SIXX: A.M.'s Cover Version Of THE CARS' 'Drive' Available For Streaming

SIXX: A.M., the band featuring MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx alongside guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael, is streaming its cover version of THE CARS song "Drive". The track is taken from SIXX: A.M.'s third album, "Modern Vintage", which will be released on October 7 via Eleven Seven Music.

Regarding the decision to cover "Drive", which was originally a Top 5 hit for THE CARS in 1985, Michael said: "It took us three records to do a cover song, but I'm so glad that we waited. And I'm so glad we chose to do the one we did."

"We had started going down the street of [the ELVIN BISHOP hit] 'Fooled Around And Fell In Love'," recalled Sixx. "One day I called [Michael] up and just sang the opening line to 'Drive', and [he] said, 'That's a SIXX: A.M. song!' I think it was an opportunity to cover a song that is so defined that you have to be very careful not to wreck it. That song is so loved by so many people, including us, that we really wanted to pay a real tribute to it, and I believe we have."

"It's such a simple song — the original version was so simple, but that's what was exciting about it," continued Michael. "In a way, it's a blank canvas, but you need to respect the simplicity … that's what was so fun about the version we did, especially when [DJ Ashba] started doing his guitar solo. Even that had to be carefully structured around what the original song was."

"Modern Vintage" track listing:

01. Stars
02. Gotta Get It Right
03. Relief
04. Get Ya Some
05. Let's Go
06. Drive
07. Give Me A Love
08. Hyperventilate
09. High On The Music
10. Miracle
11. Before It's Over

The "Gotta Get It Right" video can be seen below. The clip was directed by Paul Brown in mid-June.

Said Sixx: "Like our favorite bands from the 1970s, SIXX: A.M. is rooted in songwriting, musicianship and lyrics — three core elements that helped to define that era. SIXX: A.M. has taken even more pages from this book on 'Gotta Get It Right' and the rest of 'Modern Vintage', having hopefully created a record that demands to be discovered again and again."

Added Michael, who also produced "Modern Vintage": "On the first two albums, SIXX: A.M. established a musical freedom that few bands get to enjoy. 'Gotta Get It Right' is clearly a birth child of that creative freedom and an exciting next step for us as our goal was to create something which confounds both expectation and categorization." Ashba adds: "'Gotta Get it Right' is a great example of how SIXX: A.M. has set out to celebrate the music that has influenced us over the years and we truly feel we've made a genre-defying album with 'Modern Vintage'."

"Drive" audio stream:

James Michael and bassist Nikki Sixx talking about "Drive":

"Stars" audio stream:

James Michael talking about "Stars":

"Gotta Get It Right" audio stream: