Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.;
December 11, 1958) is an American musician, best known as the co-founder, bassist, and primary songwriter of the
heavy metal band
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
.
Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a member of
Sister
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
before going on to form
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
with his Sister bandmate
Lizzie Grey
Stephen M. Perry (August 13, 1958 – August 5, 2019), who used the stage name Lizzie Grey, was an American musician. He is perhaps best known for his membership as a guitarist in the heavy metal band London and for co-writing the Mötley Crü ...
.
In 2000, he formed side project group
58 with
Dave Darling
Dave Darling, (born in 1958 in San Francisco CA), is an American record producer, songwriter, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist. He relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1980 while recording an album project and decided to stay in Los Angeles t ...
,
Steve Gibb
Stephen Thadeus Crompton Gibb (born 1 December 1973) is a British-American guitarist. He has been a member of numerous hard rock and metal bands including 58, Black Label Society, Crowbar, Kingdom of Sorrow, The Underbellys, SkilletHead, and ...
and Bucket Baker, issuing one album, ''
Diet for a New America
''Diet for a New America'' is a 1987 bestselling nonfiction book by John Robbins. The book links the impacts of factory farming on human health, animal welfare and the environment, in an "animal-rights, pro-environment, vegetarian message." It w ...
''. Also in 2002,
he formed the hard rock
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
Brides of Destruction
Brides of Destruction was an American hard rock supergroup from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2002. The band's last lineup consisted of singer London LeGrand (vocals), Tracii Guns (lead guitar) and Scot Coogan (drums, percussion). Prev ...
with
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Ace Von Johnson (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Johnny Martin (bass, backing vo ...
guitarist
Tracii Guns
Tracy Richard Irving Ulrich (born January 20, 1966), known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the Supergroup (music), supergroups named Brides of Destru ...
.
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, producer, and vocalist
James Michael
James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, singer, sound engineer and mixer. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.
Early life
He took piano lessons while growing up and sang in Holland High ...
and guitarist
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay Ashba (born November 10, 1972) is an American musician, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer. He is currently the lead guitarist in Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys, Beautif ...
.
Sixx has also worked with a number of artists and groups, co-writing and/or producing songs, such as
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
's guitarist
Steve Jones,
Lita Ford
Lita Rossana Ford (born 19 September 1958) is an English-born American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the lead guitarist for the all-female rock band the Runaways in the late 1970s, before embarking on a successful glam metal solo ...
,
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
,
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...
,
Marion Raven
Marion Elise Ravn (born 25 May 1984), better known abroad as Marion Raven, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. Raven formed the pop duo M2M with Marit Larsen, though they ceased performing together in 2002. Raven was later signed as a solo ar ...
,
Drowning Pool
Drowning Pool is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Dallas, Texas, in 1996. The band was named after the 1975 film ''The Drowning Pool (film), The Drowning Pool''. Since its formation, the band has consisted of guitarist C.J. Pierce, ...
,
Saliva
Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...
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 apparel.
In 2010,
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks (formerly Premiere Radio Networks, shortened as PRN) is an American media company, a wholly owned subsidiary of iHeartMedia, for which it currently serves as its main original radio content distribution and production arm. It ...
launched nationally syndicated rock/
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
music radio programs "Sixx Sense" and "The Side Show Countdown" with both based in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and hosted by Sixx and co-hosted by Jenn Marino.
Early life
Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr. was born on December 11, 1958, in
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...
.
He is of Italian descent on his father's side, from
Prato
Prato ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city lies in the north east of Tuscany, at the foot of Monte Retaia, elevation , the last peak in the Calvana chain. With more than 200,000 i ...
,
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze'').
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
. Sixx was partially raised by his single mother, Deana Richards, and by his grandparents after his father left the family.
Feranna later moved in with his grandparents after his mother abandoned him. Feranna relocated several times while living with his grandparents. Feranna's uncle, husband of Deana's sister Sharon, is Don Zimmerman, producer and president of
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
. Feranna had one full biological sister, Lisa (born with
Down syndrome
Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...
; died circa 2000) and has one (half) brother Rodney Anthony Feranna (born 1966) and a half-sister Ceci.
Feranna grew up listening to
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
,
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ove ...
,
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
, and
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
; he later discovered
T. Rex,
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
, and
Slade
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The ''British Hit Singles ...
. While living in
Jerome, Idaho
Jerome is a city in and county seat of Jerome County, Idaho, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2010 census, up from 7,780 in 2000.[Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...]
. Feranna 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 guitar he had stolen.
Career
Early career, Sister, London (1975–1979)
At the age of 17, Feranna moved to Los Angeles and worked menial jobs such as working at a liquor store
and selling vacuum cleaners over the phone
while he auditioned for bands. He eventually joined the band
Sister
A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to ...
,
led by
Blackie Lawless
Steven Edward Duren (born September 4, 1956), better known by his stage name Blackie Lawless, is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist (formerly bassist) for heavy metal band W.A.S.P.B ...
, after answering an ad in ''
The Recycler
The Recycler was first published in July, 1973, under the name E-Z Buy E-Z Sell by Canadians Gunter and Nancy Schaldach after they moved to Los Angeles. They modeled their paper after a similar publication in Vancouver.
The Recycler changed the ec ...
'' for a bass player.
Soon after recording a demo, Feranna was fired from Sister
along with bandmate
Lizzie Grey
Stephen M. Perry (August 13, 1958 – August 5, 2019), who used the stage name Lizzie Grey, was an American musician. He is perhaps best known for his membership as a guitarist in the heavy metal band London and for co-writing the Mötley Crü ...
.
Feranna and Grey formed the band
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
soon afterward, in 1978.
During this time, Feranna legally changed his name to Nikki Sixx.
After a number of lineup changes, London added former
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were an English rock band formed in Herefordshire. Originally known as the Doc Thomas Group, the group changed their name after signing with Island Records in 1969. The band released albums throughout the early 1970s but fail ...
singer Nigel Benjamin to the group, and recorded 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 bandmate Blackie Lawless (later of
W.A.S.P.),
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist. He was a co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of their fame in 1991, and with whom he ...
(then of
Hollywood Rose
Hollywood Rose was an American glam metal group formed in 1983. They are best known as the precursor 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 l ...
, later of
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
) and drummer
Fred Coury
Fred Coury (born October 20, 1967) is an American musician best known as the drummer for the glam metal band Cinderella. Coury lists Neil Peart, Peter Criss, Bobby Blotzer, John Bonham, Eric Carr, Tommy Lee and Tommy Aldridge as his drumming i ...
(later of
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
). In 2000, a number of the London demos recorded with Sixx were included on ''
London Daze
''London Daze'' is the sixth album by Spiders & Snakes, released by Cleopatra Records in 2000. The album features rerecordings of songs that were recorded or played by frontman Lizzie Grey's previous band London.
The album's most successful trac ...
'' by Spiders & Snakes, led by former London guitarist Lizzie Grey.
Mötley Crüe (1981–present)
In 1981, Sixx founded Mötley Crüe alongside drummer
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy 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 ...
. They were later joined by guitarist
Mick Mars
Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician and the retired lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He is known for his aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs ...
through an ad in the local newspaper, and singer
Vince Neil
Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961), best known by the stage name Vince Neil, is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, which he fronted from their 1981 forma ...
, with whom Lee had attended high school.
The band self-recorded their debut album, ''
Too Fast for Love
''Too Fast for Love'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. The first edition of 900 copies was released on November 10, 1981, on the band's original label Leathür Records. Elektra Records signed the band the fol ...
'', which was subsequently released in November 1981 on the band's own
Leathür Records
Leathür Records was American glam metal band Mötley Crüe's original record label that was also owned by their original manager Allan Coffman. Leathür's only release was the band's 1981 debut studio album '' Too Fast for Love''.
