Nikki Sixx makes history at Capitol Hill

Nikki Sixx made history this past Thursday, September 6th , when he was recognized as the first member of the rock world to speak on Capitol Hill for NAADAC’s 18th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month luncheon. Senators and Congressmen waited in line to meet with Nikki and show their appreciation for his enormous efforts on drug and alcohol awareness. Tune in to VH1 News and VH1 Classic to see the video footage of Nikki Sixx from Capitol Hill this Thursday, September 13.

Nikki Sixx begins his journey of advocating to the youth of today, all and sundry, with his highly anticipated book tour for “The Heroin Diaries,” beginning Tuesday, September 18th , in Los Angeles, CA, at the Borders/Westwood location.

Meet Nikki and have him sign your copy of “The Heroin Diaries” at the following locations and dates:

September 18th - Borders / Westwood - Los Angeles , CA
September 22nd - Barnes and Noble / Mall of America - Minneapolis , MN
September 23rd - Borders - Oakwood , IL (Chicago)
September 24th - Borders - Detroit , MI
September 25th - Virgin / Times Square - New York , NY
September 26th - Borders - Philadelphia , PA
September 27th - Borders - Boston , MA

*Please see below for full press release*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOTLEY CRUE’S NIKKI SIXX ROCKS CAPITOL HILL;
APPEARS AT NATIONAL ALCOHOL & DRUG RECOVERY MONTH EVENT
Sixx Also Set to Appear on CNN Headline News, Fox News Channel & More
To Share His Story of Addiction & Recovery

(September 11, 2007) – On Thursday, September 6, 2007 Mötley Crüe founder Nikki Sixx became the first member of the rock world to speak on Capitol Hill for NAADAC’s, the Association for Addiction Professionals, 18th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month luncheon. Impressed with Sixx’s compelling speech, Senators and Congressmen waited in line directly after the luncheon to receive personally signed copies of his upcoming book – currently #4 on The New York Times advance order book chart – The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star (due in the U.S. and Canada September 18th from MTV Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster), which chronicles Sixx’s battles with drug addiction and his road to recovery.

Once viewed as one of the most wild and excessive men in rock ‘n roll, Sixx was invited by NAADAC to share his compelling story at this national forum alongside Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Terry Cline Ph.D., and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Director H. Westley Clark M.D., J.D. Following the luncheon Sixx appeared on CNN Headline News’ “Glenn Beck” on Friday, September 7 th and will appear on Fox News Channel’s “On the Record With Greta Van Susteren (Monday, September 10 th at 10pm EST) and again on “Glenn Beck” (Tuesday, September 25 th at 7pm, 9pm, 12am EST) for the entire hour of the show.

Sixx spread awareness on the importance of recovery and giving back with the speech he delivered before members of the Congress and Senate in Washington, D.C. last week. In addition to his speech, upcoming guest appearances on national television will detail his tale of addiction and recovery. Below are excerpts from his speech:

“To be the first rock artist on Capitol Hill to share his story and help raise awareness about one of America’s biggest problems, which, in reality, is also a global epidemic, is a highlight of my career and life….It’s hard sometimes to look at this as a disease and not as a problem with willpower. But addiction is not different than any other disease; it needs treatment….I started this little band called Mötley Crüe and sold 45 million albums, toured the world, and had a great time, destroying everything in our path, and then one day I woke up a heroin addict. I was lucky… I had money and the ability to get into rehab. I got in recovery but it didn’t take. Then, after many tries it finally stuck.”

Sixx’s mission for The Heroin Diaries book, and accompanying CD, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack , (released August 21st via Eleven Seven Music) is to offer insight into, and hopefully steer people clear of, the perils and dangers of substance abuse. The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was written and produced by Sixx: A.M. (Sixx, James Michael and DJ Ashba), and was inspired by the dark and crippling diary entries that later became The Heroin Diaries book. Though the album was not created with the intention of being a radio record, the lead single, "Life Is Beautiful" is already in the top 20 on the rock radio charts.

