The brains and lifeblood of infamous hair-metal band Mötley Crüe, bassist Nikki Sixx possesses a full-bore intensity that’s the stuff of legend.
As the Crüe's primary lyricist and songwriter, Sixx has inspired either awe or loathing – sometimes both – polarizing musicians since he first took to the stage nearly 50 years ago.
To critics, he epitomized the missteps of '80s hard rock – a commoditized obsession with an over-the-top personal style, and unsurpassed debauchery.
Vince Neil sums up Nikki Sixx best in the biography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star: “You know the problem with Nikki Sixx? He can't do anything just a little bit. There's no middle speed for that dude – it's zero or 10. In other words, get on board, or get out of the way.”
Speaking to Bass Player in 2007, Sixx elaborated on his bass guitar style – which, admittedly, has long been overshadowed by his look, sound and antics.
“The one song that could best be dubbed as my bass style is Pray for Me, which I did with Sixx: A.M. – it's straight down the middle, just rock ’n’ roll. That’s the one song where I felt, ‘Okay, this is what I do.’”
“I love bass – a lot. But I'm a bass player in a rock band. I'm not standing in the spotlight seeing how many licks I can fit in.
“There are lots of bass players out there that just blow me away, and if I wanted to play that way, I would. But it's just not my thing – what do I want, a Bass Player of the Year Award?”
What's your biggest weakness as a bass player?
In Mötley Crüe I always used a pick. But at home, I'm a better bass player when I use my fingers – and I did on half of that Sixx: A.M. record. When I play with my fingers, something different happens: a pocket develops, but it's less aggressive. I can play with more subtlety, and I tend to play less.
Are you particular about strings and picks?
I use medium-gauge strings in whatever brand is available. The picks I use are Herco .75mm. That's important to me. When I'm in the studio, I might goof around with the EQ, but I don't like to get stuck in the details of my sound.
My friends can tell me the kind of tubes they've got in their head, and I'm like, ‘Dude, you've got to get a hobby. Trust me, no-one can tell the difference!’
You've always been involved in every aspect of your projects. Is it hard to concentrate on just being the bassist?
If you're a bass player, you're a creative person. And that means you can do everything. You can write songs and lyrics, you can design things for your band. You can be involved in everything.
Ego will tell you that you are everything. If you’re wise and in tune, you'll know you're a part of everything – in music, that's when things get really great. I always say, ‘My ego’s not my amigo.’
I see these cats that say, ‘Man, turn up my snare drum,’ or, ‘I want my guitar to shred all the way through.’ They're missing the whole point. Music is for the listener, not the musician. When it's not about the music, what are you doing?
What have you learned from working in the studio?
For me, it's all about being extremely creative without getting hung up on the little things. I prefer a rough mix to a mix that's been too thought out, and I think the first takes of a song are always the best. Jamming on ideas even when someone hits the wrong note or makes a mistake – inspires me to take the song to the next level.
What else inspires and motivates you?
More and more, it's things like photography or stream-of-consciousness writing – something will jump off the page, and I'll run over and pick up my bass. Or it'll come from a conversation I overhear at the café. I'll sit in the corner with a notepad, jotting down what people are saying or wearing. The interaction of human beings is amazing to me.
Are you driven today by something different than in the early ’80s?
What drove me then was abandon and anger. What drives me now is a thirst for quality and a desire to say something fresh – to be honest and not cliché.
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