Nikki Sixx calls out "bottom feeder media" over "washed up drummer" Carmine Appice backing tape claims

Nikki Sixx and Carmine Appice portraits
(Image credit: Nikki Sixx: Tasia Wells | Carmine Appice: Mark Weiss)

Mötley Crüe man Nikki Sixx has fired back at Carmine Appice after the Vanilla Fudge drummer claimed that Crue were performing to pre-recorded backing tracks during their Stadium Tour shows with Def Leppard last summer. Appice made the comments in an interview with Ultimate Guitar, claiming that then-guitarist Mick Mars had been unhappy with the set-up. 

"Basically, everything was on tape," Appice said. "It was all planned out and ultimately a lot of crap. And Mick is a pretty good player, and so, to now let him loose and play the way he wants, that was never going to work for him. 

"The truth is that everything has been weird for a while with Motley Crue, and Mick didn't like that everything was on tape. Mick told me that people that came to see it could tell that it was all pre-recorded and that everything was on tape."

Now Sixx has fired back. Responding to the question, "Is what Carmine Appice said true?" asked by a fan on Twitter, Sixx wrote, "A washed up drummer speaking for our band without any of the facts is as ridiculous as bottom feeder media running with stories without fact checking. When you hear the truth it will be from us." 

Sixx later tweeted. "Love how people talk FOR us without talking TO us. This is why the media has lost credibility. Obviously by printing BS they make money off of advertising and we’re not into that clickbait game. When the truth comes out it will be FROM üs."

Carmine Appice responded to Sixx's remarks with a tweet of his own, which read, "At least this washed up drummer can play his instrument well who has pioneered heavy rock drumming and can educate others around the world on his instrument!"

Motley Crue and Def Leppard will begin the European leg of the Stadium Tour in The UK in May. Full dates below. Last week, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen was attacked after the band had played at Hard Rock Live, in Hollywood, FL. A 19-year-old man was later arrested. 

Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard Stadium Tour 2023

May 22: Sheffield Bramall Lane, UK
May 25: Mönchengladbach Sparkassen Park, Germany
May 27: Munich Koenigsplatz, Germany
May 29: Budapest MVM Dome, Hungary
May 31: Krakow Tauron Arena Kraków, Poland
Jun 02: Prague Rocks, Czech Republic
Jun 03: Hannover Expo Plaza, Germany
Jun 07: Solvesborg, Sweden Rock Festival, Sweden
Jun 09: Helsinki RockFest, Finland
Jun 11: Trondheim Rocks, Norway
Jun 14: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 18: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium
Jun 20: Milan Ippodromo SNAI San Siro, Italy
Jun 23: Lisbon Passeio Maritimo de Alges, Portugal
Jun 24: Rivas-Vaciamadrid Auditorio Miguel Ríos, Spain
Jun 27: Thun Stockhorn Arena, Switzerland
Jul 01: London Wembley Stadium, UK
Jul 02: Lytham Festival, UK
Jul 04: Dublin Marlay Park, Ireland
Jul 06: Glasgow Hampden Park, UK

Aug 05: Syracuse JMA Wireless Dome, NY
Aug 08: Columbus Ohio Stadium, OH
Aug 11: Fargo Fargodome, ND
Aug 13: Omaha Charles Schwab Field Omaha, NE
Aug 16: Tulsa H.A. Chapman Stadium, OK
Aug 18: El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, TX

Tickets are on sale now.

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.