Drummer Carmine Appice sat down with Blabbermouth.com where he talked about Mick Mars’ situation and bassist Nikki Sixx’s comment towards the drummer calling him ”washed-up”.
Here’re a few interview excerpts:
Blabbermouth: Did you anticipate your comments on the Mick and Motley situation blowing up?
Carmine: “I didn’t expect it. I was talking to somebody like I’m talking to you and they asked why Mick left. I just said what Mick told me. I didn’t expect anything, but then it got out of hand. Then Nikki (Sixx) called me a “washed-up drummer. I’m far from that!
”I used to know Nikki. We were good friends. We lived around the corner from each other when they were doing their first or second album. We used to go to a ’50s café and have breakfast. We had a song with King Cobra called ‘Raise Your Hands To Rock’. He loved the name. He took that name and wrote another song and gave me the credit on the album.
”They used my bass drums on the album. We were friends. For him to say stuff about me, I didn’t say anything that people didn’t know. Now I thank him for giving me a lot of press.” […]
Blabbermouth: How did you take the whole “washed up” thing?
Carmine: “I’m not playing arenas and I’m not worth a hundred million dollars, but I’ve had a great career. I didn’t title my book ‘The Her*in Diaries’. Somebody pointed out to me that his book was based on being on her*in. I knew him then; I always liked Nikki. I never had a problem with him until this stupid thing. Tommy Lee, the same thing. I like Tommy.
”I used to hang out with Tommy when he was married to Heather (Locklear) and then to Pam (Anderson). I used to go to his house and watch Gene Krupa videos about stick twirling and showmanship.
”I loved it. I don’t think Tommy said anything about it. I loved when he was doing electronic stuff in Methods Of Mayhem. I went to a show and got to hang out with him. He was pioneering stuff. He’s not an amazing technical drummer, but he kicks a*s and rocks.
“I was amazed to see videos of the ‘taped’ (Motley Crue) stuff. I didn’t know anything about it. It was crazy. Mick was telling me the stuff because he was on the road. We were talking like two friends.
”I’ve known Mick since we took them on tour in 1984 when I was headlining with Ozzy. I always do that. The opening bands, I go and talk to them. Led Zeppelin, when they opened up for the Fudge, I hung out with Bonzo (John Bonham) and John Paul (Jones).
”I hung out with Motley Crue; I hung out with King X’s when they were on the Blue Murder tour and they were opening. I liked that. I liked seeing the guys who were opening and were the future.”
