Sixx:A.M.
| Sixx:A.M. | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hard rock, alternative metal |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Eleven Seven Music |
| Associated acts | Mötley Crüe, Beautiful Creatures, Halestorm, Guns N' Roses |
| Website | www |
| Members | Nikki Sixx DJ Ashba James Michael Dustin Steinke |
Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who was also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The group is best known for their songs "Life Is Beautiful" and "Lies of the Beautiful People". The name Sixx:A.M. is a combination of all of the member's last names (Sixx, Ashba, Michael).
To date, Sixx:A.M. have released four studio albums; The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack (2007), This Is Gonna Hurt (2011), Modern Vintage (2014) and Prayers for the Damned Vol. 1 (2016), and three EPs; X-Mas In Hell (2008); Live Is Beautiful (2008) and 7 (2011).
Band history
Formation and The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack: 2007-2008
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The band released The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in 2007, which is based upon Sixx's autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star.[1]
The band made their live debut at Crash Mansion on July 16, 2007. They performed five songs from the album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack.[2] The album had no drummer, because lead singer/rhythm guitarist James Michael programmed all the drums. Due to this, there was some curiosity as to who would be playing drums for them live. Former Beautiful Creatures drummer Glen Sobel ended up playing on tour with the band.
On October 25, 2007, Sixx:A.M. played another show opening for Korn. At the time of this show, Glen Sobel was on tour drumming with Elliott Yamin.
Originally the group stated they had no intention of touring.[3] After constant support for the band and interest in a tour, they held a nationwide vote for tour dates. The tour was scheduled to start in spring 2008, but was postponed to the summer due to unforeseeable circumstances.[4]
On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of Mötley Crüe's Crüe Fest, along with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Trapt. The tour began on July 1, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Florida.[5] During Crüe Fest, Papa Roach drummer Tony Palermo served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was released on November 25, 2008, which included a bonus live EP entitled Live Is Beautiful which features recorded performances from the band's summer tour.
This Is Gonna Hurt & Modern Vintage: 2009-2014
Sixx confirmed the work on a follow-up album to The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in late 2008, after rumors that the band began writing for their second studio album, during the tour in the summer of 2008.
In April 2009, both James Michael and Sixx confirmed that the band was in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material was "inspiring. it feels like we may have topped ourselves on this album coming up, and can't wait for you to hear what it sounds like."[6] He also revealed that the new album, like the first, would be a concept album, but refused to reveal more details about the concept. He also added that a "surprise", possibly a new song, might be coming soon, and that the album would probably be ready in mid/late 2010.
On February 19, 2010, Sixx has revealed that the band is currently in the studio recording the new album, with some guitar tracks by Ashba already laid down, with bass still left to record. Sixx has also said that there is over two albums worth of material written, but like with the first album, it will probably end up being a single album, with the best songs chosen so it won't have fillers.[7]
On May 27, 2010, Sixx has revealed he recorded all bass tracks for the upcoming album with him and James Michael now finishing reworking the lyrics before Michael will start recording final vocals. Sixx also said that music video director P. R. Brown is currently writing the video treatment for the upcoming video for the first single to be released from the album, which is due out in early 2011.[8] On July 23, 2010, Sixx has confirmed that the new album was finished.[9][10]
On September 4, 2010, it was announced that Sixx will be releasing a new book, entitled This Is Gonna Hurt, which would be accompanied by an album by Sixx:A.M. Some of the songs on the upcoming album were inspired by the author's photographs, others inspired photographs of their own, as the book is part photo, part journal. The HarperCollins imprint William Morrow and Company has then announced the new book will be released on March 22, 2011, accompanied by the album on the same day.[11][12] On December 7, 2010, the band uploaded a video preview for the new album on their official website, stating that it's coming in April 2011, and though denying the March 22 date.[13] On January 3, 2011, another video preview by the band has confirmed that the book would be released on April 12, 2011, with the album soon following on May 10, 2011, which was confirmed by Sixx. The lead single "Lies of the Beautiful People" was released on February 25, 2011. On February 15, 2011, Sixx announced through his Twitter and Facebook accounts that the music video for "Lies of the Beautiful People" would premiere on his radio show Sixx Sense website on February 16, 2011.[14][15][16][17] Sixx also announced that due to fan demand, the album's release date was moved up to May 3, 2011.[17]
On December 5, 2011, lead singer James Michael has announced that the band would be releasing an acoustic EP entitled 7 on December 13, 2011, which will feature 7 new acoustic renditions to previously released songs from the band's previous two studio albums. Michael has also hinted on an upcoming surprise release from the band.[18][19][20]
On April 11, 2012, the band performed live for the first time in 4 years, at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards which took place at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA. The band performed only two songs: "This Is Gonna Hurt" and "Are You with Me Now", which for the latter the band also filmed the music video at the show.
