Nikki Sixx and 'The Heroin Diaries'
Nickelback pretty much nailed the true notion of the American Dream when the band penned the lyrics "We all just wanna be big rock stars."
It's true. Wherever you are in the life at the moment, if you could trade it for a hit record, a tour bus, groupies, buckets of cash and the cover of Rolling Stone, you would do it. It's ingrained in our culture. A rock star is the president of cool. A movie star, $20 million a flick or not, is the under secretary.
Tear through Nikki Sixx's new memoir "The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of Shattered Rock Star" and you'll see. Through all the stories of drug addiction, overdosing and police involvement, there's a part of you that wants to be able to say you lived the life. To be clear, by no means are we condoning drug use. Rather, we're asking you to read beyond that and focus on the big picture.
In 1987, Motley Crue was on top of the world, the biggest rock band on Earth, complete with all the expected accoutrements -- plus a few more. The Girls Girls Girls tour set all kinds of records for debauchery, some of which are documented in Sixx's book, many of which are documented in the 2001 Motley tome "The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band."
The phrase "party like a rock star" may not have been invented for Motley Crue, but they certainly perfected and patented its definition.
But where "The Heroin Diaries" differs is in its then-and-now approach. Somewhere in between recording the "Girls Girls Girls" album, touring, pounding Jack Daniel's like a marathoner does water, snorting coke, getting into insane battles with on-again off-again girlfriend Vanity and shooting heroin into parts of the body not printable here, Sixx kept a diary.
That diary is the basis for the book, with more than 200 days worth of entries. Those entries are accompanied by modern-day commentary from the people involved in the stories, including Crue members Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Mick Mars, and other Crue folks such as managers, producers, roadies, family members and other characters in the sick and twisted life of Nikki Sixx.
In short, it's amazing. Impossible to put down. Each page filled with more shock and awe than the previous.
The book basically covers the time between when Sixx died near the end of 1986 in a garbage dumpster in London to when he died again just before Christmas 1987 in Van Nuys, Calif.
That's not a joke. It's just a sample of what you'll read. And what you'll read is the raw thoughts of a heroin and coke addict who, while in between blackouts and overdoses, was the creator, leader, lyricist and bassist for the most successful rock band at the time.
With each riveting turn of the page, you root for Sixx. To get clean. To stay clean. To live. Even though you already know before you cracked the book for the first time that Sixx is still alive, you'll start to question that as you read. At some point, you'll think this is a novel. It's not. But you root for Sixx the way you would root for any tragically flawed character in a work of fiction.
In between the sadness, there are some moments of hilarity. Such as Sept. 27, 1987. It was 3:30 a.m. in a Dallas hotel. Two hot girls knock on Sixx's door. They wanted to repeat the events of the previous evening. Sixx was too ill, strung out on heroin and whatever else he put into his body that week, and turned them down. But he gave them back their shoes and their underwear. "Thanks, but these aren't my panties," one girl said. Sixx then writes, "and her girlfriend said they weren't hers either. Oh Lord."
That's the sort of thing you get when you read about Motley Crue. This book is a must-read for anyone who ever shouted at the devil.
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Comments (7)
I picked up the book this weekend and couldn't put it down. I wanted to see what made this ticking time bomb, tick, tick and tick, blow up a few times and then keeping ticking. Lucky SOB I would say. As I turned each page I questioned how he made it through a whole year. Between the NUMEROUS woman he had sex with and the drug use, and everything in between. This man is no mere mortal. I rooted for him just as you did. He'd have his moments of complete clarity and go back to the same debauchery time and time again. He is unbelievably gifted and intelligent, yet at the same time just a child stuck in a man's body. The humorous moments were even better. I now understand (or at least I think I do) what it's like to be an addict. I witnessed the despair that is drug addiction with my son's father and his ultimate death from it. I never understood what his infatuation was with it and now I see that he was trying to self-medicate to escape his demons. He just wasn't as lucky. Thank you Nikki Sixx for sharing this with us and providing some closure for millions.
Having lost my husband to a heroin overdose and then becoming an addict myself, this book was a page turner for me. I am blessed to be clean and sober 23 years now, and while I was rooting for Nikki throughout the book, I continue to root for him.
He is gifted talented and hot. This book reminds me where I came from and just how lucky I am.
Thanks Nikki for sharing your life with us and reminding us that we have a choice
my best mate bought this book, and i thought he was just a nerd. then he started reading out loud and i thought to myself, hey this is pretty cool. so i picked up the book and started reading. I had never read a book before this on my own free will, but this book is just... i cant even explain.
Nikki's diarys make you think. I have always wanted to be a rock star ever since i was little. Now i think to myself, gee with all that money, i rekon i would end up like Nikki Sixx.
The best thing i love about it is that he opens up. He is not like any normal male, he tells us his feelings, and thoughts.
I feel empathy for Sixx, although he does drugs heavilly, i would never with this kind of pain on to any human being.
I give this book 5 stars. Its definatly a must read.
Good on ya Nikki.
FOR ALL YOU NIKKI SIXX FANS....Check out the new video by SIXX AM from the heroin diaries soundtrack:
Nikki is absolutely amazing! As a recovering addict I would just like to say that the temptation is true. But instead of running out to grab some junk ... why not pick up a book and read about it. Read the underlying story of it all. And I would like to thank Nikki for helping and sharing his story with the world! Rock on babe!
Nikki Sixx!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!! more than you will ever know. I treasure my copy of your book, which I purchased in the heart of AUCKLAND CITY. I've gotta be the biggest NIKKI SIXX FAN residing in the Waikato. Nikki, baby!!! all my love from New Zealand. Keep rocking sweet-heart and do try to make it down-under for a concert or 2 in NEW ZEALAND, the NZ CRUE FANS would love to see you play in NZ KIA ORA from NZ, I will adore you 'until the end of time!
Nikki you're my idol. I'm turning 16 in june and going to cruefest2 on jan. 31st in san bernardino in row jj of the orchestra section for my birthday,that's all i asked for.
i have no idea if you are actually going to read this but i'll take my chances just like all the other hopefulls posting comments did.
I've been listening to Motley ever since iI can remember(thanks to my dad!) and i love your music. I came by your book in a barnes and noble in Redlands
and bought it almost immediately. This was the most amazing, yet saddest best book i've ever read. I've never done drugs and thanx to your book i'm certain i never will.
I loved you before i read your book and i can sincerely say that i love you so much more because of the courage you had to come out with a book like this. Everything you
went through was horrible and I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for you..
You're my hero and the one thing i wish i could do in my life is meet you and the rest of the Motley Crue.
This book touched me in a way that i never thought a book could and most likely never will again.I have never cried while reading a book until i read yours.
Your struggles were unbearable and seemed unreal at times.
You're my hero and will always be.
love you Nikki
-Nicole from yuck town