MOTLEY CRUE’S NIKKI SIXX ON WHY YOU WON’T BE HEARING ANY NEW MUSIC FROM THE BAND, BASSIST SAYS IT IS BECAUSE RADIO IS “FORMATTED”
Last month Motley Crue announced plans for a 72-show final tour in North America with overseas dates to follow in 2015. But the rock veterans will not be hitting the road with any new songs with Nikki Sixx casting doubt on the worth of any band in their position making an album in todays climate, citing the difficulty of getting radio play as the main barrier preventing bands reaching an audience.
Nikki Sixx tells Classic Rock in an interview printed in full next issue, “We’ve written some songs. But this is difficult to say and probably harder to hear: when you spend nine months working on an album, all the work that goes into it and recording it, mixing it, mastering it, then you release it and it falls on deaf ears. Radio is so fuckin’ formatted, if you don’t have a banjo and a beard they’re not playing you over here. If you’re this kind of band at this stage of your career you can’t be played on Active Rock; if you’ve been around for more than fifteen years you’re classic rock, but classic rock radio doesn’t play new music. You just think, “Fuck, man, this sucks. I have the belief that I would rather have less music reach more people through different opportunities, whether it be through movies, through sponsorships or co-sponsorships through integrated marketing with other types of companies that want to use your song specifically to reach tens of millions of people. I’d rather work on two songs under that plan than do eleven songs that only reach 100,000 people.”
Mick Mars echoed Sixx’s sentiments to Artisan News stating, “I don’t know … maybe I’m retarded or something, but I like to put a lot of effort into this last, farewell tour…”
Watch Artisan News‘ interview with Mick Mars and Tommy Lee below.
source: classicrockmagazine.com
I would hope that being in radio, even you, Eddie, would admit to the U.S. being to trendy with music. It’s mostly about what’s popular, not good, for radio and the charts. I bet most station playlists would never even be heard if the fans were able to hear what songs they wanted. I’m pretty sure classic rock radio would never again have to hear the single album worth of songs they play from artists who’ve put out multiple or dozens in some cases.
My radio show struggles every day for more than 30 years to get and keep affiliates because of what I play and who I have on. Even after 3 decades NOT easy! So I am WELL aware of radio limitations. But I also know that radio is a business that is to make money and play what the MOST want to hear. They could care less about what that is musically.
I can just imagine sponsors saying, “Oh no, he played (insert any good band) right before our commercial for erectile dysfunction pills.” I believe what you say about the problem being your playlist, but at the same time, the day will hopefully come when guys like you are recognized for doing something right because the longevity of your radio career.
That’s too bad. i say we start our own hard rock station! What do ya say Eddie ya with me!! LOL
Would’ve been nice to have at least an e.p. or a few new songs for the hardcore old school fans to go out with though…
Amen to that Nikki. Radio sucks, beyond words (traditional am/fm). All these “classic rock” stations play the same crap over and over. Their commercial breaks are all the same. There is no new music unless it’s only for a moment to coincide with a new release. Like the lame classic rock station here in St. Louis K-She will play God is Dead for a week or so then they’re back to Paranoid. Each band is represented by only one or two tracks also. As far as radio is concerned Priest only have one song…Livin After Midnight. What sucks is I’d love to meet you Nikki but the backstage scene will be crawling with those slimy radio losers, I will be up on the lawn. Love ya man.
I was always amused to hear and see slime-bag radio “jocks” and PD’s backstage at a concert praise the group even though they RARELY if ever played the group’s material (old or new). Having worked in radio sales for a while when I was in graduate school, I always cringed when the PD would say “Yea. Get some free tickets and swag to give away and sell that band some spots…” meanwhile…the station NEVER played the band’s material..or only did if the band came into the studio. Some PD’s…please do us a favor: Contract terminal anything!
Scott you are brilliant and funny. I remember all the radio station trucks lined up outside the arena on the kiss reunion show even though they ignored them for years. Or the St. Louis station kshe (they suck) with their truck parked outside the King Diamond show. They never played King. The fans spit on their truck.
One more radio tale. I used to be a DJ. The program director took away our chairs so we wouldnt look lazy if a client stopped by. We also had to wear ties so that we looked professional, if the clients stopped by. Problem wad it was the midnight to six a.m. shift. The only music we played had to be approved by him and it was awful. I thought I was gonna be the next Stern. What a wake up call.
If the new stuff blows compared to ’89 radio has a point.
Ever since Clear Channel has taken over the FM radio market, the excitement of hearing a well rounded broadcast of new and old hard rock/heavy metal has been riddled with a broken record of the same old tunes followed by a select few new songs by mainly new bands. Aside from satellite radio, tuning in to any FM rock station will subject the listener to what the record companies want you to hear and not what listeners would like to hear. That’s why I’ll stick with the CD player in my car, other than listening to satellite radio.