I love those Keith Richards solo records, but it's not the Rolling Stones.
— Nikki Sixx
The thing is that I've known the guys from Motley Crue longer than just about everybody.
If you leave me in a room long enough, I'll redecorate the room.
For those that don't know, my sister was born with Down Syndrome, and she was institutionalized in the very early sixties. Me, being just a small boy and being shuffled around between my mother and grandparents, I never knew her.
I know some people who've gotten tattoos that they probably shouldn't have, like the name of somebody they were dating, and that never ends well.
My studio, nicknamed 'Funny Farm,' is in a hidden location. It's very private. Not only do I create my photography there, but it is also where I write my books and create music.
There's a sound with Motley Crue, and it comes with Vince's voice, which is such an important part of the show, and Mick's guitar. And the way Tommy and me play together is an important part of it.
I'm very interested in architecture.
Beauty, to me, is kind, generous, and people that are humble.
I understand quarterly billing, how the record companies run.
It's hard to find vehicles for your music.
You don't base records on success; you base it on creativity.
I think that music is a lifestyle that you sort of intravenously plug into and unplug from when you do and don't need it. Some people live it 10 hours a day, some on weekends. It's no more important or non-important than that.
I think - I honestly think that my story is not 100 percent that unique. I think that I'm - just the whole rock star part kind of throws an interesting twist on it.
I do believe that when I'm writing music, I get addicted to the music of the concept of what the outcome of the song is, or the passion behind the lyrics.
You can't lie to your audience. You can't lie to your fans.
I don't want to interview people. I want to have a conversation. I want to talk to Paul McCartney about the bass sound on 'The White Album.'
Nothing that Robert Plant does will ever equal Led Zeppelin, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop being creative. Jimmy Page has so many incredibly cool projects, but it's not Led Zeppelin; there will only ever be one Led Zeppelin.
I just love doing radio. I've learned to be more vulnerable through radio than even I've been through books and writing lyrics. It's a different type of experience where, if I'm writing a lyric, I can sort of hide behind it a little bit.
When the addict gets recovery, his family gets recovery, right?
When you have so many things, and you have no idea why, you think, 'Maybe I'm supposed to do things for other people.'
I love the way my tattoos look. I especially love Japanese-style tattoos and being completely sleeved by them, so it's not just these little individual and unrelated pieces, but everything's working together to create a larger design.
Let's just say I have expensive taste.
Sometimes when people can't speak English, they hum the melody instead of singing along. Having 20,000 people humming your song is incredible.
Ego is the great enemy. Ego will hold you back every single time.
Sometimes I journal three pages, sometimes I journal thirty pages, but I'm writing all the time, and whatever's happening is happening in real time for me.
They say the music you listen to in your formative years stays with you and leaves an impression for the rest of your life. For me, the things that I fell in love with happened in the '70s, when artists were nurtured by record companies and it wasn't about singles.
I know I'd feel emotional if one of my favorite bands was going out.
Radio stations play what they believe is in, and they all talk to each other.
I don't know if I believe in life after death so much as I believe that there is something out there.
I'm able to make decisions even in the face of adversity.
I do believe that I'm an addict on one level or another at all times.
For me, one of the things that I get excited about is getting in situations I shouldn't be in.
I can't stand people who try too hard.
Do I think anything I ever do will be as big as Motley Crue? It's impossible.
It's really cool to know that there are so many people out there that are attached to me or projects that I've done to really feel that it's a personal relationship.
It's interesting. People go to an animal shelter and pick a dog that's been kicked, beaten, and has lost a leg and an eye, and they'll take that dog home and give it love and support, but they don't do that with people.
I'm not religious, but by nature I am spiritual. I'm an artist, and creativity seems to go hand in hand with spirituality. But I have a knee-jerk reaction against organized religions. Actually, I have knee-jerk reactions against anything that's organized.
Like all artists, I go through creative spurts.
Rock n' roll is dirty, and it's bad, and it's either clever or it's not clever.
Fans are so grateful when you go places they don't expect you to go.
I just think if I can go from being a homeless kid with a dream of being in the biggest band in the world and making that happen, I can do a lot of other cool stuff, too.
When I go into rehearsal rooms and meet with bands, they're genuinely excited to be with me because of what I've done as an artist, not because of anything else. There's that whole celebrity rock star thing, and artists are into artists who have been able to achieve success their way.
It's getting harder and harder to feel inspired to spend six months on a record.
The industry needs to be run by artists, because we are the only people that care about art.
The funny thing is that when you have any form of presentation to your band, meaning you have the foresight to see outside of your creativity, you have a bigger vision.
My mom, you know, took off when I was about 6. What ended up happening is I ended up being with my grandparents.
Addiction is a really hard thing to kick.
You have to age gracefully. And that's what I love about Keith Richards. That's what I love about the Rolling Stones. They are aging gracefully. They are falling apart at the seams right before our eyes, and they are doing it gracefully. And that's the most beautiful thing that we can do.
What inspires me? I am so inspired every day. I am inspired by thinkers. I am inspired by rebellion. I am inspired by children. I have been inspired by love.