Leathür Re ...
label. After signing with
Elektra Records
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
, they re-released the same album.
The band then went on to record and release ''
Shout at the Devil
''Shout at the Devil'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 26, 1983. It was the band's breakthrough album, establishing Mötley Crüe as one of the top selling heavy metal acts of the 19 ...
'', raising the band to national fame.
They issued three more albums during the 1980s, ''
Theatre of Pain
''Theatre of Pain'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 21, 1985. Released in the aftermath of lead vocalist Vince Neil's arrest for manslaughter on a drunk driving charge, the album marked the ...
'' in 1985, ''
Girls, Girls, Girls'' in 1987,
and ''
Dr. Feelgood'' in 1989. The latter ended up being their most successful record,
staying in the charts for 114 weeks after its release.
During his time with Mötley Crüe, Sixx became addicted to
heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
. He is quoted in ''The Heroin Diaries'' as saying: "Alcohol,
acid
In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
,
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
... they were just affairs. When I met heroin it was true love." He estimates he overdosed "about half a dozen times".
On December 23, 1987, Sixx overdosed on heroin and was reportedly declared clinically dead for two minutes before a paramedic revived him with two syringes full of
adrenaline
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions (e.g., respiration). It appears as a white microcrystalline granule. Adrenaline is normally produced by the adrenal glands and ...
.
After releasing the compilation album ''
Decade of Decadence
A decade () is a period of ten years. Decades may describe any ten-year period, such as those of a person's life, or refer to specific groupings of calendar years.
Usage
Any period of ten years is a "decade". For example, the statement that "d ...
'' in 1991, Neil left the group, and was replaced by
John Corabi
John Corabi (born April 26, 1959) is an American hard rock singer and guitarist. He was the frontman of The Scream during 1989 and the frontman of Mötley Crüe between 1992 and 1996 during original frontman Vince Neil's hiatus from the band.
...
, who formerly served with
The Scream
''The Scream'' is a composition created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images of art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. Munch's work, including ...
. They released one
self titled album with Corabi, in 1994, before firing him in 1996. Afterwards, they reunited with Neil, with whom they released ''
Generation Swine
''Generation Swine'' is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 1997. The album marks the return of lead singer Vince Neil following his last appearance on 1991's '' Decade of Decadence'' a ...
'' in 1997.
Sixx had become controversial for an incident during a Mötley Crüe concert at
Greensboro Coliseum
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, commonly referred to as Greensboro Coliseum (the first and biggest building on the site), is an entertainment and sports complex located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Opened in 1959, the complex holds eight ven ...
on October 30, 1997, in which he used racial epithets while goading the audience to physically attack a black security guard for repeatedly attacking a female fan. In May 2001, Sixx addressed the issue, and claimed he had apologized to the victim of the incident.
In 1999, Tommy Lee left the group to form
Methods of Mayhem
Methods of Mayhem is an American rap rock band formed in 1999 by Tommy Lee, who had temporarily quit his position as Mötley Crüe's drummer.
History
Lee formed Methods of Mayhem on the eve of his divorce from Pamela Anderson. The band's self- ...
. He was replaced by former
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
drummer
Randy Castillo
Randolpho Francisco Castillo (December 18, 1950 – March 26, 2002) was an American musician. He was Ozzy Osbourne's drummer during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, and later as drummer for Mötley Crüe, from 1999 to his death in 2002.
Ea ...
, with whom they released the album ''
New Tattoo'' in 2000.
The group went on hiatus soon afterward before reuniting in 2004, during which Sixx declared himself
sober
In cryptography, SOBER is a family of stream ciphers initially designed by Greg Rose of QUALCOMM Australia starting in 1997. The name is a contrived acronym for ''S''eventeen ''O''ctet ''B''yte ''E''nabled ''R''egister. Initially the cipher wa ...
. A 2001 autobiography entitled ''
The Dirt
''The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band'' () is a collaborative autobiography of Mötley Crüe by the band – Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx – and ''New York Times'' writer Neil Strauss. First publi ...
