[sic] From my @NikkiSixx twitter account earlier..
Ive been getting asked this a lot lately…The answer is: Yes,”The Heroin Diaries” book is being turned into a broadway play.

More news to follow in the next few months….Were getting pretty far down the road…We hope for a late 2013 or early 2014 for it to open…

If you’re unfamiliar with what The Heroin Diaries is, it’s the published version of Nikki Sixx’ diaries, circa 1986. As the title of the book implies, it’s about Sixx’ legendary drug use, predominately heroin, in and around the time writing, recording, and touring the Girls, Girls, Girls album. It’s an epic read, and it’s a beautiful book (my hardcover version has glossy pages). Whether you’re a metal fan (any genre) or have problems with addiction, you owe it to yourself to read The Heroin Diaries.

How The Heroin Diaries will be adapted for the stage baffles me, but there’s no doubt in my mind that it will be an amazing play.

Rock Hard \m/

Nikki Sixx

Credit: KISS and Motley Crue

The legendary KISS and the infamous Motley Crue announced yesterday, March 20, that they will embark on a U.S. tour this summer with one Canadian date thrown in there for good measure. KISS showed up at the press conference in full make-up and gear, dwarfing the Crue standing beside them, and Gene Simmons, cocky as only he can be, shocked reporters by expressing his displeasure with the current state of stage shows and performances:

What you’re going to hear on stage is live music. All the bombs are real. All the music is real. The guys you see on stage playing their instruments are playing their instruments. No karaoke singers allowed. No fake bullshit. Leave that to the Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an A.

God, I love that man.

Tickets for the first show go on sale this Friday, March 23. Check below for the tour dates.

The Tour – KISS & Motley Crue Tour Dates

Jul. 20 – Jiffy Lube Live – Bristow, VA
Jul. 21 – Farm Bureau Live – Virginia Beach, VA
Jul. 22 – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion – Raleigh, NC
Jul. 24 – Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood – Atlanta, GA
Jul. 25 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Charlotte, NC
Jul. 27 – Cruzan Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL
Jul. 28 – 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheater – Tampa, FL
Jul. 31 – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre – Pelham, A\L
Aug. 03 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Woodlands, TX
Aug. 04 – Gexa Energy Paviliion – Dallas, TX
Aug. 07 – Hard Rock Casino Presents: The Pavilion – Albuquerque, NM
Aug. 08 – Comfort Dental Amphitheater – Englewood, CO
Aug. 10 – Ashley Furniture Home Store Pavilion – Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 11 – Mandalay Bay Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Aug. 12 – Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre – Chula Vista, CA
Aug. 14 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater – Irvine, CA
Aug. 16 – Sleep Train Pavilion – Concord, MA
Aug. 18 – White River Amphitheatre – Auburn, WA
Aug. 19 – Sleep Country Amphitheater – Ridgefield, CT
Aug. 24 – Rock Jam – Grand Junction, CO
Aug. 26 – BOK Center – Tulsa, OK
Aug. 27 – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre – Maryland Heights, MO
Aug. 29 – Minnesota State Fair – Minneapolis, MN
Aug. 31 – Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH
Sep. 01 – Klipsch Music Center – Noblesville, IN
Sep. 02 – First Niagara Pavilion – Burgettstown, PA
Sep. 04 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Sep. 05 – DTE Energy Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI
Sep. 07 – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL
Sep. 08 – Alpine Valley Music Theater – East Troy, MI
Sep. 11 – Allegan County Fair – Allegan, MI
Sep. 12 – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Sep. 13 – Molson Amphitheatre – Toronto, ON
Sep. 15 – Darien Lake PAC – Darien Lake, NY
Sep. 16 – Comcast Center – Mansfield, MA
Sep. 18 – Toyota Pavilion – Scranton, PA
Sep. 19 – Susquehanna Bank Center – Camden, NJ
Sep. 21 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ
Sep. 22 – Nikon at Jones Beach – Wantagh, NY
Sep. 23 – Comcast Theater – Hartford, CT

Credit: Motley Crue

The band, however, didn’t seem too appreciative.

Hinder came back to town this past May, and at the meet-n-greet, one of the guys mentioned Reese’s Pieces to me, and I, of course, laughed a bit and asked if they’d read the article.

The drummer said, “Yeah… my fiance asked me about it”

D’oh!

He kinda laughed about it and I apologized, but I’m guessing I won’t be invited back on their tour bus anytime soon. That’s OK. I still think they’re great guys and I had a blast that one night.

Which is a lot different than some run-ins that I’ve had with other “rock stars.”

I didn’t necessarily get into the business of radio to meet musicians, but I definitely wanted free tickets to concerts. Getting backstage and meeting bands is a small perk. VERY small.

The backstage experience isn’t anything like a Poison/Motley Crue/Winger video. [Editor’s note: Did Brian just reference Winger? Brian needs to change his name to Stewart.] Not anymore, at least. There’s no line of hot chicks waiting to suck bouncers off just for the chance to suck off a bass player. I’m not saying that it doesn’t happen, but a lot of people have this preconceived idea of what it means to “get backstage.”