On November 21, 2012, the band announced that they were working on new music via their Twitter.
On July 18, 2013, they have a new song called "Relief"' for their 3rd album.
On January 14, 2014, the band announced that the final song on the next album is titled "Let it Haunt You (So Beautiful)" via their Facebook.
On July 31, 2014, the band announced that the title for their third album will be "Modern Vintage". The album was released on October 7, 2014.
Touring and Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (2015–present)
The band made their Japanese debut at the Nippon Budokan on February 19, 2015 as part of VampPark Fest hosted by the rock band Vamps.[21]
In July 2015, Sixx stated Sixx:A.M. is planning on releasing two new albums and doing a worldwide tour in 2016.[22]
On March 1, 2016 Sixx:A.M released a single called "Rise", the details of volume 1 of their double album Prayers for the Damned, and dates for a new US tour scheduled to take place during April and May 2016. "Rise" had been debuted live in an acoustic format with no PA at an invite only session at the Sanctum Soho Hotel in London, England on February 23 ("Stars" from the Modern Vintage album and "Life Is Beautiful" from The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack were also played). Pre-orders for the album started on March 4, and the album was released on April 29.
Band Members
- Current Members
- Nikki Sixx – bass guitar, backing vocals (2007–present)
- DJ Ashba – lead guitar, backing vocals (2007–present)
- James Michael – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, drums on The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack and This is Gonna Hurt (2007–present)
- Dustin Steinke – drums, percussion (2015–present)
- Touring Musicians
- Glen Sobel – drums, percussion (2007)
- Tony Palermo – drums, percussion (2008)
- Amber Vanbuskirk – Backing Vocals (2015–present)
- Melissa Harding – Backing Vocals (2015–present)
- Studio Musicians
- Jeff Fabb – drums, percussion on Modern Vintage (2014)
Discography
| Sixx:A.M. discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 5 |
| Video albums | 1 |
| EPs | 3 |
| Singles | 11 |
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS [23] |
CAN | UK | ||
| 2007 | The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack
|
26 | — | 54 | 70 |
| 2011 | This Is Gonna Hurt
|
10 | 53 | 14 | 60 |
| 2014 | Modern Vintage
|
20 | 31 | 22 | 69 |
| 2016 | Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 1
|
19 | 9 | 12 | 30 |
Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 2
|
To be released | ||||
EPs
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2008 | X-Mas in Hell
|
Live Is Beautiful
|
|
| 2011 | 7
|
Singles
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Main. |
US Alt. |
CAN | CAN Rock [24] |
CAN Alt [24] |
UK | UK Rock |
||||
| 2007 | "Life Is Beautiful" | 104 | 2 | 25 | 60 | — | — | 58 | 3 |
|
The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack |
| 2008 | "Pray for Me" | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Tomorrow" | — | 33 | — | 76 | — | — | 70 | 15 | |||
| "Accidents Can Happen" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 75 | — | |||
| 2011 | "Lies of the Beautiful People" | 102 | 1 | 31 | — | 3 | 38 | — | — | This Is Gonna Hurt | |
| "This Is Gonna Hurt" | — | 8 | — | — | 28 | — | — | — | |||
| 2012 | "Are You With Me" | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2014 | "Gotta Get It Right" | 113 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Modern Vintage | |
| "Stars" | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2015 | "Drive" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016 | "Rise" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Prayers for the Damned, Vol. 1 | |
Promotional singles
- "Help Is On the Way"
- "Skin"
- "Let's Go"
Music videos
| Year | Song | Album | Director | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Life Is Beautiful" | The Heroin Diaries | Narrative | ||
| 2008 | "Pray for Me" | ||||
| "Tomorrow" | Live Footage | ||||
| "Accidents Can Happen" | |||||
| 2011 | "Lies of the Beautiful People" | This Is Gonna Hurt | |||
| "This Is Gonna Hurt" | Live footage | ||||
| 2012 | "Are You with Me?" | ||||
| 2014 | "Gotta Get It Right" | Modern Vintage | |||
| "Stars" | Live footage | ||||
| 2015 | "Drive" | ||||
| 2016 | "Rise" | Prayers for the Damned | TBA | TBA |
Video albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Crüe Fest
|
References
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- ↑ Sixx:A.M. 2-28 Archived March 30, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ Concert Announcement: Cruefest with Motley Crue, STLtoday.com
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- ↑ New SixxAM Album world tour 2016.
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External links
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