'' 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 is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
, called
The Route of All Evil
"The Route of All Evil" is the twelfth episode of the third production season of the American animated television series ''Futurama'', and the 44th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on Decem ...
. In April 2008, the band announced the first ''
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 Lo ...
'', a summer tour, that featured Sixx's side project
Sixx:A.M.,
Buckcherry
Buckcherry is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1995. The band released two albums, ''Buckcherry'' (1999) and ''Time Bomb'' (2001), before dissolving in 2002. Buckcherry's first album ''Buckcherry'' was DreamWorks first a ...
,
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, guitarist Jerry Horton, drummer Dave Buckner, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luther.
After ...
and
Trapt
Trapt is an American rock band formed in Los Gatos, California. Eight studio albums have been recorded to date: ''Amalgamation'' (1999), ''Trapt'' (2002), '' Someone in Control'' (2005), '' Only Through the Pain'' (2008), '' No Apologies'' (20 ...
.
On June 24, 2008, Mötley Crüe released their ninth studio album, ''
Saints of Los Angeles
''Saints of Los Angeles'' is the ninth and final studio album by the American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on June 24, 2008. It was the first full-length studio album with the band's original lineup since 1997's ''Generation Swine'' ...
'', with Sixx credited as either writer or co-writer on all tracks.
Sixx wrote most of Mötley Crüe's material, including tracks such as "
Live Wire", "
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home may refer to:
Film
* Home, Sweet Home (1914 film), ''Home, Sweet Home'' (1914 film), a film about the life of John Howard Payne
* Home Sweet Home (1917 film), ''Home Sweet Home'' (1917 film), a British silent film
* Home Sweet ...
", "
Girls, Girls, Girls", "
Kickstart My Heart
"Kickstart My Heart" is a song by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, originally released on their 1989 album, '' Dr. Feelgood''. Released as the album's second single in 1989, "Kickstart My Heart" reached #27 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ...
", "
Wild Side", "
Hooligan's Holiday
"Hooligan's Holiday" is a song by American heavy metal band, Mötley Crüe, released on their 1994 eponymous album. The lyrics to the song were written by vocalist/rhythm guitarist John Corabi and bassist Nikki Sixx, while the music was written ...
" and "
Dr. Feelgood". 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 Darling
Dave Darling, (born in 1958 in San Francisco CA), is an American record producer, songwriter, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist. He relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1980 while recording an album project and decided to stay in Los Angeles t ...
, guitarist
Steve Gibb
Stephen Thadeus Crompton Gibb (born 1 December 1973) is a British-American guitarist. He has been a member of numerous hard rock and metal bands including 58, Black Label Society, Crowbar, Kingdom of Sorrow, The Underbellys, SkilletHead, and ...
(formerly of
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1998 by guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde. To date, the band has released eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, one EP, and three vide ...
and
Crowbar) and drummer Bucket Baker.
They released one single, titled "Piece of Candy", and their debut album, ''
Diet for a New America
''Diet for a New America'' is a 1987 bestselling nonfiction book by John Robbins. The book links the impacts of factory farming on human health, animal welfare and the environment, in an "animal-rights, pro-environment, vegetarian message." It w ...
'', also in 2000 through Sixx's Americoma label and
Beyond Records
Beyond Records was an English record label founded in Birmingham in 1992, best known for its ambient dub compilations, which were to define the genre.
The label was set up by Mike Barnett, who had previous experience within the music industry i ...
.
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 Guns
Tracy Richard Irving Ulrich (born January 20, 1966), known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the Supergroup (music), supergroups named Brides of Destru ...
in Los Angeles 2002 initially with the name Cockstar
after
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
went on hiatus and Guns left
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Ace Von Johnson (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Johnny Martin (bass, backing vo ...
. Sixx also invited former
Beautiful Creatures guitarist
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay Ashba (born November 10, 1972) is an American musician, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer. He is currently the lead guitarist in Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys, Beautif ...