People are always asking me to get them back there too. I don’t quite understand why. The best backstage experience I’ve ever had was when I was working for Rock 101 in Manchester, NH. We were broadcasting live from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA, for the Summer Sanitarium show: Metallica, Linkin Park, Deftones, Mudvayne, and Bizkit. The ONLY reason that this is my favorite backstage experience is because I met Kirk and Lars. Being the huge Metallica fanboy that I am, it was top notch. But there wasn’t anything all that special about it. We were in a tunnel under the stadium, and the concert management would bring out a few artists at a time, shuffle them from radio station to radio station, and then put them back in their dressing room.

No booze. No girls. No weed. No nothing.

Another great backstage experience was at a “glam” show at the Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton, NH. Once again, I was there for Rock 101. My only job was to introduce the bands. I can’t remember all the bands, but I know that it was Vixen and Vince Neil. Vixen was the opener, and after they got off stage, I was hanging around, waiting to intro the next band. I was talking to the ladies of Vixen as they were packing up their stuff. I asked if they were staying the night, and they said that they were getting on their bus and getting out of town since they had the next two nights off.

So, I intro the next band, and as I come back down the stairs, Vixen is nowhere to be found. But their dressing room is open — and fully stocked.

Don’t mind if I do…

Yes, I helped myself to Vixen’s meat and cheese tray, their veggie tray, and a BUNCH of their imported beer. I also walked off with a bottle of Crown Royal. I don’t even drink that shit. But I figured since it was “free,” I might as well take it. I had me a one-man party in Vixen’s dressing room and it was spectacular!

Whatever you do, don’t put a flash in Vince’s face…

4 out of 5 stars
Back in Black is probably AC/DC’s best album. It is hard rock at its best. I remember being introduced to this album in junior high school at the age of 15 or so. But I digress; this album was instrumental in bringing hard rock/heavy metal to the mainstream. With albums like Number of the Beast, and Paranoid, Back in Black became an icon for teenage rebellion. With songs like “Hell’s Bells,” “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Back in Black” this album became all the rage for pissed off teens.

Negatively, this album has too many forgetful or stupid songs and simple lyrics to receive five stars. These songs would include “Let Me Put My Love into You”, “What Do You Do for Money Honey” and “Givin’ the Dog a Bone”. But for the significance of this album and the great songs included, it is a must buy for a complete hard rock music library.

Van Halen – 1984 (1984)

5 out of 5 stars
One of the few bands I enjoyed back in the ’80s, Van Halen were liked by most of my peers as it had some monster rock hits. If you are looking for introspection, mind expanding lyrics, or anything else intellectually or emotionally stimulating, then this band and this album is not what you’re looking for. This album is the ultimate party album; just fun and upbeat. Van Halen was always about good times and partying. This is their best album and has some of the best VH tunes, “Panama,” “Jump” and my favourite “Hot for Teacher.”

So, if you want a good time party album then this is one of the best. If you want something meatier, then go get some Van Morrison and leave this alone.

Mötley Crüe – Dr. Feelgood (1989)

3.5 out of 5 stars
This or Shout at the Devil is the best that the Crüe has to offer. Shout at the Devil was more raw. This album is all slicked up and ready for radio. Bob Rock produced which added something that the Crüe was missing, namely “production.” There are a bunch of little additions here and there that you didn’t see much before this album. Police sirens et al compliment this release. Most of the songs are forgetful, except “Kickstart My Heart” which is speed music at it’s finest.

Overall this is probably the best band from the glam rock days of the ’80s and this is probably the best album to represent it; although that is not saying much.

Tommy Lee’s Methods of Mayhem released their second album, A Public Disservice Announcement, and if you heard the self-titled debut album and liked it, you’ll probably like this one too — of course the opposite is true too.

Yes, Tommy Lee is a legend and should be applauded for taking risks and experimenting (for this Methods of Mayhem album he actually combed through more than 10,000 public submissions to incorporate into and complete the demos that were made public), but that’s no excuse for releasing this nauseating and, ultimately, repetitive work that seems to have been inspired by watching The Hills. Honestly, the more Lee dabbles in his nu metal/rap metal interest, the more credibility he loses.

Methods of Mayhem took their time getting to a song with a pair of balls; four tracks deep “Fight Song” is the only record on the 11-track album that comes anywhere near resembling a rock song. Key lyric in this song that might see the octagon someday: “When I see your face I wanna fuck it up.” “Party Instructions” might be the only other track with any aggro in it, but it’s about as close to metal as a hooker is to a clean STD screening.

The rest of A Public Disservice Announcement is filler and a desperate attempt to maintain relevance in a musical landscape that’s drastically changed since Motley Crue were at the top. However, there are two other songs that might appeal to haute couture, as they seem to have been written for the fashion world. “All I Wanna Do” elicits images of models walking down the runway and one synth part brings Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It” to mind. Same thing with “Back To Before,” only the intro is reminiscent of Mother Love Bone’s “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns.”

Verdict: Unless you’re a Tommy Lee fanatic, which is far more likely than being someone who loves Methods of Mayhem, pass on A Public Disservice Announcement — it’s weak and boring.

Similar Artists:

The Union Underground, The Presidents, Powerman 5000, Prong, 16 Volt, Five Foot Thick, Insane Clown Posse, Pitchshifter

Yell! Rating (x/5 Skulls):

2.5 out of 5 stars

Artist

Methods of Mayhem

Album:

A Public Disservice Announcement

Year Released:

Sep 21, 2010

Label:

Roadrunner/Loud & Proud

Genre

Nu Metal

Official URL:

Tommy Lee