Twenty-five percent of the book’s profits will be donated to Running Wild in the Night – Sixx’s fundraising initiative for Covenant House California, which helps keep runaway, abused and abandoned youth off the streets.

About Nikki Sixx

Nikki Sixx was born Frank Feranna in San Jose, California, in 1958 and grew up in Seattle with his grandmother. He founded Mötley Crüe in 1981 with friend Tommy Lee. As the cofounder, songwriter and bassist of one of rock’s most notorious bands, Mötley Crüe, Sixx has achieved international success, with album sales exceeding more than 40 million units worldwide. The band’s decadent lifestyle was documented in the best-selling 2001 autobiography and soon-to-be feature film, The Dirt. Mötley Crüe had one of the top-grossing tours of 2005, with all four original members reuniting to play before an estimated one million people in the
United States .

Complete Text of Nikki Sixx’s Speech

First I’d like to say that I’m honoured to be celebrating National Recovery Month with everybody here today.

For me personally, to be the first rock artist on Capitol Hill to share his story and help raise awareness about one of America ’s biggest problems, which, in reality, is also a global epidemic, is a highlight of my career and life.

I don’t know if any of you saw that USA Today reported in September last year that drugs and alcohol now affect 1 in 5 Americans.

My experience as a recovering addict is that dependency doesn’t just affect the addict, but also the family, the workplace, and even our economy.

If you think about it, it affects and infects the lack of productivity in the business world too – whether you’re in the entertainment business, or government, we’re all being affected.

One of the first steps in recovery is to admit we’re powerless… but I don’t think that can be applied in this forum.

We have the ability through awareness and diligent work to make a shift.

It’s hard sometimes to look at this as a disease and not as a problem with willpower. But addiction is not different than any other disease; it needs treatment.

I’d like to share a short overview of my story. I’d rather live in the recovery, but the
gruesome details of addiction are important, too.

My father left when I was 3, my mother abandoned me at 6. I lived with my grandparents and they travelled from job to job. I flipped back and forth to my mom and never grew roots. I started experimenting with drugs very early. I first smoked pot at 9, and by 13 I was homeless and arrested for selling drugs and fled to Idaho to
work on a farm and save money to go to Hollywood to become a rock star.

I was young, full of raging hormones and teen angst, and felt I had no family to speak of.

My role models were the rock stars, poets, and outlaws who abused and used drugs and I became them.

I started this little band called Mötley Crüe and sold 45 million albums, toured the world, and had a great time, destroying everything in our path, and then one day I woke up a heroin addict. I was lucky… I had money and the ability to get into rehab. I got in recovery but it didn’t take… Then, after many tries it finally stuck.

I don’t want to go too far into the blood and guts, but more into the success. Today I’ve forgiven my family, I’m a single father of 4, I’m a photographer, songwriter and producer, author, and I have two bands: Mötley Crüe and a new band called Sixx:AM.

We just recorded a soundtrack to the book I wrote called “The Heroin Diaries.” A percentage of the proceeds go to Covenant House. Covenant House gets at-risk youth off the street and back into society. The reason I tell you this is because recovery actually rocks – you get what you put in and I believe that through treatment, these addicts and alcoholics - much like myself - can make a difference in the world, so that’s why I’m here.

I want to say that we’re all here to celebrate recovery, but it’s not just about our recovery. It’s also about the family in recovery. If we don’t get individuals and their families in recovery, the legacy of our families and future will be in addiction and everything that comes with it: financial, spiritual, and emotional bankruptcy. This journey the addict is on will end in insanity, jail, and death. Trust me, I have had them all, and I’m here because I believe my higher power has more in store for me than just being an artist, but I still get to be an artist because of recovery. You get back what you give.

So let’s turn America around. Let’s offer treatment, support, and awareness. Close the door on destruction and celebrate recovery. Thank you.