Singer Bret insists he and Sixx were buddies until early 90s episode where Poison were doing well but Motley weren’t
Confused: Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels says the source of disagreement between his band Poison and Motley Crue was when Nikki Sixx “rebranded” his outfit.
The former motorcycle buddies have been involved in a war of words recently. Michaels said bassist Sixx had apologised for previous episodes of Crue badmouthing the singer’s band. But Sixx then stated: “That isn’t what i said. What I did say was ‘I personally never had anything against you guys as a people, but Motley just sorta though you sucked as band. But let’s give the fans what they want and go out and have a good time.’”
Now Michaels says the argument arose when Crue parted company with singer Vince Neil and replaced him with John Corabi, leading to the release of an album which wasn’t as well received as their previous material.
The Poison frontman tells Noisecreep: “When my career started Nikki and I hung out. You can look back at old photos me and Nikki with our Harley’s. We used to ride together because we had a house down the street from each other. At the time, both of our careers had just started and our records had hit.
“We’d go out and party together and I’d even join the Crue on stage and sing. Everything was great. I remember telling him there were some Crue songs I liked – I took a positive approach to things.
“Now at one point, I think it was in the mid-90s, Poison and Bon Jovi were playing the arenas. Our Native Tongue album had sold a million copies and Bon Jovi’s Keep the Faith was at about 1.5 million. At one point in the middle there, Mötley Crüe changed singers.
“That’s around the period Nikki decided to brand his band differently. What confused me was when Nikki said Vince and I were kind of ridiculous.
“These are his words: ‘You and Vince are kind of the same: you don’t really pick and choose your fans. You just kind of go out and play music.’
“Well, I thought that’s what music was about – I didn’t know I was supposed to decide which fan can like or not like my music.”
Michaels claims he remains bewildered over Sixx’s attitude. “I don’t harbour and bad feelings,” he says. “That’s why I get confused when this negative stuff comes up. I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t get off the phone and become a different person, so it’s confusing to hear he’s saying bad things about Poison in the press, when, two months ago, I went on his radio show and he said good stuff about us.
“I got a text from him two weeks ago saying, ‘Hey bro, excited to see you on the road!’ Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I hear about him talking trash again. I can’t keep up.”
Crue, Poison and the New York Dolls are set to head out on one of the most attention-grabbing US tours of the year.
You know what? Stop with the he said she said and just get out there and play. I don’t give a sh!t which genre you feel your band belongs with, if your band is cooler or plays better, or if you think so and so’s band sucks. You’ve been f____n blessed to have music as your job description all these years. Go out and give the fans what they want and give them their money’s worth.
I think they will… I can’t help wondering if it’s all a case of them playing the media; but I bet they’ll deliver when it comes to the tour…
That’s a hell of a tour, right enough. Back in the day, the ozone hole over those arenas would’ve been massive cos of all the hairspray
Nikki’s dead on about poison! Nice guys but crappy band. I would’ve gone just to see the Crue, and the Dolls. Motley > poison. Enough said.