a satin black finish, Iron Cross
es on the fretboard instead of dots, an Iron Cross behind the classic Thunderbird logo, and Nikki Sixx's 'opti-grab' (a metal loop installed behind the bridge for hooking the little finger onto while playing). What also made this bass interesting was the lack of volume or tone controls, being replaced by a single on/off switch. Although subtle, this helped give this Blackbird more tone and a higher output. This model was discontinued in 2003, but has recently been put back in production as the Epiphone
Nikki Sixx Blackbird
. Cosmetically the Epiphone Blackbird is identical to the Gibson original, but with a bolt-on single ply neck, solid mahogany body, different pickups and lower grade parts and manufacturing. The Epiphone model still kept the 'opti-grab,' designed and made first by his bass technician Tim Luzzi, and single on/off switch of the Gibson original.
In 2008, Gibson announced a 'limited run' new Nikki Sixx signature bass. Like the original it features a neck through design made of mahogany and walnut, with maple 'wings' to form the body. Unlike the original 'Blackbird' bass, a clear 'satin black cherry' finish is given to the instrument, with red 'slash' X's on the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 12th frets. A mirror pickguard is also applied, with a red signature and two X's (6 x's on the whole bass) is also a new addition. Unlike the Gibson Blackbird, the new signature featured volume and tone controls, the 'opti-grab', and an on/off switch.
of Mott the Hoople
and John Entwistle
of The Who
. His first Gibson Thunderbird was a white 1976 model. He would light it on fire with pyro gel during early Mötley Crüe shows, (when they were still a club band) and it finally just disintegrated. He used Fender Precision basses and Rickenbacker
basses before he had his first Thunderbird.
Early on, he was sponsored by B.C. Rich
, and used Mockingbird & Warlock
basses. He used Hamer
Firebird basses during the tour for Theatre of Pain
, in either plain black or plain white, while some of them had finishes that suited his stage outfits. After that he used Spector
basses during Girls, Girls, Girls and Dr. Feelgood
. These Spector basses were shaped like Thunderbirds and usually commonly called Spectorbirds. Sixx owned at least eight Spectorbirds. All eight had an opti-grab, designed and made by Tim Luzzi, 1 volume knob, P & J pickups, 24 frets and Spector bass "Crown" inlays. He used four during the tour for Girls, Girls, Girls, two black ones and one with a 101 Dalmatians
finish, all of which had the Gibson Thunderbird Non-Reverse body type. One of the black basses had a large skull painting covering most of the body. He also used one in a buckeye burl finish with the reverse body style. It had an orange Harley-Davidson
Crüe sticker where the Thunderbird logo usually is. These all had black hardware. For Dr. Feelgood he used five Spectorbirds, two in sunburst and one in a natural finish. He also used a white one with a Non-Reverse style body, covered in small black stickers and a sticker saying Dancing On Glass. He also used a plain black Spectorbird with a reversed body style, which he smashed at the Make A Difference Foundation Moscow Music Peace Festival
in Moscow
.
During the 1990s, Sixx started using 12-string basses
made in Japan
by the Hiroshigi Kids Guitar Company. He owns at least five: a black one with red lettering and white binding, a black one with gold binding, a black one with white lettering and white binding, a red one with "Helter Skelter
" written on it, and a green one. The red and green ones have dragon inlays on the body. He also used four- and five-string Epiphone
Non-Reverse Thunderbirds for the Generation Swine
tour and would usually smash one after his bass solo. He has also used Ernie Ball
Music Man StingRay 5
basses, most notably while on tour with Brides of Destruction
and the two newly recorded songs for the 1998 Mötley Crüe album, Greatest Hits.
He also has used Fender Precision Basses, particularly when smashing basses at the end of a set. They are usually black Squier Precision Basses with white pickguards. He previously used Ampeg
amplifier
s, but has switched to Basson amplifiers. While recording The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, he used a 1959 Fender Precision which was amplified through a 1964 Fender Bassman
.
. They lived together for a short while.
From December 1986 to September 1987, Sixx dated singer/actress/model Vanity
. They had a rocky and drug-oriented relationship, which is chronicled in Sixx's book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
. During this time, Vanity would tell the press that they were engaged, while Sixx would always deny her claim.
From May 1989 to November 1996, Sixx was married to Playboy Playmate Brandi Brandt
; they have three children: Gunner Nicholas Sixx (b. January 25, 1991), Storm Brieann Sixx (b. April 14, 1994), and Decker Nilsson Sixx (b. May 23, 1995).
One month after the divorce from Brandt, Sixx married another Playboy Playmate, actress Donna D'Errico
. Sixx and D'Errico have one daughter, Frankie-Jean (b. January 2, 2001). D'Errico has a son, Rhyan, from a previous relationship. They separated shortly after their daughter's birth, and reconciled months later when Sixx completed rehab. They separated again on April 27, 2006 and divorced in June 2007, with D'Errico claiming irreconcilable differences.
Sixx dated tattoo artist Kat Von D
from 2008 to 2010. A few months after their breakup Sixx and Von D were spotted back together. Sixx was featured on an episode of Von D's reality television show LA Ink
in 2008, in which Von D gave him a tattoo of Mick Mars
, lead guitarist of Mötley Crüe
. On August 25, 2010, Sixx issued a statement that their relationship had dissolved. It was reported on October 19, 2010 that Nikki and Kat had gotten back together. On October 27, 2010 Kat Von D
confirmed to USA Today that indeed she and West Coast Choppers owner Jesse James were still an item, debunking original reports that she and Sixx had reconciled. On November 4, 2010 Sixx was spotted at the Call Of Duty: Black Ops Launch Party in Santa Monica, California
with model Courtney Bingham.
, Sixx will provide his unique perspective and attitude as the duo welcomes celebrity guests, recording artists and fascinating characters from all walks of life. All this and more will be coupled with radio station playlists.
The Side Show with Nikki Sixx is a two-hour original weekend program. Airing Saturday or Sunday between 6 a.m. and midnight local time, Nikki Sixx and co-host Kerri Kasem
will air top-charting songs, showcase new and emerging artists, and welcome guests from the worlds of music and entertainment.
and created his own branch called Running Wild in the Night. In addition to partially funding the services the Covenant House provides on its own, Sixx’s division also provides a creative arts and music program, allowing the beneficiaries of this program to discover an answer to their problems that is better than drugs. Sixx has negotiated with people in his industry to provide the program with musical instruments and software. Sixx has arguably prevented thousands of potential drug users and rehabilitated teenage addicts from continuing to dabble in the world of drugs, as the Covenant House helped almost 78,000 youth at risk last year.
A portion of the profits from Sixx:A.M.’s album The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack and his autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is donated to help the Covenant House. Sixx also continues to auction off personal items to fund Running Wild in the Night. As of April 2009, he had raised over $100,000. In addition to monetary contributions, Sixx has made personal and emotional ones. George Lozano, the director of Covenant House California, said that Sixx is "passionate about the cause; he can relate to the youth in our program and they can relate to him. He’s a great role model for these kids."
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
. Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a member of Sister
Sister (band)
Sister was an American heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Los Angeles. Its members included Blackie Lawless, formerly of the New York Dolls and later of W.A.S.P., and Nikki Sixx, who would later co-create Mötley Crüe. They are notable for being one of the first bands to make usage of the pentagram...
before going on to form London
London (heavy metal band)
London is an American heavy metal band, based in Hollywood, California. The band is perhaps most notable for featuring members that would go on to play in more famous bands such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, W.A.S.P...
with his Sister band mate Lizzie Grey
Lizzie Grey
Lizzie Grey is a guitarist most famous for his membership in the band London, and writing the Mötley Crüe song Public Enemy #1. Prior to performing in London, he was the guitarist for the band Sister with Nikki Sixx in the mid-to-late 1970s...
. In 2000 he formed side project group 58
58 (band)
58 is an American rock band, a side project involving Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and producer Dave Darling, Sixx's former father-in-law. The band name originates from the fact that both Sixx and Darling were born in 1958...
with Dave Darling
Dave Darling
Dave Darling, , is a record producer and recording engineer. He is best known for his work with the rockabilly artist Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats....
