Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx talks UK festivals, Guns N’ Roses reunion and prayer sessions
'We’ve got little kids singing our songs...it’s shocking!' Lead singer, James Michael, on Download Festival debut
RISING from the ashes of Mötley Crüe, rock ’n’ roll’s original hellraiser Nikki Sixx has shifted his side project Sixx:A.M. into the spotlight and on to the main stage of the UK’s biggest rock festival, Download.
Backstage, we caught up with Nikki, ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist DJ Ashba and singer James Michael to talk double albums, prayer sessions and, er, musicals . . .
So how was Sixx:A.M.’s Download Festival debut on the main stage?
JAMES: Oh my God what a fantastic crowd!
We didn’t know really what to expect.
But I tell you what, to be able to go up on stage and have the people singing every word to every song, not just the singles but EVERY song.
We’ve got little kids singing our songs and records, it’s shocking!
It’s surprising.
It’s incredibly gratifying.
NIKKI: Yeah, we weren’t sure people would know who we are!
Well, maybe know a song or two but it’s so exciting for us and we’re finding that in every country we’re going to.
We were just in Sweden and they were chanting our name and we were like, “how do they know who we are?”
So it’s kinda nice for us.
We know they’re gonna know Life Is Beautiful and maybe some of the new stuff, but it’s like Christmas for us.
We’re like, “wow!”
DJ: And the other thing we’re noticing is the age. They’re parents . . . It’s a trip.
When can we expect to see Sixx:A.M. return to the UK with a headline show?
NIKKI: Well, we’ve got work to do on that but I know we’re gonna be coming over in February and March for an arena tour with another band and we’re excited about that.
But you know it’s a building process we’re into right now, so you get to know us.
We do these things called hit ’n’ runs where we tweet out from our Sixx:A.M. Twitter and it’ll just be like, “hit ’n’ run and a location” and we’ll show up with our acoustic guitars and James, and we’ll play a couple of songs and just go.
And we do these things called prayer sessions, which are like pretty cool.
We’ll leak it out the day of the show and play a small 100/150-seat place and we will play anything up to two hours.
So right now it’s about festivals, headline shows, hit ’n’ runs, prayer sessions and we’re constantly writing.
It’s a very exciting time for us.
How different are things for Sixx:A.M. given the end of Mötley Crüe for you, Nikki, and DJ, your departure from Guns N’ Roses?
NIKKI: Well, I mean, it’s all about time, isn’t it?
Between James producing records and me and DJ touring there just wasn’t the time but this is now our main focus.
DJ: You know it’s incredible, I’ve spent the last six-and-a-half years playing someone else’s songs with Guns N’ Roses.
And we did a headline tour for our last album Modern Vintage when something just clicked.
You walk on stage and there’s nothing like the feeling of playing smaller places . . . you’re playing your songs, to your crowd and it’s touching your crowd as they’re singing it back to you.
It’s so powerful.
And we just looked at each other and just knew this is something we have to do.
Prayers For The Damned is a split double album. What’s that all about?
JAMES: Well, first up, double albums have kinda gotten a bad reputation over the years because I think a lot of bands will go in with the intention of writing one record, they’ll have a couple of leftover songs and they’ll just polish those up, add a few more and they push a double record out.
To kick start this new phase of Sixx:A.M. we wanted to give our fans a lot of new music but want that quality to remain very, very high – a Sixx:A.M. standard.
So we went into the studio and in nine months we’d written and recorded 28 songs but we also knew they’d be released separately because 28 songs is a lot for somebody to absorb and Sixx:A.M. notoriously deals with very heavy subject matter – and that’s a lot to expect of your fans.
So we’re releasing two records this year to give fans a chance to absorb it all – both stand alone records which also work together in message.
DJ: What’s cool about the way we did it too is that if you never even picked up Volume 2 you’d be completely satisfied with Volume 1.
It’s just like a great movie – there’s a great beginning, middle and end but if you pop in Volume 2 the story continues.
You’ve dialled up the heaviness in Prayers For The Damned: Volume 1, harking back to your earlier albums. Why’s that?
DJ: Yeah. We noticed on the Modern Vintage tour our songs were coming across a little heavier than they did on the album so we made it a point to capture this magic, this heaviness we’ve got going on on stage.
And James did a great job of capturing that.
That is what you’re hearing.
What can we expect from Volume 2?
NIKKI: Well you’re gonna have the same thing as Volume 1.
Y’know, when you have songs like Better Man or Rise Of The Melancholy Empire where they take different turns.
You’re gonna find some experiences on the second record that takes you heading some other ways.
We’re open to all stuff – we just played Live Wire on French Radio.
It was actually their idea but it was a haunting acoustic version.
Y’know, everything is open to renegotiation now, trying new stuff.
I just love that the band is so open.
So we’re going to get more unplugged surprises?
JAMES: We’re kinda getting addicted to it!
In a way we’re making up for lost time as we haven’t been able to play together much for the last ten years and now . . . We did three shows in one day a couple of weeks ago – all in Philadelphia.
Then we played a festival like Download but in San Antonio, and then we got a jet and we flew to France and did Hellfest in the same day.
DJ: And if we had our guitars we’d get out there and play right now, that’s just how much fun we’re having doing this.
NIKKI: Yeah, or if you have The Sun private jet we’ll go somewhere else.
We’ll come to your office.
We’ll play in your bedroom, tell your wife we’re coming!
With the book of Mötley Crüe now firmly shut, what’s your take on the Gun N’ Roses reunion?
NIKKI: I think it’s cool!
DJ: I couldn’t be happier if I’m honest. I think it’s great.
I’ll always cherish those moments of being in the band and having someone like Axl believe in you and sharing the stage with such an icon.
Man, I couldn’t be happier to see ’em halfway back together but to see Slash come back was awesome.
I love it.
And what of the rumours about a musical based on The Heroin Diaries? Is this going to happen? And who would play you, Nikki?
NIKKI: Ha! Yeah, but that world is very slow.
But oh my God, play me on Broadway?
JAMES: Just say Johnny Depp and get it over with!
NIKKI: Ha! I don’t know.
I’m not saying Johnny Depp but maybe Brad Pitt.
No, it’s all about unknown performers to be honest.