NIKKI SIXX On WHITNEY HOUSTON Media Coverage: 'Everybody Loves You When You're Dead'
February 16, 2012Nikki Sixx — founding member of MÖTLEY CRÜE and SIXX: A.M., "Sixx Sense" radio host, recovering addict and author of two New York Times bestselling books — appeared on "Piers Morgan Tonight" last night to share his point of view on Whitney Houston's tragic death. Immediately after hearing of the pop legend's passing, Sixx took to Twitter and stated, "You know what's scummy about the music industry? Everybody all of a sudden loves you when you’re dead." The tweet sparked media attention, and led to Sixx's appearance on the show.
As a rock icon who has been in the business for over 30 years, Sixx spoke out; citing flaws in the industry that are all too often left unsaid. He told host Piers Morgan, "We have a long list of artists who fall prey to enablers. I was hoping people would be saying 'we tried…we stood beside her,' and instead I'm hearing people just stood by and let her be an addict." Sixx is very passionate about sharing this point of view and continued, "We need to educate young artists to not fall victim [to handlers, agents, road mamagers, lawyers, etc. who continue to enable addicts in fear of losing their own revenue stream]."
Speaking about physicians who cater to celebrity clients and end up being caught prescribing things inappropriately, Sixx said, "How does nobody get caught doing this? I don't have experience in that field, but I imagine if you're getting different prescriptions filled from different doctors, there have to be some checks and balances somewhere."
He also weighed in on the way celebrities can use employees and hangers-on to acquire drugs. Sixx asked, "Where does the fault lie? Is it with the artist?" He added, "I had to find the courage to turn my life around, but it took a minute for me to wake up and realize I was just a slave to the system. I was being put out there to work for months and months and months, because everybody gets paid again on the gross."
After the show aired, Sixx wrote on Facebook, "Amazing and honest interview on 'Piers' yonight! Thanks for calling out all the enablers. Hopefully soon the enablers will be held accountable and this madness stops. I personally am tired and sickened of losing these very talented people."
While having all the rock star riches and luxuries, Sixx told Sun Media that he once had a $5,000-a-day drug habit, one that is vividly chronicled in his 2007 memoir, "The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star".
"That's how I communicated," Sixx said. "I had to or I would go crazy and even as I was going crazy I had to write it down to see if what I was seeing and hearing and feeling was real.
"Cocaine was really the biggest downfall. Heroin you can maintain, sadly, but cocaine you start getting into the amounts of freebasing and mainlining you go into a whole other world of insanity."
Nikki Sixx is a recovering addict and been sober for adecade and counting. In his two New York Times bestsellers, (2008's "The Heroin Diaries" and 2010's "This Is Gonna Hurt"),Sixx has been candid about his experience with drugs and alcohol addiction in hopes that it will help others see see recovery is possible. In 2008, Sixx teamed with Congress to speak on Capitol Hill as part of National Recovery Month. He continues to speak out about hard-hitting issues on his national radio show "Sixx Sense", syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks to over 100 stations.
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