, Steve Gibb
Steve Gibb
Steve Gibb is an English-born singer, songwriter, and musician, and the first born son of Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and Linda Gibb....
and Bucket Baker issuing one album, titled Diet for a New America, the same year while in 2002 he formed the hard rock supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Brides of Destruction
Brides of Destruction
Brides of Destruction were an American hard rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band's last lineup consisted of singer London LeGrand , Tracii Guns and Scot Coogan...
with L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
guitarist Tracii Guns
Tracii Guns
Tracii Guns is an American guitarist best known as the founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also involved in the formation of the first lineup of Guns N' Roses but eventually left the group and was replaced by guitarist...
. Formed in 2006, initially to record an audio accompaniment to Sixx's autobiography The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white...
, his side band Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who is also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The...
features songwriter and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and vocalist James Michael
James Michael
James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer, vocalist and musician. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.-Early life:...
and guitarist DJ Ashba
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay "DJ" Ashba is an American musician, producer, songwriter and CEO of Ashba Media. He is the lead guitarist in Guns N' Roses and Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys and Beautiful Creatures...
.
Sixx has also worked with a number of artists and groups, co-writing and/or producing songs, such as Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
's guitarist Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
, Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, Marion Raven
Marion Raven
Marion Elise Ravn, born 25 May 1984 in Lørenskog, Norway, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, and former child actress. Her surname is of Norse origin, with Ravn meaning Raven, which she adopted as her stage name Marion Raven as well as her trademark raven logo. She was one-half of the now defunct...
, Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool is a four-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas.-Early days :Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album, Sinner was certified platinum within six weeks...
, Saliva
Saliva (band)
Saliva is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in September 1996 and currently under Island Records. Saliva released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, under Rocking Chair Records....
and The Last Vegas
The Last Vegas
The Last Vegas are a hard rock band from Chicago whose style draws from glam, punk, and sleaze metal. Composed of Chad Cherry , John Wator , Adam Arling , Danny Smash , and Nate Arling , the band released the album Whatever Gets You Off, in April 2009, on Eleven Seven Music. The album was produced...
among others.
Sixx launched the clothing line "Royal Underground" in 2006 with Kelly Gray, formerly the co-president and house model of St. John. Initially the label concentrated on men's clothing before expanding into women's while in 2010, Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
launched nationally syndicated rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
music radio programs "Sixx Sense" and "The Side Show Countdown" with both hosted by Sixx and co-hosted by Kerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem July 12, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a radio and television host, actress and covermodel.She is the daughter of the radio host Casey Kasem and his first wife, Linda Myers Kasem, a Republican Party fund raiser.BIOGRAPHY...
.
Early life
Nikki Sixx was born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, Jr. on December 11, 1958 in San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. He is of Italian-American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
ancestry on his father's side. Sixx was partially raised by his single mother, Deana Richards, and by his grandparents after his father left the family. Nikki later moved in with his grandparents after his mother abandoned him. Sixx relocated several times while living with his grandparents.
While living in Jerome, Idaho
Jerome, Idaho
Jerome is a city in Jerome County, Idaho, U.S.A. The population was 10,890 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Jerome County, and sits at an elevation of 3763 feet above sea level. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Jerome is located at ...
, Sixx became a teenage vandal, breaking into neighbors' homes, shoplifting, and being expelled from school for selling drugs. His grandparents sent him to live with his mother, who had moved to Seattle. He lived there for a short time, and learned how to play the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
having bought his first instrument with money gained from selling a prior guitar he had stolen.
He changed his name to "Nikki Sixx", he said, because of
Early career, Sister, London (1975–1980)
At the age of 17, he moved to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and began various jobs such as working at a liquor store and selling vacuums over the phone while he auditioned for bands. He eventually joined the group Sister
Sister (band)
Sister was an American heavy metal band, formed in 1976 in Los Angeles. Its members included Blackie Lawless, formerly of the New York Dolls and later of W.A.S.P., and Nikki Sixx, who would later co-create Mötley Crüe. They are notable for being one of the first bands to make usage of the pentagram...
, led by Blackie Lawless
Blackie Lawless
Blackie Lawless , is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist and actor, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band W.A.S.P..In an interview, Blackie claims to have been born in the kitchen of the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood,...
, after answering an ad in the Recycler for a bass player. Soon after recording a demo, Sixx was fired from Sister along with bandmate Lizzie Grey
Lizzie Grey
Lizzie Grey is a guitarist most famous for his membership in the band London, and writing the Mötley Crüe song Public Enemy #1. Prior to performing in London, he was the guitarist for the band Sister with Nikki Sixx in the mid-to-late 1970s...
.
Sixx and Grey formed the group London
London (heavy metal band)
London is an American heavy metal band, based in Hollywood, California. The band is perhaps most notable for featuring members that would go on to play in more famous bands such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, W.A.S.P...
soon afterwards, in 1978. During this time, he legally changed his name to Nikki Sixx. After a number of lineup changes, London added former Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
singer Nigel Benjamin to the group recording a 16-track demo in Burbank. After the departure of Benjamin, along with the failure to find a replacement, Sixx departed London. The group would go on to feature Sixx's former Sister band mate Blackie Lawless (later of W.A.S.P.
W.A.S.P.
W.A.S.P. is an American heavy metal band formed in 1982. They emerged from the same Los Angeles scene that spawned Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Quiet Riot and others. The band's popularity peaked in the 1980s, yet they continue to record and tour, making them one of the most enduring of the West Coast heavy...
), Izzy Stradlin
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell , known by his stage name Izzy Stradlin, is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and former rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of its fame in 1991. Following his departure, he led his own band Izzy...
(then of Hollywood Rose
Hollywood Rose
Hollywood Rose was an American hard rock group formed in 1983 and is best known as the precursor group for what would eventually become Guns N' Roses. The group was founded by Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Chris Weber while they were aided during live shows by Rick Mars, Johnny Kreis, Steve Darrow...
, later of Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
) and drummer Fred Coury
Fred Coury
Fred Coury is best known as the drummer for the glam metal band Cinderella. Coury lists Neil Peart, Peter Criss, Bobby Blotzer, Eric Carr, Tommy Lee and Tommy Aldridge as his drumming inspirations....
(later of Cinderella
Cinderella (band)
Cinderella is an American heavy metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They emerged in the mid-1980s with a series of multi-platinum albums and hit singles whose music videos received heavy MTV rotation. They were famous for being a glam metal band, but then shifted over towards a more hard...
).
In 2000, a number of the London demos recorded with Sixx were included on London Daze
London Daze
London Daze is the sixth album of Spiders & Snakes, released in 2000. It Contains 3 demo tracks from Lizzie Grey's previous band London, recorded in 1980.-Spiders & Snakes:# "London Daze"# "Nonstop Rock"...
by Spiders & Snakes, led by former London guitarist Lizzie Grey.
Mötley Crüe (1981–present)
In 1981, Sixx founded Mötley Crüe with drummer Tommy LeeTommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass , best known as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects...
, later being joined by guitarist Mick Mars
Mick Mars
Mick Mars is the lead guitarist for American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Career:After his family relocated from Indiana, to California, Bob Deal dropped out of high school and began playing guitar in a series of unsuccessful blues based rock bands throughout the seventies, taking on menial day...
through an ad in the local newspaper he was reading, then by singer Vince Neil
Vince Neil
Vincent Neil Wharton is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Early life:Neil was born in Hollywood, California to Odie and Shirley Wharton...
with whom Tommy had attended high school. The band decided to self-record their debut album, Too Fast for Love
Too Fast for Love
Too Fast For Love is the debut record of American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe; 900 copies were released in November 1981 on the band's Leathür Records label. Elektra Records signed the band the following year, at which point the album was remixed and partially re-recorded...
