Renowned music producer Bob Rock has addressed misconceptions arising from his comments on a popular podcast, asserting that Nikki Sixx did indeed play bass on Mötley Crüe’s early records. Rock’s clarification came after his appearance on the Talk Is Jericho podcast led to widespread speculation regarding Sixx’s involvement in the band’s first four albums.
In a statement intended to set the record straight, Rock explained, “When I began working with Mötley Crüe on the Dr. Feelgood record, the band was sober for the first time and Nikki particularly was recovering from a very public addiction to heroin. We joked around a lot and Nikki, in his very self-deprecating style would say he didn’t even remember playing on their prior records.”
Rock emphasized that Sixx’s comments were part of his self-deprecating humor, especially during a period of significant personal recovery. “This was Nikki’s way of saying that for the record we were working on, he was showing up to do the best he possibly could and to make the best record of the band’s career. Which we did,” Rock added.
Addressing the rumors head-on, Rock stated, “At no time did I ever actually think Nikki didn’t play bass on Mötley Crüe’s records. He’s one of the most unique and talented players in the world and his approach to the instrument is part of what has made Mötley Crüe great throughout the years.”
Rock also praised Sixx’s dedication to his craft, highlighting his continuous drive to improve. “Lastly, I was commenting on and commending Nikki because he never stops learning and never stops improving. I respect Nikki for always wanting to be better at his craft and it shows.”
The discussion on the Talk Is Jericho podcast that sparked the initial speculation saw Rock recalling a humorous anecdote about Sixx’s self-doubt during the recording of ‘Dr. Feelgood’. “I’ve got to tell you a story about Nikki Sixx, this is funny. So, Dr. Feelgood, he says to me, he goes, ‘I don’t think I ever really played on any of the Mötley Crüe records. I think somebody came in at night and replaced all my parts, so I don’t really know how to play bass.’ I said to him, ‘Too bad, you’re playing bass on it. So I worked with him on it through Dr. Feelgood and I did a lot of edits and made him play every note,” Rock shared during the podcast.
In his statement, Rock lamented the internet’s propensity for taking comments out of context, stressing that the brief sound bites do not reflect the true extent of Sixx’s talent and contributions to the music world over the past four decades.
