A recent viral video from a Mötley Crüe concert has sparked heated discussions, with fans questioning the authenticity of Nikki Sixx’s performance. The footage shows Sixx using his bass guitar as a weapon against an intruder on stage, but the bassline continues to play uninterrupted, raising suspicions about whether the performance was live or enhanced with backing tracks.
One fan observed, “It’s weird how the bass keeps playing in the background when he’s using it as a weapon.” Another user added, “Nikki stopped playing his bass, but the backing track thought f*ck it and kept going!”
These comments come amidst ongoing scrutiny of Nikki Sixx’s live performances, which has intensified since former bandmate Mick Mars criticized the band’s use of backing tracks.
In a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Mars revealed that Mötley Crüe began incorporating backing tracks in their concerts starting with Dr. Feelgood, noting that the band’s live performances could not always replicate every part of their albums. “I remember saying, ‘People know what’s supposed to be there. Will they miss it? Some probably will, but a majority will not. They’ll hear it subliminally the way it was recorded as long as the meat and potatoes are there,’” Mars recalled. “I didn’t want to fool the audience, but the others wanted to fill in where the holes were. I never liked that garbage.”
Mars also repeated his claim that Nikki Sixx did not play his bass live during the 2022 Stadium Tour, allegations he first made in his legal lawsuit against the band. “I’ve been with him a long time, and I got fan-based film of him thrusting his arms in the air and stuff when there’s a bass line playing. I’m absolutely positive [he wasn’t playing live],” Mars explained. “I think he did that because he felt too much competition from the other bands on the tour, like DEF LEPPARD. I think they made him feel inadequate about his bass playing.”
Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe defends himself from a fan who jumped on the stage pic.twitter.com/h8gCWJaQra
— 🎸 Rock History 🎸 (@historyrock_) November 14, 2024