, which was subsequently released in November 1981 on the band's own Leathür Records
Leathür Records
Leathür Records was a record label that released Mötley Crüe's debut album. It was a small imprint owned by the band and original manager Allan Coffman....
label. After signing with Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
they re-released the album. The band then went on to record and release Shout at the Devil
Shout at the Devil
Shout at the Devil is the second album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young to Fall in Love" became huge hits and "Shout at the Devil" became very popular as well.-Reception:...
, raising the band to national fame. They issued two more albums, Theatre of Pain
Theatre of Pain
-Personnel:*Vince Neil - vocals*Mick Mars - guitar*Nikki Sixx - bass*Tommy Lee - drums, piano-Singles:*"Smokin' In the Boys Room" was released on June 24, 1985.*"Home Sweet Home" was released on September 30, 1985.-Charts:...
in 1985 and Girls, Girls, Girls in 1987, followed by Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood (album)
*Disc one contains the original albumThe original Korean LP edition does not contain the first two tracks, "T.N.T. " and "Dr...
in September 1989.
Unlike his bandmates, Nikki Sixx became addicted to heroin. Nikki Sixx, from The Heroin Diaries: "Alcohol, acid, cocaine... they were just affairs. When I met heroin it was true love." He estimates he overdosed "about half a dozen times".
On the night of December 23, 1987, Sixx was declared dead for two minutes after a heroin overdose, only to be revived by paramedics with two adrenaline
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...
shots to the heart (this incident was the inspiration for the song "Kickstart My Heart
Kickstart My Heart
"Kickstart My Heart" is a Grammy Award-nominated song by the American rock band Mötley Crüe, originally released on their 1989 album, Dr. Feelgood. The song has also been used numerous in media, including the trailers for Robert Rodriguez's family comedy Shorts and the Disney/Pixar film Cars...
"). In an interview, Sixx states that after he was declared dead, the ambulance arrived and one of the paramedics in the ambulance was a Mötley Crüe fan. "Apparently, the paramedic took one look at me and said, 'No one's gonna die in my ambulance.'" He also recalled having an out of body experience
Out-of-body experience
An out-of-body experience is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place outside one's body ....
while being revived. When Nikki came to in the hospital, he ripped the tubes out of his nose and escaped into the parking lot where two girl fans gave him a ride home wearing just a pair of leather pants. At the time, Nikki's near death experience did not do much to change his ways. Not long after returning home, he shot up in his bathroom and passed out until the next morning, where he found the needle he had used the night before still dangling from his arm. On an earlier trip to London, Sixx overdosed at a dealer's house and the dealer apparently tried to beat the life back into him with a bat. Afterward, the dealer dumped Sixx into a nearby dumpster. Sixx recounted the incident in The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white...
, saying, "I had overdosed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
exactly a year earlier: Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
1986. We had played the Hammersmith Odeon".
This incident was the inspiration behind the lyric "Valentine's in London, found me in the trash" from the Mötley Crüe song "Dancing on Glass".
Soon after his overdose, he and his bandmates went into rehab. In 1989, the band produced their most successful record, Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood (album)
*Disc one contains the original albumThe original Korean LP edition does not contain the first two tracks, "T.N.T. " and "Dr...
, with producer Bob Rock
Bob Rock
Robert Jens Rock, , is a Canadian musician, sound engineer, and record producer best known for producing bands such as Aerosmith, The Cult, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Our Lady Peace, The Offspring and most recently Bush.-Payola$ and Rock and Hyde:Rock began his music career in Langford,...
. The album stayed on the charts for 114 weeks after its release. After releasing the compilation album Decade of Decadence
Decade of Decadence
-Singles:1. Primal Scream2. Home Sweet Home '91- Certifications :-External links:*...
, that included a new version of "Home Sweet Home", in 1991, Neil departed the group and was replaced by John Corabi
John Corabi
John Corabi is a heavy metal singer and guitarist who has worked with such bands as Angora, The Scream, Mötley Crüe, Union and ESP , Ratt , Twenty 4 Seven , Zen Lunatic, Brides of Destruction, and Angel City Outlaws John Corabi (born on April 26, 1959 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a heavy...
formerly of The Scream
The Scream (band)
The Scream was a Los Angeles-based hard rock band formed in 1989 as Saints Or Sinners. The band originally featured former Angora singer John Corabi and former Racer X members guitarist Bruce Bouillet, bassist Juan Alderete, and drummer Scott Travis. However, Scott Travis quickly left to join Judas...
. They released one self titled album
Mötley Crüe (album)
Mötley Crüe is the eponymous sixth studio album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released on March 15, 1994, their sixth studio album. It was the band's first and only album released with singer John Corabi, and was the first album of new material released by the band since their 1989 album,...
with Corabi, in 1994, before firing him and releasing Generation Swine
Generation Swine
Generation Swine is the seventh studio album and final for Elektra Records by the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 1997. The album is the first to feature singer Vince Neil since Dr...
with Neil returning as lead vocalist. In 1999, Tommy Lee left the group and formed Methods of Mayhem
Methods Of Mayhem
Methods of Mayhem is an American rock band formed in 1999 by Tommy Lee, who had temporarily quit his position as Mötley Crüe's drummer.-History:...
. He was replaced by former Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
drummer Randy Castillo
Randy Castillo
Randolpho Francisco Castillo was best known as Ozzy Osbourne's drummer during the mid 1980s to the early 1990s, and later as drummer for Mötley Crüe, from 1999-2002.-Early years:...
. The group remastered and reissued all of their studio albums as well as releasing a new album titled New Tattoo
New Tattoo
New Tattoo is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe released in 2000. Artistically, New Tattoo shows the band going back to their earlier musical style that gave them commercial success in the 1980s. Long time drummer Tommy Lee left the band a year before, and was...
in 2000. Due to Castillo's illness, former Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
drummer Samantha Maloney
Samantha Maloney
Samantha Maloney is an American musician best known for playing in the bands Hole, Mötley Crüe, Eagles of Death Metal and in Peaches' live band "The Herms".-Early career:...
filled in for Castillo for the subsequent tour. The group went on hiatus soon after before reuniting in 2004, during which Sixx declared himself sober
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
. A 2001 autobiography entitled The Dirt
The Dirt
The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band is a collaborative autobiography written by Mötley Crüe, Neil Strauss, and the "Mötley" managers, where they write about the members of Mötley Crüe. First published in 2001, it chronicles the formation of the band, their rise to fame...
packaged the band as "the world's most notorious rock band". The book made the top ten on The New York Times Best Seller list and spent ten weeks there.
In 2006 Mötley Crüe completed a reunion tour featuring all four original members and embarked on a co-headlining tour with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, called "The Route of All Evil".
In April 2008, the band announced the first Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest was a summer 2008 tour by Mötley Crüe, which commenced on July 1, 2008 and concluded on August 31, 2008. It featured Mötley Crüe themselves, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M., and Trapt. Crüe Fest was said to be "the Loudest Show on Earth"...
, a summer tour, that featured Sixx's side project Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who is also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The...
, Buckcherry
Buckcherry
Buckcherry is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1995. The band released two albums, Buckcherry and Time Bomb , before partially dissolving in the summer of 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry and released a new album...
, Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
and Trapt
Trapt
Trapt is an American rock band that formed in Los Gatos, California in August 1997. The group is composed of lead singer Chris Taylor Brown, lead guitarist Robb Torres, bass guitarist Peter Charell, and drummer Aaron "Monty" Montgomery...
. On June 24, 2008, Mötley Crüe released their ninth studio album, Saints of Los Angeles
Saints of Los Angeles
-"Saints of Los Angeles":The first single, "Saints of Los Angeles", was released on April 11 and started airing on radio stations on April 15, 2008. The song was given further promotion through the music video game Rock Band, being released as downloadable content on the Xbox Live Marketplace and...
, with Sixx credited as either writer or co-writer on all tracks. The second Crüe Fest, Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2
Crüe Fest 2 was the second year of the Crüe Fest touring festival, created and headlined by Mötley Crüe. The tour took place over the summer of 2009, and was in the same vein as the first Crüe Fest.-Line up:...
