NIKKI SIXX Launches 'The Heroin Diaries' With Press Conference, SIXX: A.M. Live Performance

Executives from MTV along with sister company Pocket Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) held a press conference Monday (July 16) in a new venue, Crash Mansion, in downtown Los Angeles to give the media and a few lucky fans a preview of Nikki Sixx's book and soundtrack CD, "The Heroin Diaries". The presentation was hosted by Billboard magazine editor Tamara Conniff, and featured the MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist along with several project partners. In introducing Sixx, Conniff called the book "the most addictive rock and roll take since 'The Dirt'." Sixx then revealed to a packed room of reporters and camera crews that the book was based on the actual diaries he kept during the height of his crippling heroin addiction in the late '80s along with commentary by a host of people including his CRÜE bandmates, Vanity (his girlfriend at the time),Slash and a host of former associates. "I felt the book wasn't complete without other people's perspective and opinions on what I was like as an addict," said Sixx. "They would tell me if I was full of sh*t." Simon & Schuster Deputy Publisher Anthony Ziccardi, in describing what drew him to the book, called "The Heroin Diaries" "the most brutally honest and revealing account of drug abuse ever written." Ziccardi also referenced the unique graphical design of the book by artist and photographer Paul Brown.

Media and guests were also treated to a preview of the accompanying "Heroin Diaries" soundtrack that Sixx had kept hidden from everyone for months, only revealing it to his management company and label upon delivery of the final book manuscript. To create the soundtrack, Sixx worked with multi-talented musicians/producers DJ Ashba and James Michael, dubbed SIXX: A.M., who drew inspiration from chapters in the book. "We weren't writing for radio," said Sixx. However, radio seems to disagree, according to Clear Channel Director of Rock Programming Jim Richards, who heavily praised the lead single, "Life Is Beautiful" which is already top 40 on the rock radio charts despite only officially being serviced for playlists this week. Richards referred to the album as a complete body of work and drew comparisons with albums such as "Tommy" (THE WHO) and "The Wall" (PINK FLOYD).

MTV Senior Executive Peter Baron announced that the literary work would be branded as an MTV/VH1 book and supported with a full range of "on-channel, off-channel and on-line" programming, including heavy support of the music video for "Life Is Beautiful", which he showed to the media. In introducing the clip, which was also directed by Paul Brown, Baron described the video as "visually bringing the book to life," by combining band performance with edgy animation of the book artwork.

Sixx also announced that 25% of all book royalties would go to benefit "Running Wild In The Night", a charity that he began in association with Covenant House, Los Angeles. George Lozano, Executive Director of Covenant House LA, which helps rescue homeless and runaway youth from the street, called Nikki an "inspiration" and "role model" for the kids helped by his organization. To underscore the point, Lozano introduced Irwin Gonzalez, an 18-year old rescued by Covenant House, who said that because of people like Nikki who help provide an alternative to the lifestyle of the street through music, he had been given "the gift of hope." Sixx, a former runaway himself, said he was drawn to the organization because "music gave me the opportunity to get off the streets and gave me something to live for.

Following the press conference, downtown Los Angeles experienced a 115-decibel tumbler when SIXX: A.M. made their world premiere with a live set featuring five songs in front of the press and contest winners from radio and MySpace. The thundering sound was accompanied by synchronous visual projections of animation and artwork from the book.

"Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, The Soundtrack" was written and produced by Sixx, James Michael and DJ Ashba under the moniker SIXX: A.M. , as the dark, sonic companion to the book. "The Heroin Diaries" soundtrack will be in stores on August 21 via Eleven Seven Music with the book following on September 18 from MTV/VH1 Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.

Check out photos from the press conference at this location.