A video from one of Mötley Crüe’s live shows recently went viral and reignited debates about Nikki Sixx’s alleged use of backing tracks.
In the clip, Sixx took off his bass guitar to defend himself from a fan who jumped on stage, but the bassline kept playing.
Fans quickly noticed the detail, and one commented, “It’s weird how the bass keeps playing in the background when he’s using it as a weapon.”
Another chimed in, “Nikki stopped playing his bass, but the backing track thought f*ck it and kept going!”
“No difference to the sound when he stops playing – funny that,” someone else wrote.
Nikki Sixx has been under radar since former bandmates raised questions about the authenticity of his playing during live shows last year. Carmine Appice claimed Sixx didn’t play the bass parts on Mötley Crüe records, either.
John 5, who replaced Mick Mars last year, defended the bassist against the rumors, saying he actually viewed them as compliments.
“If you listen to these concerts that I do with [Nikki], you hear bum notes,” the guitarist explained to Trunk Nation. “Do you really think that we would put a mistake on a track? No! It’s so crazy, but a hundred percent he plays every single note on there. Just listen to the shows before you make these statements because you’ll hear mess-ups. And that’s what rock and roll is.”
He then clarified, “Yes, we do rely on technology for backup vocals, intros, outros, sirens, and horn hits. Of course, they’ve been doing that since ‘Dr. Feelgood.’ I’m not saying we don’t rely on technology for things that we can’t replicate ourselves, but me, Nikki, Tommy, and Vince; we’re all live up there.”
Sixx himself also denied the accusations, though he did admit to taking bass lessons during the band’s early days to improve his skills.