, commenced a year after the first and featured Charm City Devils
Charm City Devils
Charm City Devils is a hard rock band from Baltimore, Maryland. The band was founded by SR-71 drummer John Allen as the frontman, and was signed to Eleven Seven Music in 2009...
, Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool is a four-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas.-Early days :Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album, Sinner was certified platinum within six weeks...
, Godsmack
Godsmack
Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
, and Theory of a Deadman
Theory of a Deadman
Theory of a Deadman is a Canadian rock band from Delta, British Columbia, formed in 2001. The band is currently signed to Roadrunner Records as well as Island Records. The band also includes traits of other music styles, such as country and acoustic, as well as their post-grunge and alternative...
, in addition to Mötley Crüe themselves.
Sixx is controversial for an October 30, 1997 incident at Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro Coliseum
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina. Opening in 1959, the arena was one of the largest venues in the South, with a seating capacity of over 7,000...
in which during a Mötley Crüe concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
he goaded the audience to physically attack a security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
for repeatedly punching a female fan. In May 2001, Sixx addressed the issue and claimed he had apologized to the victim of the incident.
Sixx wrote most of Mötley Crüe's material, including tracks such as "Live Wire
Live Wire (Mötley Crüe song)
"Live Wire" is the debut single by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe released from their 1982 debut album Too Fast for Love. The video was directed by the members of Mötley Crüe themselves, showcasing the bands exotic stage theatrics, such as Nikki Sixx setting himself on fire and Mick...
", "Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home (Mötley Crüe song)
"Home Sweet Home" is a song by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was originally released in 1985 on the album Theatre of Pain, and again in 1991 for the Decade of Decadence compilation album...
", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Kickstart My Heart
Kickstart My Heart
"Kickstart My Heart" is a Grammy Award-nominated song by the American rock band Mötley Crüe, originally released on their 1989 album, Dr. Feelgood. The song has also been used numerous in media, including the trailers for Robert Rodriguez's family comedy Shorts and the Disney/Pixar film Cars...
", "Wild Side
Wild Side (Mötley Crüe song)
"Wild Side" is a single by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe from their 1987 album Girls, Girls, Girls which charted at #2 on the Billboard 200.-Composition:...
" and "Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood (song)
"Dr. Feelgood" is a song by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released as the first single and is the title track to their fifth album. Although it is the title track, some versions of the album do not include it, such as the Korean edition...
". In the 1990s, all four members began contributing to the material on the albums.
58 (2000)
In 2000, Sixx formed the internet based side project 58 with producer Dave DarlingDave Darling
Dave Darling, , is a record producer and recording engineer. He is best known for his work with the rockabilly artist Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats....
, guitarist Steve Gibb
Steve Gibb
Steve Gibb is an English-born singer, songwriter, and musician, and the first born son of Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and Linda Gibb....
(formerly of Black Label Society
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by Zakk Wylde, with nine studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums released since formation of the band.-Formation and Sonic Brew :...
and Crowbar) and drummer Bucket Baker. They released one single, titled "Piece of Candy", and their debut album, Diet for a New America, also in 2000 through Sixx's Americoma label and Beyond Records. The group did not tour and was described by Sixx as "strictly an artistic thing."
Brides of Destruction (2002–2004)
Brides of Destruction were formed by Sixx and Tracii GunsTracii Guns
Tracii Guns is an American guitarist best known as the founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also involved in the formation of the first lineup of Guns N' Roses but eventually left the group and was replaced by guitarist...
in Los Angeles 2002 initially with the name Cockstar after Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
went on hiatus and Guns left L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is the name of a hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, of which two rival incarnations currently exist due to numerous line-up changes. The first incarnation of the group was formed, by Tracii Guns, in 1983 but disbanded in 1985 following its merger with fellow Los Angeles...
. Sixx also invited former Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures (band)
Beautiful Creatures are a hard rock band formed in 1999 by guitarist DJ Ashba, formerly of BulletBoys, and singer Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. The group's current lineup is composed of Lesté , Delta Starr , Anthony Focx , Lance Eric and Justin Sandler...
guitarist DJ Ashba
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay "DJ" Ashba is an American musician, producer, songwriter and CEO of Ashba Media. He is the lead guitarist in Guns N' Roses and Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys and Beautiful Creatures...
to join the group however he declined to focus on his solo band, ASHBA. Ashba would eventually join Sixx in Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M.
Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who is also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The...
.
After a few lineup changes, that included Sixx's former Mötley Crüe band mate John Corabi
John Corabi
John Corabi is a heavy metal singer and guitarist who has worked with such bands as Angora, The Scream, Mötley Crüe, Union and ESP , Ratt , Twenty 4 Seven , Zen Lunatic, Brides of Destruction, and Angel City Outlaws John Corabi (born on April 26, 1959 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a heavy...
, keyboardist Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton (musician)
Adam Hamilton is a Los Angeles based music producer, songwriter and session musician. He is also the former bass guitarist of L.A. Guns. With L.A. Guns, he co wrote and played on the albums Rips the Covers Off, Tales from the Strip, and Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood...
and drummer Kris Kohls
Kris Kohls
Kris Kohls is an american rock drummer known as member of the band Adema.In his early life Kris joined several bands , a five piece set drummer, Kris develop many skills of drumming during the 90's. He and other 4 other musicians made the band Adema in the early 2000 who was quickly signed with...
of Adema
Adema
-2003–2004: Unstable, Mark Chavez's and Mike Ransom's departure:Adema's second album, Unstable, was released by Arista in August 2003. It was produced by Howard Benson, whose credits also include producing albums with P.O.D., Hoobastank and Cold....
, the group was composed of Sixx, Guns, singer London LeGrand
London LeGrand
London LeGrand is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist best known for his time with hard rock supergroup Brides Of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns. After the group went on hiatus he formed another band with George Lynch of Dokken and Lynch Mob fame...
and drummer Scot Coogan
Scot Coogan
Scot Coogan is an American session musician and touring drummer.-Career:Coogan has worked with groups such as Violets Demise, Ednaswap, Parade of Losers, Annetenna, Sinéad O'Connor, Peter Yorn, Vanilla Ice, and Otep...
formerly of Ednaswap
Ednaswap
Ednaswap was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, United States, that existed between 1993 and 1998.Over a span of five years, the band released four major label records on East West, Elektra Records and Island Records...
and Annetenna
Annetenna
Annetenna was a short-lived band that emerged from the ashes of Ednaswap. On formation, the band were immediately signed by Columbia Records and recorded a self-titled album, which was then shelved by the record label...
.
They were advised by radio programmers that the name Cockstar would not be announced on air. They briefly adopted the moniker Motordog before settling on Brides of Destruction.
They entered the studio with producer Stevo Bruno to begin recording what would become Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides (album)
Here Come the Brides is the debut album by Brides of Destruction released via Sanctuary Records on March 9, 2004. It is their most successful album being the only one to have a charting on the Billboard 200, it is also the only album that features founder Nikki Sixx who would leave the band to...
. The Brides played their first show opening for Mudvayne
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band. Their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate visual appearance, which has included face and body paint, masks and uniforms...
and Taproot
Taproot (band)
Taproot is a four-piece rock group from Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are most known for their hit single "Poem" , as well as a number of other singles from 2000 to the present.-Pre-formation:...
on November 14, 2002 at the Ventura Theatre in California.
After signing a deal with Sanctuary Records, the group released Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides (album)
Here Come the Brides is the debut album by Brides of Destruction released via Sanctuary Records on March 9, 2004. It is their most successful album being the only one to have a charting on the Billboard 200, it is also the only album that features founder Nikki Sixx who would leave the band to...
in 2004, with the album debuting at number 92 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
selling over 13,000 copies. A tour of the US, Europe, including an appearance at Download Festival in the United Kingdom, and Australia followed.
