Born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, Jr. on December 11, 1958 in San Jose, California. While his father walked away from the family and his mother left him with grandparents he found himself quickly becoming a teenage delinquent, vandalizing, shoplifting, selling drugs and kicked out of school. The one skill that he consumed throughout all his antics was playing the bass guitar which would go on to be his road out and back into madness. Music is a powerful thing and it seems to have been very therapeutic for Sixx allowing his to release the venom of his past.
At 17 Sixx moved to Los Angeles and while working odd jobs began auditioning for several bands and eventually joined "Sister" which at the time was led by Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.). after being fired from "Sister" along with Lizzie Grey they formed "London" in 1978 with Nigel Benjamin (Mott the Hoople). Benjamin would soon leave followed by Sixx who within a couple years would begin forming "Motley Crue."
when sSixx connected with Tommy Lee in 1981 and their newspaper ad brought in Mick Mars and Tommy's high school pal Vince Neil soon became "Motley Crue." Leathur Records the bands own label released their debut album "Too Fast for Love" it would later be re-released when they signed with Elektra Records. This was the beginning of an amazing future in the music business, Sixx has an incredible ear for what the fans are looking for on record and in live performances.
"Too Fast for Love" had everything Rock 'N' Rollers were looking but the fact that it was unable to spread far outside of California inhibited its growth. If you were able to catch their shows after the release there was no doubt that if given the chance to be recognized outside the bonds on California they would leave you wanting more. The raw sound on the album was perfect for letting the listener know that they would not be another Pop/Rock band. The cover (that back in 1981 was what helped get albums in the hands of the fans) of Vince Neil leather'd out and chained up was bound to catch the eye of everyone that thumbed through it at the local record store.
"Shout at the Devil" was a giant step for the band as their name was now spreading not only across the U.S. but worldwide recognition was pushing the band on top of the rock world. Glam Rock would again be revived with catchy lyrics and a more powerful on-slaught sound. The rhythm section of Sixx and Lee would give rock an over the top sound that would be emanate for the next decade but hardly any band was able to reproduce what Motely Cure put down on vinyl in 1983.
"Theatre of Pain" followed a turbulent time for the band as Vince Neil was still in the throws of legal battles after the car accident that would take the life of Hanoi Rocks drummer "Razzle" Dingley. Between this release and "Girls Girls Girls"in 1987 was the time of Nikki's total downward spiral into heroin. "Theatre" was successful but the tracks were more Pop/Rock style that did not have much musical depth.
As with a lot of musicians the constant accessibility of alcohol leads to the daily use of the white powder (Sixx has also talked about acid as another drug in the step up to heroin) and with the wrong people surrounding your life "junk" is an inevitable final trip. He would recount his days of 911 calls that would relive him where he would get up and continue his downward spiral in his autobiography "The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star."
The release of "Dr Feelgood" in 1989 put the band back on top and allowed Sixx to again be the writer he was born to be. Using his own experiences as foundation he began to flood the paper with lyrics and music. The popularity of the tracks were a direct result in the honesty that was embedded within the lyrics and the power hard sound again prominent from Sixx and Lee.
"Motley Cure" would not have the same effect on the fans of the band as the previous effort. The departure of Vince eil and the addition of John Corabi (The Scream) would have listeners stumbling through the listening process wondering where "The Cure" had gone. "Let it Scream" was an all out amazing romp of American Rock but Corabi was unable connect with Motley Crue as they were looking to go even harder/edgier than before. John is a catchy tune writer who like to bring a great story to the table. After all the years of Vince Neil's need to be a party band the rest of "The Crue" were unable to separate themselves from this style.
Several releases would follow but the magic seemed to have been lost in the studio. "Generation Swine" and "New Tattoo" kept Motley Crue in the ears and minds of their fans they had lost the ability to grab the spotlight again.