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 bandmate
John Corabi
John Corabi (born April 26, 1959) is an American hard rock singer and guitarist. He was the frontman of The Scream during 1989 and the frontman of Mötley Crüe between 1992 and 1996 during original frontman Vince Neil's hiatus from the band.
...
,
keyboardist
Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton (20 August 1880 – 29 April 1952) was a New Zealand politician. He was the first non-interim Leader of the National Party during its early years in Opposition.
Early life
Hamilton was born in Forest Hill, near Winton, South ...
and drummer
Kris Kohls
Adema is an American rock band from Bakersfield, California. The band formed in 2000 with members vocalist Mark Chavez, guitarist Tim Fluckey, guitarist Mike Ransom, bassist Dave DeRoo, and drummer Kris Kohls. After their first two albums, ''A ...
of
Adema
Adema is an American rock band from Bakersfield, California. The band formed in 2000 with members vocalist Mark Chavez, guitarist Tim Fluckey, guitarist Mike Ransom, bassist Dave DeRoo, and drummer Kris Kohls. After their first two albums, ''A ...
,
the group was composed of Sixx, Guns, singer
London LeGrand
Edward "London" LeGrand (born 30 July 1966) 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 ...
and drummer
Scot Coogan
Scot Coogan is an American musician known for his accomplished drumming and vocal skills, working as both a session and touring musician. Scot resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he records, performs and has worked as a counselor at Rock and Ro ...
formerly of
Ednaswap
Ednaswap was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, 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.
The band is best know ...
and
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. Founding members Anne Preve ...
.
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'' is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970. It was loosely based on Asa Mercer's efforts in the 1860s to import marriageable wo ...
''. The Brides played their first show opening for
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is an American heavy metal band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1996. Known for their sonic experimentation, face and body paint, masks and uniforms, the band has sold over six million records worldwide, including nearly three millio ...
and
Taproot
A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...
on November 14, 2002, at the Ventura Theatre in California.
After signing a deal with
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and is as of 2013 a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management solely for reissues. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest m ...
,
the group released ''
Here Come the Brides
''Here Come the Brides'' is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970. It was loosely based on Asa Mercer's efforts in the 1860s to import marriageable wo ...
'' 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
Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 201 ...
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 ( he, אָמֵן, ; grc, ἀμήν, ; syc, ܐܡܝܢ, ; ar, آمين, ) is an Abrahamic declaration of affirmation which is first found in the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently found in the New Testament. It is used in Jews, Jewish, Christia ...
bassist
Scott Sorry
Scott Sorry (born Gerard Scott; October 30, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American singer songwriter. Prior to being a solo artist Scott played with The Wildhearts, Sorry and the Sinatras, Amen and briefly Brides of Destruction.
Bi ...
to the group as Sixx's replacement. The second Brides of Destruction album, titled ''
Runaway Brides
''Runaway Brides'' is the second and final studio 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 ...
'', released in 2005 featured three songs co-written by Sixx during the ''Here Come the Brides'' sessions.
Sixx:A.M. (2006–2017)
Sixx formed his own group Sixx:A.M. in 2006, to record an audio accompaniment to his autobiography ''
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star'',
with friends producer/songwriter
James Michael
James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, singer, sound engineer and mixer. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.
Early life
He took piano lessons while growing up and sang in Holland High ...
and guitarist
DJ Ashba
Daren Jay Ashba (born November 10, 1972) is an American musician, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer. He is currently the lead guitarist in Sixx:A.M. He is also known for his work with hard rock bands BulletBoys, Beautif ...
(
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
, formerly of
Beautiful Creatures and
BulletBoys
BulletBoys is an American hard rock/glam metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1986. The group's original lineup was composed of singer Marq Torien (formerly of Ratt, King Kobra, and Kagny & the Dirty Rats), guitarist Mick Sweda, bassist Lonnie V ...
).