On October 25, 2004 it was announced that the group were to go on hiatus while Sixx reunited with Mötley Crüe for a reunion tour. The group continued without Sixx, however, with Guns adding former Amen
Amen (band)
Amen is a hardcore punk-influenced band formed in 1994.The band has an almost constantly rotating lineup, with founder Casey Chaos remaining as the only constant member throughout...
bassist Scott Sorry
Scott Sorry
Scott Sorry is an American musician best known as the bass player for The Wildhearts. As well as playing with The Wildhearts, Sorry has his own group, Sorry and the Sinatras, and has played with Amen and Brides of Destruction.-Amen :After playing in a variety of punk bands in hiladelphia, Scott...
to the group as Sixx's replacement.
The second Brides of Destruction album, titled Runaway Brides
Runaway Brides
Runaway Brides is the second studio and last album by Brides of Destruction released via Shrapnel Records on September 13, 2005. Nikki Sixx left the band to rejoin Mötley Crüe in January 2005 for a reunion tour supporting a greatest hits compilation but still has writing credits on the album. Amen...
, released in 2005 featured three songs co-wrote by Sixx during the Here Come the Brides sessions.
Sixx:A.M. (2006–present)
Sixx formed the group Sixx:A.M. in 2006, initially to record an audio accompaniment to his autobiography The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock StarThe Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white...
, with friends producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
/songwriter James Michael
James Michael
James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer, vocalist and musician. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.-Early life:...
and guitarist DJ Ashba
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay "DJ" Ashba is an American musician, producer, songwriter and CEO of Ashba Media. He is the lead guitarist in Guns N' Roses and Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys and Beautiful Creatures...
(Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, formerly of Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures (band)
Beautiful Creatures are a hard rock band formed in 1999 by guitarist DJ Ashba, formerly of BulletBoys, and singer Joe Lesté of Bang Tango. The group's current lineup is composed of Lesté , Delta Starr , Anthony Focx , Lance Eric and Justin Sandler...
and BulletBoys
BulletBoys
BulletBoys is an American hard rock group formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1987. The group's original lineup was composed of former Ratt guitarist/King Kobra lead vocalist Marq Torien , former King Kobra guitarist Mick Sweda, Lonnie Vencent and Jimmy D'Anda...
). They recorded and released The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in August 2007 through Eleven Seven
Eleven seven music
Eleven Seven Music is a record label founded by Allen Kovac, who is the CEO of 10th Street Entertainment.Eleven Seven has recently enjoyed success with the rejuvenated Buckcherry, whose label debut has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Sixx:A.M...
. The single "Life Is Beautiful" received strong radio and video play peaking at number 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.
The band made their live debut at Crash Mansion on July 16, 2007. They performed five songs from the album, with former Beautiful Creatures drummer Glen Sobel filling in on drums. On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
's Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest
Crüe Fest was a summer 2008 tour by Mötley Crüe, which commenced on July 1, 2008 and concluded on August 31, 2008. It featured Mötley Crüe themselves, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M., and Trapt. Crüe Fest was said to be "the Loudest Show on Earth"...
. The tour began on July 1, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
. During Crüe Fest, Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
drummer Tony Palermo
Tony Palermo
Anthony "Tony" Joseph Palermo is the current drummer of Californian rock band Papa Roach and punk rock band Pulley and is the former drummer of the band Unwritten Law, and was also a touring drummer for Sixx:A.M. in summer 2008....
served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was released on November 25, 2008, which included a bonus live EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Live Is Beautiful
Live Is Beautiful
Live Is Beautiful is a live EP by Sixx:A.M., side project of Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx, released both with the deluxe edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack and separately, on November 25, 2008...
which features recorded performances from the band's summer tour.
In April 2009, both Sixx and Michael confirmed that the band were in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material is "inspiring. it feels like we may have topped ourselves on this album coming up, and can't wait for you to hear what it sounds like." In 2010, the group continued recording the album with plans to release it by the late 2010/early 2011 with the group bringing in Paul R. Brown to shoot the video for the album's first single. During an interview in July, Sixx stated that the album was almost finished.
With the release of 'Lies of the Beautiful People' in April 2011, Sixx took to a feud with Facebook. Having posted stills from his photography book 'This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life, Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx' on Facebook, the social network deemed a shot portraying a porn star to contravene the site's rules on pornography, and deleted it. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Sixx encouraged fans to replace their profile pictures with a similar shot of the same female performer. When over 250,000 did so, the act resulted in a number of fans having their Facebook accounts deleted. Sixx's criticism of Facebook centered around his consideration of the original photograph being art - and should therefore have been judged by different standards of decency.
Other work
In 1989, Sixx was a featured guest artist on the album Fire and GasolineFire and Gasoline
Fire and Gasoline is a heavy metal album released in 1989 by British musician Steve Jones, formerly of the Sex Pistols. The album featured Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses on the song I Did U No Wrong and Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe on We're No Saints....
by Steve Jones
Steve Jones (musician)
Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
, formerly of the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. Sixx co-wrote and performed on the song, "We're No Saints".
In 1991, Sixx played bass on "Feed My Frankenstein" on Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
's Hey Stoopid
Hey Stoopid
Hey Stoopid is the 19th studio album by heavy metal singer and shock rock-legend Alice Cooper. It was released on July 2, 1991 with guest appearances from Slash , Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars .After Cooper's smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper...
album. Sixx also co-wrote the track "Die For You", along with Cooper and Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars
Mick Mars
Mick Mars is the lead guitarist for American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Career:After his family relocated from Indiana, to California, Bob Deal dropped out of high school and began playing guitar in a series of unsuccessful blues based rock bands throughout the seventies, taking on menial day...
(who plays guitar on the song).
In 2002, Sixx played on Butch Walkers first solo album "Left of Self Centered"
In 2005 Sixx collaborated with the Norwegian singer Marion Raven
Marion Raven
Marion Elise Ravn, born 25 May 1984 in Lørenskog, Norway, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, and former child actress. Her surname is of Norse origin, with Ravn meaning Raven, which she adopted as her stage name Marion Raven as well as her trademark raven logo. She was one-half of the now defunct...
on two songs, "Heads Will Roll" and "Surfing the Sun", for Raven's debut album, Here I Am. A new version of "Heads Will Roll" appeared on Raven's 2006 EP Heads Will Roll
Heads Will Roll
Heads Will Roll EP is Marion Raven's first EP that was released on October 31, 2006. All of the songs were written by Raven in collaboration with numerous artists including Nikki Sixx , Scott Stevens and Freddy Herrera , Keith Nelson and Xavier Muriel , and Raine Maida...
and on her 2007 U.S. debut album, Set Me Free.
In 2006, he was one of the songwriters for Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
's long-awaited album, Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose is an album by Meat Loaf, the third and last in the Bat Out of Hell series. It was released in October 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell , and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell .Produced by Desmond Child, it is the only Bat album not...
.
In September 2007, Sixx released a book titled The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white...
, a collection of his journal entries from 1986 and 1987 (when his heroin addiction was at its most dangerous). Written with British journalist Ian Gittins, it also presents the present-day viewpoints of his bandmates, friends, ex-lovers, caretakers, business associates and family as they respond to specific passages. The book debuted at number 7 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Along with Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
(John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin), and James Otto
James Otto
James Allen Otto is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice"...
, Sixx co-wrote the song "Ain't Gonna Stop" for Otto's 2008 Sunset Man CD on Warner Bros/Raybaw Records.
In September 2011, Sixx is scheduled to appear on the live streaming video site backBEAT
Signature basses
Nikki Sixx is most often seen playing Gibson ThunderbirdGibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson.-Background and introduction:The Gibson Thunderbird was introduced in 1963. At the time, Fender had been the leader in the electric bass market since their introduction of the Precision Bass twelve years earlier.The Thunderbird was...
basses. Between 2000 and 2003 Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
produced the Nikki Sixx Signature Blackbird. The Gibson Blackbird was for all intents and purposes a standard Thunderbird bass, but with a satin black finish, Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
es on the fretboard instead of dots, an Iron Cross behind the classic Thunderbird logo, and Nikki Sixx's 'opti-grab' (a metal loop installed behind the bridge for hooking the little finger onto while playing). What also made this bass interesting was the lack of volume or tone controls, being replaced by a single on/off switch. Although subtle, this helped give this Blackbird more tone and a higher output. This model was discontinued in 2003, but has recently been put back in production as the Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
Nikki Sixx Blackbird
Epiphone Blackbird
The Epiphone Blackbird is basically the Epiphone Company's copy of the Gibson Blackbird guitar with a couple of differences. It still has the black hardware, a single on/off switch with no volume or tone knobs, a mahogany body with a flat-black finish, the normal Gibson Thunderbird bridge with an...
