Nikki Sixx says that writing Motley Crue’s 1994 album with frontman John Corabi was “painful.”
He says the album, which was widely considered a commercial failure in the wake of grunge, was “very unfocused”, and that singer Corabi lacked “fire” and the ability to write lyrics.
Sixx tells Sweden Rock Magazine (via Blabbermouth): “I’ve got to tell you, I think it was a very unfocused record. It was painful for me, because John Corabi can’t write lyrics, and I had to do all that work.
“It was the first time I ever had to work with somebody that wanted to participate in the lyrics. And my standard is so high that it was so hard, it took months. Usually, I write a set of lyrics in an hour.
“It’s all about having pent-up information and aggression and just letting it out. It was just hard, because he was a nice enough guy, but he just didn’t have that fire, and it was hard for me.”
But guitarist Mick Mars and drummer Tommy Lee have claimed it was Motley Crue’s best release, with Mars even calling it their version of the “Beatles White album.”
Sixx adds: “I think Mick and Tommy love that record, because it’s got great drums, great guitars. I think there was a freedom in having a different singer. But it was just hard for me to have to go slow.
“I’m just not a good ‘slow’ guy in the studio. I’ve been in sessions with other artists where someone is working slowly and I’ve just got to bail. You can create on the spot or you can’t create. That’s it with me. I just don’t have patience for that.”
Meanwhile, since Crue’s final show at the end of last year, Corabi has been in the studio with Mars working on his solo album.
Sixx previously said Motley Crue discuss how the band had run out of creativity in exclusive interviews featured in their upcoming farewell concert film. It’s due out later this year.