"58" a side project that consisted of Steve Gibb (vocals, guitar), Bucket Baker (drums), Dave Darling (producer/other instrumental contributions) and Nikki Sixx (bass) and their only release in "Diet for a New America (2000).
Soon Nikki would be drawn back into the studio as he formed yet another band "Brides of Destruction" with Tracii Guns (lead guitar), the lineup would include London Legrand (vocals) and Scott Coogan (drums, percussion) and Sixx (bass). They releases two albums the first "Here Comes the Bride" 2004 followed by "Runaway Bride" 2005 that latter did not include Sixx as he went to rejoin Motley Crue for a reunion tour.
Nikki Sixx formed yet another band in 2006 that would accompany his autobiography "The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star" appropriately called "The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack." James Michael (vocals) and DJ Ashba (guitar) would round out the band and to date there has never been a drummer as James Michael would do all the drum programming. This album is peppered with the stories of Nikki's year diving into the depths of junk (heroin). The orchestral feel that could become the soundtrack of a movie is it were ever to be written. There are a few spoken word tracks that allow Nikki to read snippets from his book as the listener enters another phase of the cd. There was overwhelming out pouring of support to but this band out on the road. The drumming on tour would be performed by Glen Sobel (beautiful creatures) and later Tony Palermo (papa roach).
In 2008 "Saints of Los Angeles" was released on June 24, and received good reviews as the band seemed determined to go back to the roots of their beginnings and let the old school rock pour out of their veins. The single "Saints of Los Angeles" was released on April 11, 2008 and entered the charts in the top 10 but subsequent singles did not make it as high up in the charts.
Six: A.M.'s album "The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack" was suppose to be a one cd run-off but it was announced in the spring of 2009 that they would go back into the studio to record new material. "This is Gonna Hurt" which again would be released as an accompaniment to Nikki Sixx' book of the same title. The cd is much more mature and contains creative guitar driven fulfillment. Sixx has written some amazing bass riffs that complete the sound on each track. Sadly, he has no one to play off of except a drum machine but having said that he still puts it all on the line for each track. James Michael's has an incredible voice that seems to bare emotional scares from the lyrics he is singing and breathes the emotions out with each note. His contributions on this cd are scattered from beginning to end. It is hard to distinguish whether the lyrics are written by Sixx or Michael himself because James pours everything into each song. This may have started out as a on-off attempt to put music to Nikki's autobiography but they are building something extraordinary in the studio with each cd release.
Sixx has been a guest player or co-writer on many other artists albums such as: Steve Jones "Fire and Gasoline", Alice Cooper "Hey Stoopid", Marion Raven "Here i Am", Meat Loaf "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose" and Big & Rich "Sunset Man."
He dated Lita Ford for a short period as well as vanity of "Vanity 6" a grouped formed by "Prince." He married former playboy playmate Brandi Brandt in may 1989 and would go on to have 3 children together: Gunner Nicholas (born January 25, 1991), Storm Brieann (born April 14, 1994) and decker Nilsson (born May 23, 1995) the marriage lasted until November 1996. Shortly after their divorce Nikki married Donna D'errico another playboy playmate and they have daughter Frankie-Jean(born January 2, 2001). They divorced on April 27, 2007 after several attempts at making the marriage work.
Kat Von D a tattoo artist from the reality television show "LA Ink" was a steady at the side of Sixx from 2008 to 2010. As with his previous marriage there were always rumors they were apart then together only to be apart again. Kat Von D confirmed that she was involved with Jesse James owner of west coast choppers and star of the reality series "Monster Garage."
"Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx" debut on February 8, 2010 and can be heard Monday-Friday from 7pm-midnight. Along with co-host Kerri Kasem they will discuss the music entertainment genre while giving listeners a tidbit of behind the scene's information.
After he formed Sixx: A.M. Nikki teamed up with the charity known as the "Covenant House" and created a branch called "Running Wild in the Night." Nikki works with people in the music industry to help build the instruments and software that will help give children another avenue in life besides the streets.