. Cosmetically the Epiphone Blackbird is identical to the Gibson original, but with a bolt-on single ply neck, solid mahogany body, different pickups and lower grade parts and manufacturing. The Epiphone model still kept the 'opti-grab,' designed and made first by his bass technician Tim Luzzi, and single on/off switch of the Gibson original.
In 2008, Gibson announced a 'limited run' new Nikki Sixx signature bass. Like the original it features a neck through design made of mahogany and walnut, with maple 'wings' to form the body. Unlike the original 'Blackbird' bass, a clear 'satin black cherry' finish is given to the instrument, with red 'slash' X's on the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 12th frets. A mirror pickguard is also applied, with a red signature and two X's (6 x's on the whole bass) is also a new addition. Unlike the Gibson Blackbird, the new signature featured volume and tone controls, the 'opti-grab', and an on/off switch.
Other basses
His inspiration to use the Gibson Thunderbird came from Pete "Overend" WattsPeter Watts (musician)
Peter Overend Watts is a bass guitar player and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople....
of Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
and John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. His first Gibson Thunderbird was a white 1976 model. He would light it on fire with pyro gel during early Mötley Crüe shows, (when they were still a club band) and it finally just disintegrated. He used Fender Precision basses and Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
basses before he had his first Thunderbird.
Early on, he was sponsored by B.C. Rich
B.C. Rich
B.C. Rich is a manufacturer of guitars and bass guitars founded by the late Bernardo Chavez Rico in 1969. Currently, most B.C. Rich guitars are manufactured in Asia, but luthiers of the company's custom shop continue to hand-make instruments. The Hanser Music Group, based in Kentucky, operates B.C....
, and used Mockingbird & Warlock
B.C. Rich Warlock
The B.C. Rich Warlock is both an electric guitar and bass guitar made by B.C. Rich. It features a distinct jagged shape and two humbucker pickups...
basses. He used Hamer
Hamer Guitars
Hamer Guitars is an American manufacturer of electric guitars. Founded in 1973 by vintage guitar shop owners, Jol Dantzig and his business partner Paul Hamer. Early instruments featured guitar designs based on the Gibson Explorer and Flying V...
Firebird basses during the tour for Theatre of Pain
Theatre of Pain
-Personnel:*Vince Neil - vocals*Mick Mars - guitar*Nikki Sixx - bass*Tommy Lee - drums, piano-Singles:*"Smokin' In the Boys Room" was released on June 24, 1985.*"Home Sweet Home" was released on September 30, 1985.-Charts:...
, in either plain black or plain white, while some of them had finishes that suited his stage outfits. After that he used Spector
Spector
Spector is an American based company that manufacturers bass guitars. Founded in 1974 by self-taught luthier Stuart Spector, Spector's first few instruments were essentially crude experiments in instrument design and craftsmanship...
basses during Girls, Girls, Girls and Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood (album)
*Disc one contains the original albumThe original Korean LP edition does not contain the first two tracks, "T.N.T. " and "Dr...
. These Spector basses were shaped like Thunderbirds and usually commonly called Spectorbirds. Sixx owned at least eight Spectorbirds. All eight had an opti-grab, designed and made by Tim Luzzi, 1 volume knob, P & J pickups, 24 frets and Spector bass "Crown" inlays. He used four during the tour for Girls, Girls, Girls, two black ones and one with a 101 Dalmatians
One Hundred and One Dalmatians
One Hundred and One Dalmatians, often abbreviated as 101 Dalmatians, is a 1961 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith...
finish, all of which had the Gibson Thunderbird Non-Reverse body type. One of the black basses had a large skull painting covering most of the body. He also used one in a buckeye burl finish with the reverse body style. It had an orange Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
Crüe sticker where the Thunderbird logo usually is. These all had black hardware. For Dr. Feelgood he used five Spectorbirds, two in sunburst and one in a natural finish. He also used a white one with a Non-Reverse style body, covered in small black stickers and a sticker saying Dancing On Glass. He also used a plain black Spectorbird with a reversed body style, which he smashed at the Make A Difference Foundation Moscow Music Peace Festival
Moscow Music Peace Festival
The Moscow Music Peace Festival was a one-time gathering of high-profile hard rock acts for a performance in Moscow, Soviet Union on 12 and 13 August 1989 to promote world peace and establish international cooperation in fighting the drug war in Russia. It was part of an era of momentous change in...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
During the 1990s, Sixx started using 12-string basses
Twelve-string bass
The twelve-string bass is an electric bass with four courses each of three strings.Normal tuning is eeE-aaA-ddD-ggG, with one string of each course tuned similarly to the corresponding string of the four-string bass, and the remaining two strings tuned to the octave.-Notable 12-string Bassists:*...
made in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by the Hiroshigi Kids Guitar Company. He owns at least five: a black one with red lettering and white binding, a black one with gold binding, a black one with white lettering and white binding, a red one with "Helter Skelter
Helter Skelter (Manson scenario)
The murders perpetrated by members of Charles Manson's "Family" were inspired in part by Manson's prediction of Helter Skelter, an apocalyptic war he believed would arise from tension over racial relations between blacks and whites...
" written on it, and a green one. The red and green ones have dragon inlays on the body. He also used four- and five-string Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
Non-Reverse Thunderbirds for the Generation Swine
Generation Swine
Generation Swine is the seventh studio album and final for Elektra Records by the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 1997. The album is the first to feature singer Vince Neil since Dr...
tour and would usually smash one after his bass solo. He has also used Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
Music Man StingRay 5
Music Man StingRay 5
Introduced in 1987, the StingRay 5 was the first all-new Music Man bass designed and built in San Luis Obispo by the Ernie Ball team. The five-string's styling is based on the classic look of the Silhouette guitar...
basses, most notably while on tour with Brides of Destruction
Brides of Destruction
Brides of Destruction were an American hard rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band's last lineup consisted of singer London LeGrand , Tracii Guns and Scot Coogan...
and the two newly recorded songs for the 1998 Mötley Crüe album, Greatest Hits.
He also has used Fender Precision Basses, particularly when smashing basses at the end of a set. They are usually black Squier Precision Basses with white pickguards. He previously used Ampeg
Ampeg
Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...
amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
s, but has switched to Basson amplifiers. While recording The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack, he used a 1959 Fender Precision which was amplified through a 1964 Fender Bassman
Fender Bassman
The Fender Bassman was a bass amplifier introduced by Fender in 1952. Although it was originally designed for bass guitars, it was frequently used for normal electric guitar in rock and roll, blues, and country bands.-History:...
.
Family and relationships
In the early 80's Sixx dated guitarist Lita FordLita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
. They lived together for a short while.
From December 1986 to September 1987, Sixx dated singer/actress/model Vanity
Vanity (performer)
Denise Katrina Matthews , better known as Vanity, but sometimes credited as Denise Matthews-Smith or D.D. Winters, is a Canadian-born former singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and model from the 1980s until the early mid-90s...
. They had a rocky and drug-oriented relationship, which is chronicled in Sixx's book The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is a book co-written by Nikki Sixx, bassist of the rock band Mötley Crüe, and Ian Gittins. Additional reflections on the period from Sixx and others are interspersed throughout the book. The book also includes many black-and-white...
. During this time, Vanity would tell the press that they were engaged, while Sixx would always deny her claim.
From May 1989 to November 1996, Sixx was married to Playboy Playmate Brandi Brandt
Brandi Brandt
Brandi Brandt is an American model and actress, who was Playboy's Playmate of the Month for October 1987....