They recorded and released ''
The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
''The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack'', often referred to as simply ''The Heroin Diaries'', is the debut studio album by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. The band also features lead vocalist James Michael and guitarist DJ ...
'' in August 2007 through
Eleven Seven
Eleven Seven Label Group is the American parent company of a group of rock and alternative rock record labels founded in 2006 by Allen Kovac, CEO of 10th Street Entertainment. The Eleven Seven Music label is the home of recording artists Papa R ...
.
The single, "
Life Is Beautiful
''Life Is Beautiful'' ( it, La vita è bella, ) is a 1997 Italian comedy drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who co-wrote the film with Vincenzo Cerami. Benigni plays Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who emplo ...
", received a high ratio of radio and video play
peaking at number 2 on the
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...
.
Sixx (right) performing as part of Sixx:A.M. with James Michael in 2016
The band made their live debut at the Crash Mansion on July 16, 2007. They performed five songs from the album, with former Beautiful Creatures drummer
Glen Sobel
Glen Sobel is an American drummer who has performed and recorded in many different genres. Mainly known for being the drummer for Alice Cooper since 2011, Sobel has worked with other musicians/groups, including Mötley Crüe, Hollywood Vampire ...
filling in on the drums. On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
's ''
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 Lo ...
''.
The tour began on July 1, 2008, in
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
. During Crüe Fest,
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, guitarist Jerry Horton, drummer Dave Buckner, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luther.
After ...
drummer
Tony Palermo
Anthony Joseph Palermo (born November 22, 1969) is an American musician who is the drummer of Californian rock band Papa Roach and is the former drummer of punk rock bands Pulley and Unwritten Law. He was also a touring drummer for Sixx:A.M ...
served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of ''
The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
''The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack'', often referred to as simply ''The Heroin Diaries'', is the debut studio album by Sixx:A.M., a side project of Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. The band also features lead vocalist James Michael and guitarist DJ ...
'' 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 was in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material was "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 2010, Sixx stated that the album was almost finished.
''
This Is Gonna Hurt'', the band's second studio album, was released on May 3, 2011. A third studio album, ''
Modern Vintage
''Modern Vintage'' is the third studio album by American rock band Sixx:A.M.
Modern Vintage peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 on October 25, 2014. It topped the Billboard Hard Rock Charts, and reached number 5 on the Billboard Rock chart ...
'', was released in 2014. ''
Prayers for the Damned
''Prayers for the Damned'' (referred to as ''Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 1'' on its album cover) is the fourth studio album by American rock band Sixx:A.M. It is the first half of the ''Prayers for the Damned/Blessed'' double album. It was fol ...
'' and ''
Prayers for the Blessed'' were released in 2016.
The band went on hiatus in 2017, with other members DJ Ashba and James Michael forming a new band, Pyromantic.
In 2021, the band released a greatest HITS album to coincide with Nikki's fourth novel, ''THE FIRST 21.''
Other work
In 1989, Sixx was a featured guest artist on the album ''
Fire and Gasoline
''Fire and Gasoline'' is the second solo 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 the lyrics of Nikki Sixx of Mötley ...
'' by
Steve Jones, formerly of the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
.
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 (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
's ''
Hey Stoopid
''Hey Stoopid'' is the twelfth solo studio album by American rock singer Alice Cooper, released on July 2, 1991, by Epic Records. After his smash 1989 hit album '' Trash'', Cooper attempted to continue his success with his follow-up album, which ...
'' album.
Sixx co-wrote the track "
Die For You", along with Cooper and Mötley Crüe guitarist
Mick Mars
Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician and the retired lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He is known for his aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs ...
. In 2002, Sixx played on Butch Walkers first solo album "Left of Self Centered". In 2005, he collaborated with the Norwegian singer
Marion Raven
Marion Elise Ravn (born 25 May 1984), better known abroad as Marion Raven, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. Raven formed the pop duo M2M with Marit Larsen, though they ceased performing together in 2002. Raven was later signed as a solo ar ...
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
Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...
'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 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 #7 on ''
The New York Times Best Seller list
''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...
''. Along with
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a solo ...
(John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin), and
James Otto
James Allen Otto (born July 29, 1973) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Otto began his career on Mercury Nashville Records in 2002, charting three minor singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts and recording his deb ...
, Sixx co-wrote "Ain't Gonna Stop" for Otto's 2008 ''Sunset Man'' CD on Warner Bros/Raybaw Records.
In May 2021, it was announced that Sixx along with
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...
,
John 5
John 5 is the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It relates Jesus' healing and teaching in Jerusalem, and begins to evidence the hostility shown him by the Jewish authorities.Plummer, A. (1902)Cambri ...
, and
Tommy Clufetos
Tommy Clufetos (born December 30, 1979) is an American session drummer most noted for his work with Black Sabbath during their Black Sabbath Reunion Tour, which highlighted their new album '' 13''. He also toured with them on their final tour. ...
formed a
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
called L.A. Rats.
Their debut track, "I've Been Everywhere", is from the soundtrack to the
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
film ''
The Ice Road
''The Ice Road'' is a 2021 American action thriller film written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh. The film stars Liam Neeson as a brooding Mike McCann, and Laurence Fishburne as a wiley Jim Goldenrod with Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, ...
''.
Equipment
Signature basses
Sixx is most often seen playing
Gibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson and Epiphone.
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 introduct ...
basses. Between 2000 and 2003
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:
People
* Gibson (surname)
Businesses
* Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment
* Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based
* Gi ...
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
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
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 is an American musical instrument brand that traces its roots to a musical instrument manufacturing business founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire, and moved to New York City in 1908. After taking over his f ...
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.
Personal life
Sixx was engaged to Denise "
Vanity
Vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness to others. Prior to the 14th century it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant ''futility''. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic s ...
" Matthews in 1987. In his autobiography, ''
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star'', Sixx described his toxic relationship with Matthews. "Vanity came and went during different periods of my addiction. She was a wild black chick who had sung with
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
: she'd also been his lover for a while. At the time I thought of Vanity as a disposable human being, like a used needle. Once its purpose was fulfilled it was ready for the trash, only to be dug up if you were really desperate…We became drug buddies: sometimes, you could even just about call us boyfriend and girlfriend. Vanity also taught me how to really freebase: the first time I based was with Tommy when Mötley just started and only a few times after that. So up until then, I'd been mostly snorting or injecting. But as soon as she showed me the real ins and outs of cooking up a good rock…it was love. Not her. The drug."
From May 1989 to November 1996, Sixx was married to his first wife,
''Playboy'' Playmate Brandi Brandt
Brandi Angela Brandt (born November 2, 1968) is an American model and actress, who was ''Playboy's'' Playmate of the Month for October 1987.
Early life
Brandt was born on November 2, 1968, in Santa Clara, California to parents Mike Brandt and ...
;
they have three children: Gunner Nicholas Sixx (born January 25, 1991), Storm Brieann Sixx (born April 14, 1994), and Decker Nilsson Sixx (born May 23, 1995).
One month after the divorce from Brandt, Sixx married his second wife, actress
Donna D'Errico
Donna Jeanette D'Errico (born March 30, 1968) is an American actress and model. She posed for ''Playboy'' as its Playmate of the Month for September 1995 and had a starring role (1996–1998) on the television series ''Baywatch''. She continue ...
.
Sixx and D'Errico have one daughter, Frankie-Jean Mary Sixx (born January 2, 2001). D'Errico has a son, Rhyan (born 1993), 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
''LA Ink'' is an American reality television show on TLC that follows the events of the High Voltage Tattoo (and, later in the series, American Electric) tattoo studios in Los Angeles, California. The spin-off of TLC's '' Miami Ink'', premiere ...
'' in 2008, in which Von D gave him a tattoo of
Mick Mars
Robert Alan Deal (born May 4, 1951), known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician and the retired lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He is known for his aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs ...
