Nikki Sixx
by James VanOsdol
The name Motley Crue immediately summons images of hedonism and depravity so over-the-top, Keith Richards and Scott Weiland look like museum curators by comparison. The self-destructive path taken during Motley's heyday is well-chronicled in the autobiography The Dirt, which is being developed into a major theatrical release. While Motley Crue remains on hold, principal songwriter/bassist Nikki Sixx has launched his new band, Brides of Destruction. Joining Sixx in Brides are L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, drummer Scott Coogan, and singer London Le Grand. I spoke with Nikki Sixx just before the North American tour kicked off.
SOAK: It's got to be daunting to start a band from scratch, having done what you've already done with Motley Crue.
Nikki Sixx: It's actually the opposite. It's invigorating because we set out to do this band on the premise that it was going to be fun, we're going to make the music that we wanted to make. We didn't really care if it came out or didn't come out. By doing that, we kind of set ourselves up for success. We funded everything ourselves, we rehearsed, and when we wouldn't rehearse, we hung out. We got to know each other as a band, kinda became a gang. And then, other people started reacting to the music, without us getting into the whole "sales pitch" thing, on how come we're a great band and all this stuff. People were reacting to that, and record companies were reacting to that, and we were like, "Well, that's unexpected."
SOAK: Isn't the album essentially a demo that got dressed up?
NS: Aren't all the greatest first albums demos? It's very important to us. We've got 50 songs now, for the next record.
SOAK: I'm glad you brought that up. There's that concern that, if Motley Crue heads out on the farewell tour, Brides of Destruction will be put on the backburner and never heard from again.
NS: No. If anything, this is my main band. When Motley's over, this will be my Motley Crue.
SOAK: Is it hard, or even necessary, to distance yourself from Motley Crue with this band?
NS: No, it's a completely different kind of band. I'm proud of (Motley Crue), proud of what we've done musically. Very few bands get to put out a "Greatest Hits." I put that thing on the other day, and I was like, "we really did some good stuff together, didn't we?" It's fun to be able to stand there and go, "You know what? We sold over 40 million records, man, we toured the world many, many times. We shook things up, we did it on our own terms." (I) love the guys in the band, (but) probably this band, if there's ever a band, this band was not built to last. The fact that we lasted even to a second record's always amazed me. And I think with the pinnacle being Paramount Pictures signing the band for a movie deal based on our book ("The Dirt"), and I think where we all said, "You know what, let's end on an up note. Let's not just drag it out."
SOAK: You've described the movie adaptation of "The Dirt" as a "story of survival" more so than a story about Motley Crue.
NS: I believe so. I believe it would be very narcissistic and egotistical of us to make it really about us. It should be more, and will be more, about when the person's watching the movie, they go, "Yeah, I've been through that. God, how did those guys survive that?” It's more about that, instead of (being about) Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx. That's so limiting.
SOAK: What's most amazing about "The Dirt" is the fact that you remembered as much detail as you did.
NS: (laughs) It took all four of us, but we did it.
SOAK: You hit the top, and it seems like you weren't ready to handle it.
NS: You know, I don't know if anybody ever really is. It's just bizarre, one day you're some kid, and the next day, you're on your own jet with a waitress with her top off, giving you lines of cocaine, and calling you "Mr. Sixx," asking if there's anything else you need. You know what that means... And you think "Wow, this is pretty cool. It seems like just the other day, I was listening to Deep Purple "Burn" in my friend's car and thinking, "how do people do that?"
SOAK: "The Heroin Diaries" are coming out in October...
NS: We're talking about them coming out now next year, because I'm so focused on the Brides and everything.
SOAK: And this (Heroin Diaries) is Nikki Sixx at his darkest moment?
NS: I would say so.
SOAK: Is it therapeutic to relive this stuff?
NS: It's therapeutic. I've never been shy about revealing my demons to people. It is a bit therapeutic, and maybe it's helpful.
SOAK: Other people have said that, once you're a recovering heroin addict, even though you're not using, you think about it every day. Is that the case with you?
NS: Not in my case. I don't think about heroin anymore. It's something that was a huge nightmare in my life.
SOAK: Here in Chicago, we've never had a scene as hedonistic and decadent as Motley Crue-era Los Angeles, but is there stuff here that appeals to you?
NS: Chicago is an amazing city. We always have great shows there, great fanbase. I've never had a bad experience there.
SOAK: Do you have any favorite Chicago stories, personal or sleazy?
NS: Oh, there're a few decadent things that've happened in Old Chicago...we'll leave that for the next book!
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