; they have three children: Gunner Nicholas Sixx (b. January 25, 1991), Storm Brieann Sixx (b. April 14, 1994), and Decker Nilsson Sixx (b. May 23, 1995).
One month after the divorce from Brandt, Sixx married another Playboy Playmate, actress Donna D'Errico
Donna D'Errico
Donna D'Errico is an American actress and model. She was chosen Playboy Playmate of the Month for September 1995. Her centerfold was photographed by Richard Fegley.-Career:...
. Sixx and D'Errico have one daughter, Frankie-Jean (b. January 2, 2001). D'Errico has a son, Rhyan, from a previous relationship. They separated shortly after their daughter's birth, and reconciled months later when Sixx completed rehab. They separated again on April 27, 2006 and divorced in June 2007, with D'Errico claiming irreconcilable differences.
Sixx dated tattoo artist Kat Von D
Kat Von D
Katherine Drachenberg , known professionally as Kat Von D and who has given her name as Katherine von Drachenberg in two German interviews is an American tattoo artist and television personality...
from 2008 to 2010. A few months after their breakup Sixx and Von D were spotted back together. Sixx was featured on an episode of Von D's reality television show LA Ink
LA Ink
LA Ink is an American reality show on TLC that follows the events of the High Voltage Tattoo tattoo studios in Los Angeles, California...
in 2008, in which Von D gave him a tattoo of Mick Mars
Mick Mars
Mick Mars is the lead guitarist for American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Career:After his family relocated from Indiana, to California, Bob Deal dropped out of high school and began playing guitar in a series of unsuccessful blues based rock bands throughout the seventies, taking on menial day...
, lead guitarist of Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
. On August 25, 2010, Sixx issued a statement that their relationship had dissolved. It was reported on October 19, 2010 that Nikki and Kat had gotten back together. On October 27, 2010 Kat Von D
Kat Von D
Katherine Drachenberg , known professionally as Kat Von D and who has given her name as Katherine von Drachenberg in two German interviews is an American tattoo artist and television personality...
confirmed to USA Today that indeed she and West Coast Choppers owner Jesse James were still an item, debunking original reports that she and Sixx had reconciled. On November 4, 2010 Sixx was spotted at the Call Of Duty: Black Ops Launch Party in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
with model Courtney Bingham.
Radio shows
Launched on February 8, 2010, Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx broadcasts Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight local time on rock/alternative music stations. Each night, host Nikki Sixx will discuss music and lifestyle topics as he gives listeners a backstage look at the world and mind of a rock star. Joined by co-host Kerri KasemKerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem July 12, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a radio and television host, actress and covermodel.She is the daughter of the radio host Casey Kasem and his first wife, Linda Myers Kasem, a Republican Party fund raiser.BIOGRAPHY...
, Sixx will provide his unique perspective and attitude as the duo welcomes celebrity guests, recording artists and fascinating characters from all walks of life. All this and more will be coupled with radio station playlists.
The Side Show with Nikki Sixx is a two-hour original weekend program. Airing Saturday or Sunday between 6 a.m. and midnight local time, Nikki Sixx and co-host Kerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem July 12, 1978 in Los Angeles, California) is a radio and television host, actress and covermodel.She is the daughter of the radio host Casey Kasem and his first wife, Linda Myers Kasem, a Republican Party fund raiser.BIOGRAPHY...
will air top-charting songs, showcase new and emerging artists, and welcome guests from the worlds of music and entertainment.
Running Wild in the Night
With the formation of Sixx:A.M. and the release of The Heroin Diaries, Nikki Sixx teamed up with an already existing charity known as the Covenant HouseCovenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless, and runaway youth. In addition to basic needs, Covenant House provides a continuum of care to homeless youth aged 16–21 designed to...
and created his own branch called Running Wild in the Night. In addition to partially funding the services the Covenant House provides on its own, Sixx’s division also provides a creative arts and music program, allowing the beneficiaries of this program to discover an answer to their problems that is better than drugs. Sixx has negotiated with people in his industry to provide the program with musical instruments and software. Sixx has arguably prevented thousands of potential drug users and rehabilitated teenage addicts from continuing to dabble in the world of drugs, as the Covenant House helped almost 78,000 youth at risk last year.
A portion of the profits from Sixx:A.M.’s album The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack and his autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star is donated to help the Covenant House. Sixx also continues to auction off personal items to fund Running Wild in the Night. As of April 2009, he had raised over $100,000. In addition to monetary contributions, Sixx has made personal and emotional ones. George Lozano, the director of Covenant House California, said that Sixx is "passionate about the cause; he can relate to the youth in our program and they can relate to him. He’s a great role model for these kids."
Discography
| Title | Release | Label | Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too Fast for Love Too Fast for Love Too Fast For Love is the debut record of American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe; 900 copies were released in November 1981 on the band's Leathür Records label. Elektra Records signed the band the following year, at which point the album was remixed and partially re-recorded... |
1981 1981 in music See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –... |
Elektra Elektra Records Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009.... |
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil... |
| Shout at the Devil Shout at the Devil Shout at the Devil is the second album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young to Fall in Love" became huge hits and "Shout at the Devil" became very popular as well.-Reception:... |
1983 1983 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization... |
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| Theatre of Pain Theatre of Pain -Personnel:*Vince Neil - vocals*Mick Mars - guitar*Nikki Sixx - bass*Tommy Lee - drums, piano-Singles:*"Smokin' In the Boys Room" was released on June 24, 1985.*"Home Sweet Home" was released on September 30, 1985.-Charts:... |
1985 1985 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1985.-January–March:*January 1 - The newest music video channel, VH-1, debuts on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV... |
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| Girls, Girls, Girls | 1987 1987 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... |
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| Dr. Feelgood Dr. Feelgood (album) *Disc one contains the original albumThe original Korean LP edition does not contain the first two tracks, "T.N.T. " and "Dr... |
1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
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| Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe (album) Mötley Crüe is the eponymous sixth studio album by heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released on March 15, 1994, their sixth studio album. It was the band's first and only album released with singer John Corabi, and was the first album of new material released by the band since their 1989 album,... |
1994 1994 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so.... |
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| Generation Swine Generation Swine Generation Swine is the seventh studio album and final for Elektra Records by the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 1997. The album is the first to feature singer Vince Neil since Dr... |
1997 1997 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy... |
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| New Tattoo New Tattoo New Tattoo is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe released in 2000. Artistically, New Tattoo shows the band going back to their earlier musical style that gave them commercial success in the 1980s. Long time drummer Tommy Lee left the band a year before, and was... |
2000 2000 in music See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List.... |
Mötley Mötley Records Mötley Records is the current record label for the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. Albums the company has made with Mötley Crüe include Saints of Los Angeles, Red, White and Crüe, Generation Swine, and New Tattoo as well as all the original albums that have been remastered. The record company is the... |
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| London Daze London Daze London Daze is the sixth album of Spiders & Snakes, released in 2000. It Contains 3 demo tracks from Lizzie Grey's previous band London, recorded in 1980.-Spiders & Snakes:# "London Daze"# "Nonstop Rock"... |
Spiders & Snakes (material by London London (heavy metal band) London is an American heavy metal band, based in Hollywood, California. The band is perhaps most notable for featuring members that would go on to play in more famous bands such as Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses, W.A.S.P... ) |
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| Diet for a New America | Americoma/Beyond | 58 58 (band) 58 is an American rock band, a side project involving Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and producer Dave Darling, Sixx's former father-in-law. The band name originates from the fact that both Sixx and Darling were born in 1958... |
