MÖTLEY CRÜE Bassist Defends METALLICA: 'I Have Learned To Have Sympathy For The Enemy'

MÖTLEY CRÜE/BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION bassist Nikki Sixx has posted the following message to the "Rock'n'Roll Diary" section of CRÜE's official web site:

"I've been the one on the receiving end of this stick so many times I've learned to have sympathy even for the enemy.

"What is with all the negitive tounge slashing [sic] on METALLICA's new music. I haven't heard the first song yet. But you would think they have committed some sort of a crime the way fans (?) are going on about the song. Of course few have heard the album so how can so many be telling us the whole thing stinks? I've been there before. That's the resean [sic] for this minor vent. You pour your heart and soul into your music, try to grow. Maybe even go out on a limb a little…and boom… You suck… your [sic] over…you sold out. You lost it…. etc etc…

"Well too be honest I've never been much of a METALLICA fan (except the Black Album). but that isn't even the point, is it? This has become a universal sociel [sic] sickness we've developed over the last decade or so..…. (all forms of art suffer.) We build things up just to tear them down… It's no wonder the music business is in such a confused and downward spiral… One day a artist sells millions of CDs out of nowhere. And the next album there [sic] over. There are few of us with long lasting careers anymore. So the last to be destroyed must be those who haven't been effected (infected) yet by this stupidity… Now, if it sucks, it sucks (can't argue with that). But listen first…pause…take it in…. give it a chance. My favorite albums of all time took time to grow on me… Trust in art and not in marketing. Trust in time...

"Some fans are like fucking rottwielers [sic]. You just never know when there [sic] gonna turn on you… ((it is too easy to attack me for this little rant..))

"Don't be one of the sheep…(sheep are for eating and fucking)

"Again this is not about any artist… it's about all art…

"Let the bombs fly... N.SIXX"

The feud between MÖTLEY CRÜE and METALLICA stems back to an incident six years ago when METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich accused CRÜE of performing to a tape at the American Music Awards in January of 1997 (which, by all accounts, they did). After learning of Ulrich's allegations, Sixx posted the following "open letter" to Ulrich on an American Online message board:

"Dear, Sweet, Fat, Balding, Larz (love the make-up babe!) Taking your ever moronic soapbox position on a subject that's NONE of your fucking business has made you out to be an asshole as usual. Considering that me and Tommy know that your live tapes have been re-recorded. And ALL your instruments were repaired in Pro Tools (and had that balls to lie to your fans an call it a 'live' album)...People in glass houses should NOT throw rocks!! Considering your bullshit to the press, we feel its only fair to return the punch!!...Your [sic] such a poseur...Thanks for releasing that 'load' of shit CD of yours...you made more room for us!!"