Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx blasts 'backstabbers' Steel Panther
Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx has slammed parody metallers Steel Panther on social media over recent comments frontman Michael Starr made about Vince Neil.
In an interview with Little Punk People at the end of September, Steel Panther singer Michael Starr (real name Ralph Saenz) and drummer Stix Zadinia (real name Darren Leader) were hypothetically asked what deceased musician they would like to bring back.
Typically comedic in their response, Starr replied, "I'd bring back Vince Neil," to which Zadinia chipped in: "He's not dead."
Ignoring his band mate, Starr continued: "I'd bring back Vince Neil from back in the day because that guy is dead."
Although the comments were made almost a month ago, numerous outlets have reported the story over the past week – and they’ve clearly riled Nikki Sixx.
Taking to Twitter, Sixx slammed Starr and dismissed Steel Panther as a “wannabe band”, writing: “The singer in steal panther can go f**k himself… wanna be band putting down @thevinceneil.”
A Twitter user replied to Sixx, writing: “I dont get why'd he say that ( steel panther singer ) seeing they play Crüe songs live all the time and I've seen them have @thevinceneil sing on stage with them. I totally appreciate @NikkiSixx having Vince's back! THANK YOU NIKKI.”
Sixx then replied: “That’s why they are assholes. Backstabbers.”
> That’s why they are assholes. Backstabbers. > > — xxıS ıʞʞıN (@NikkiSixx) October 18, 2019
We’ll await Steel Panther’s reply with baited breath.
In a 2017 interview with Music Life Magazine, Stix Zadinia said relations between Mötley Crüe and Steel Panther weren’t good after they toured together in 2011.
“Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx did not like it when we went on tour with them in 2011,” he claimed. “And that was the only time that we really felt unwelcome. The thing with those guys is I think they thought we were actually making fun of them directly.
“And I just gotta chalk that up to their egos being too big, because nothing that we do has anything to do with them directly. But we ended up doing the tour and it went off great and everything was totally fine.”
Don’t forget Steel Panther head out on the Heavy Metal Rules UK Tour in February 2020.
Supporting their new studio album ‘Heavy Metal Rules’, which was s released on Friday (27th September), the band play headline shows in Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast.
Tickets are on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now. See Steel Panther at the following shows:
FEBRUARY 2020
Bristol O2 Academy – Wed 5th
London O2 Academy Brixton – Fri 7th
Birmingham O2 Academy – Sat 8th
Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse – Sun 9th
Glasgow O2 Academy – Tue 11th
Newcastle O2 Academy – Wed 12th
Belfast Ulster Hall – Sat 15th