, lead guitarist of
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
. 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
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained stro ...
were still together, 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 (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
with Courtney Bingham. On November 26, 2012, Nikki revealed to the public that he proposed to Courtney while vacationing in
St. Barts. They were married on March 15, 2014.
Bingham gave birth to their first child together, Ruby Sixx on July 27, 2019. Sixx announced the birth through social media.
Sixx practices
Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...
, as he considers it an important self-help technique.
During an interview with ''Wall of Sound,'' Nikki revealed he's working on a children’s book with his wife and a coffee table poetry/photography book.
Radio shows
Launched on February 8, 2010, ''
Sixx Sense
Sixx Sense was a nationally syndicated rock radio show broadcast from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles and heard on over 115 radio stations. It was also available on iHeartRadio in The United States and Canada. The iHeartRadio channel intersperses acti ...
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 discusses music and lifestyle topics as he gives listeners a backstage look at the world and mind of a rock star. Sixx was joined by co-host
Kerri Kasem
Kerri Kasem (born Carrie H. Kasem, July 12, 1972) is an American radio host. She hosted the nationally syndicated ''Sixx Sense'' and ''The Side Show Countdown With Nikki Sixx'' from February 2010 to April 2014. Kasem later became a judge on ''Who ...
, from its first episode until March 28, 2014. On April 2, it was announced that radio personality Jenn Marino would be joining the show in Kasem's place. The show is based in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
in a studio in the
Northpark Center
NorthPark Center, sometimes referred to as NorthPark Mall, is an upscale, enclosed shopping mall in Dallas, Texas (United States). It is at the intersection of Loop 12
(Northwest Highway) and US 75 (North Central Expressway). Opened in 1965, it ...
.
Starting on May 7, 2012,
KEGL
KEGL (97.1 FM) is a radio station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, United States. The station broadcasts to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. KEGL is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. The station's studios are located along Dallas Parkway in Fa ...
in
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
/
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
moved the show to mornings, making it the only station to carry the show in the mornings at 6 to 10 AM local time instead of the evening's time slot. The show is customized for the Dallas/Fort Worth listeners for broadcast in the mornings on KEGL. Sixx said that bringing Sixx Sense to mornings "has always been our goal. Who better to start your morning with than a rock star and a hot chick? It's a dream come true to have a morning show on one of America's best rock stations." however, one year later, Sixx Sense returned to evenings at KEGL. In addition, recent episodes of "Sixx Sense" air 24/7 on its own
iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming Computing platform, platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbr ...
streaming page.
''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 will air top-charting songs, showcase new and emerging artists, and welcome guests from the worlds of music and entertainment.
In October 2017 Sixx announced he would step down from ''Sixx Sense'' on December 31, 2017.
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 House
Covenant House is a large, Catholic, privately funded agency in the Americas, whose primary purpose is to promote Catholicism. It provides shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and other services to homeless and runaway young people. Covenant H ...
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.
Sixx has negotiated with people in his industry to provide the program with musical instruments and software.
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. He continues to auction off personal items to fund Running Wild in the Night. As of April 2009, he had raised over $100,000.
Discography
Production and songwriting credits
References
External links
*
*
*
Sixx:A.M. websiteOfficial Cruefest 2009 Tour websiteMötley Crüe videos
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sixx, Nikki
1958 births
20th-century American musicians
20th-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American musicians
21st-century American non-fiction writers
American fashion designers
American heavy metal bass guitarists
American male non-fiction writers
American memoirists
American people of Italian descent
Glam metal musicians
Living people
Mötley Crüe members
Musicians from San Jose, California
Photographers from California
Radio personalities from Los Angeles
Sixx:A.M. members
Songwriters from California
Writers from Los Angeles
Writers from San Jose, California
Guitarists from Los Angeles
20th-century American guitarists
Brides of Destruction members
American male bass guitarists
20th-century American male writers
21st-century American male writers