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| Here Come the Brides Here Come the Brides (album) Here Come the Brides is the debut album by Brides of Destruction released via Sanctuary Records on March 9, 2004. It is their most successful album being the only one to have a charting on the Billboard 200, it is also the only album that features founder Nikki Sixx who would leave the band to... |
2004 2004 in music See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol.... |
Sanctuary | Brides of Destruction Brides of Destruction Brides of Destruction were an American hard rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band's last lineup consisted of singer London LeGrand , Tracii Guns and Scot Coogan... |
| The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack | 2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
Eleven Seven Eleven seven music Eleven Seven Music is a record label founded by Allen Kovac, who is the CEO of 10th Street Entertainment.Eleven Seven has recently enjoyed success with the rejuvenated Buckcherry, whose label debut has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Sixx:A.M... |
Sixx:A.M. Sixx:A.M. Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who is also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The... |
| Saints of Los Angeles Saints of Los Angeles -"Saints of Los Angeles":The first single, "Saints of Los Angeles", was released on April 11 and started airing on radio stations on April 15, 2008. The song was given further promotion through the music video game Rock Band, being released as downloadable content on the Xbox Live Marketplace and... |
2008 2008 in music 2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such... |
Mötley Crüe | |
| This Is Gonna Hurt This Is Gonna Hurt This Is Gonna Hurt is the second studio album by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, released on May 3, 2011. The band also features lead vocalist James Michael and current Guns N' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba.... |
2011 | Sixx:A.M. |
Production and songwriting credits
| Year | Album title | Band | Record label | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Lita Lita (album) Lita is an album by Lita Ford, released in February, 1988 on RCA Records. The album features a duet with Ozzy Osbourne, "Close My Eyes Forever," as well as "Kiss Me Deadly," another hit for Ford... |
Lita Ford Lita Ford Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:... |
RCA RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... |
Co-writer "Falling in and Out of Love" |
| 1989 | Fire and Gasoline Fire and Gasoline Fire and Gasoline is a heavy metal album released in 1989 by British musician Steve Jones, formerly of the Sex Pistols. The album featured Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses on the song I Did U No Wrong and Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe on We're No Saints.... |
Steve Jones Steve Jones (musician) Stephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:... |
MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
Co-writer "We're No Saints...." |
| 1990 | Hey Stoopid Hey Stoopid Hey Stoopid is the 19th studio album by heavy metal singer and shock rock-legend Alice Cooper. It was released on July 2, 1991 with guest appearances from Slash , Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars .After Cooper's smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper... |
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades... |
Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
Co-writer "Die for You" |
| 2002 | Back into Your System Back Into Your System Back into Your System is the third full-length studio album released on November 12, 2002 by alternative metal band Saliva. It has reached #19 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified gold by RIAA since its release.... |
Saliva Saliva (band) Saliva is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in September 1996 and currently under Island Records. Saliva released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, under Rocking Chair Records.... |
Island Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
Co-writer "Rest in Pieces" |
| 2003 | Couldn't Have Said It Better Couldn't Have Said It Better Couldn't Have Said It Better is a 2003 album by Meat Loaf.Only for the third time in his career, Meat Loaf released an album without any songs written by Jim Steinman... |
Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
Polydor Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... /Sanctuary |
Co-writer "Couldn't Have Said It Better Couldn't Have Said It Better (song) "Couldn't Have Said It Better" is a song written by James Michael and Nikki Sixx and recorded by Meat Loaf featuring Patti Russo. It was released as a single in 2003.- Background :... ", "Love You Out Loud" and "Man of Steel" |
| 2004 | ForThemAsses ForThemAsses ForThemAsses is the second album by California band OPM, released on June 1, 2004.-Track listing:# "Intro" – 0:34# "Bump" - 3:38# "Rollin" - 3:49# "Luffly" - 3:15# "Interlude: Dave Grohl" - 0:11# "Kali Kings" - 4:42... |
OPM OPM (band) OPM is a Southern California based ska punk band. OPM has a distinctive sound, combining hip hop, rock music, and pop with laid-back reggae.-Band history:... |
Suburban Noize Suburban Noize Records Suburban Noize Records, also known as "Subnoize", is an independent record label based in Burbank, California that specializes in punk rock and underground hip hop... |
Co-writer "Horny" |
| 2005 | Here I Am | Marion Raven Marion Raven Marion Elise Ravn, born 25 May 1984 in Lørenskog, Norway, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, and former child actress. Her surname is of Norse origin, with Ravn meaning Raven, which she adopted as her stage name Marion Raven as well as her trademark raven logo. She was one-half of the now defunct... |
Atlantic Atlantic Records Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz... |
Co-writer "Heads Will Roll" and "Surfing the Sun" |
| 2005 | Runaway Brides Runaway Brides Runaway Brides is the second studio and last album by Brides of Destruction released via Shrapnel Records on September 13, 2005. Nikki Sixx left the band to rejoin Mötley Crüe in January 2005 for a reunion tour supporting a greatest hits compilation but still has writing credits on the album. Amen... |
Brides of Destruction | Shrapnel Shrapnel Records Shrapnel Records is a guitar-oriented record label started in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. Guitarist Marty Friedman , one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album Unsung Guitar Heroes II in 1980 with the band Vixen. Vixen would later change their name to Hawaii... |
Co-writer "Criminal", "This Time Around" and "Blown Away" |
| 2006 | Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose is an album by Meat Loaf, the third and last in the Bat Out of Hell series. It was released in October 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell , and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell .Produced by Desmond Child, it is the only Bat album not... |
Meat Loaf | Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... /Mercury Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
Co-writer "The Monster Is Loose" |
| 2007 | Set Me Free | Marion Raven | Eleven Seven Eleven seven music Eleven Seven Music is a record label founded by Allen Kovac, who is the CEO of 10th Street Entertainment.Eleven Seven has recently enjoyed success with the rejuvenated Buckcherry, whose label debut has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Sixx:A.M... /Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Records Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies... |
Co-writer "Set Me Free" and "Heads Will Roll" |
| 2007 | Full Circle Full Circle (Drowning Pool album) -Personnel:Drowning Pool* Ryan McCombs - Vocals* Stevie Benton - Bass* C. J. Pierce - Guitar* Mike Luce - Drums-Chart positions:-Singles charts:Production* Produced by Ben Schigel, Except "Reason I'm Alive" Produced by Nikki Sixx and DJ Ashba... |
Drowning Pool Drowning Pool Drowning Pool is a four-piece alternative metal band from Dallas, Texas.-Early days :Drowning Pool rose to fame while playing along with Ozzy Osbourne during an Ozzfest tour. Their 2001 debut album, Sinner was certified platinum within six weeks... |
Eleven Seven | Co-writer and producer on "Reason I'm Alive" |
| 2008 | Sunset Man Sunset Man Sunset Man is the second studio album from American country music singer James Otto, released April 8, 2008 on Warner Bros. Records. Otto co-produced the album with his brother-in-law, Jay DeMarcus , and John Rich . The lead-off single, "Just Got Started Lovin' You", reached Number One on the... |
James Otto James Otto James Allen Otto is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice"... |
Warner Bros. | Co-writer "Ain't Gonna Stop" |
| 2009 | Whatever Gets You Off Whatever Gets You Off -Personnel:*Chad Cherry – lead vocals*Adam Arling – guitar*Johnny Wator – guitar*Danny Smash – bass*Nate Arling – drums, percussion... |
The Last Vegas The Last Vegas The Last Vegas are a hard rock band from Chicago whose style draws from glam, punk, and sleaze metal. Composed of Chad Cherry , John Wator , Adam Arling , Danny Smash , and Nate Arling , the band released the album Whatever Gets You Off, in April 2009, on Eleven Seven Music. The album was produced... |
Eleven Seven | Co-writer and producer on "I'm Bad", "Apologize" and "Cherry Red" |
| 2010 | Tattoos & Tequila Tattoos & Tequila Tattoos & Tequila is the third solo studio album by Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil. It is Neil's first solo release in 7 years since the live album Live at the Whisky: One Night Only in 2003 and the first solo studio album in 15 years since 1995's Carved in Stone.The album is largely made up of... |
Vince Neil Vince Neil Vincent Neil Wharton is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.-Early life:Neil was born in Hollywood, California to Odie and Shirley Wharton... |
Eleven Seven | Co-writer "Another Bad Day" |