There was a time back in the early Eighties when Nikki Sixx could do no wrong in my eyes; the guy was the epitome of cool. He was the bass playing bastard love child of Herman Munster and Vampira and I totally loved his band Motley Crue.  Then in 1985 his band released the truly awful 'Theatre of Pain' album and the rest as they say, is history. 

During the ensuing years never mind how many times my mates who remained true to Da Crue told me that 'Dr Feelgood' or 'Girls, Girls, Girls' were the best things since sliced bread, to me the band had long since lost its mojo. Apologies if you love those albums, but the sad fact of the matter was that even if they were still the kings of partying off the stage, Motley Crue just weren't dangerous enough on the god damn stage anymore.

Here in 2011 Nikki Sixx is in a much different place to where he was in those stadium g(l)ory days, never mind where he was when I first fell in love with 'Too Fast For Love'.  The man is now a global brand, he's also sober, an author of some renown, and most recently he's taken to the art of photography, and hence this second album from his solo Sixx:A.M. project 'This Is Gonna Hurt', which could be viewed as the accompanying soundtrack with which to browse his photo book of the same name.

So you're probably wondering why if I dislike Motley Crue quite so much these days am I sitting here writing a review for something I'm obviously going to not like?  Well firstly let me say that during what I loosely refer to as "the barren years", I do think there have been some flashes of true inspiration from Mr Sixx.  Firstly the acquisition of John Corabi as singer for the self titled rebirth of Motley Crue, for an album that was a stroke of pure fucking musical genius and which deserved to be a huge success, then secondly I may be one of only a handful of people brave enough to admit it but I actually really liked Brides of Destruction as well. Finally I have to also admit that whilst reading Sixx's excellent first book 'The Heroin Diaries' I was half tempted to venture out and buy the album of the same name, but the on going live ruination of Motley Crue at various Festivals and Arena shows that I attended made me stop short of ever fully taking the plunge.

Hence when I first caught the video to the lead track from 'This Is Gonna Hurt', the instantly hummable anthem that is 'Lies Of The Beautiful People' late one night on Scuzz TV, I was left thinking, "hold on a minute this is actually a great tune", and in particular I was most impressed with vocalist James Michael whose voice soared majestically over the music, something that Vince Neils chords could never hope to replicate these days.  Anyhow, with the Sixx fire once again restored in my belly, I picked up a copy of 'This Is Gonna Hurt' and placed it in my car stereo ready to experience some of this accomplished post grunge arena rock that the lead track had promised so much of. 

After a gentle fade in I'm into the album's first track, which is also the album's title track and I'm scratching my head wondering if the shop has put a Muse CD in my Sixx:A.M. case by mistake...This surely cannot be the new album from Nikki Sixx DJ Ashba and James Michael?  Sadly it was, and it only got worse as I hastily flicked through the tracks, 'Are You With Me Know' was a Train outtake, 'Sure Feels Good' a Kid Rock B side, whilst the ghostly spectre of Muse would return for the dreadful pomp of 'Goodbye My Friends'.  There were however some faint glimmers of musical hope to accompany the admittedly excellent 'Lies Of The Beautiful People', the Chris Cornell solo years acoustic strum of 'Smile' once again bringing forth a magical vocal performance from James Michael and the poptastic 'Help Is On The Way' is the hit single Velvet Revolver never actually managed to pen.

The trouble with 'This Is Gonna Hurt' is that it really doesn't know what it wants to be, and from the bands I've already name checked I hope I've made that point as clear as possible.  If any of Sixx:A.M's members can take anything away from this album then it is the chameleon of rock vocal styles James Michael, as he is more than equal to the challenges his writing partners throw his way, but sadly for all his efforts, songs like 'Deadlihood', 'Oh My Good' and 'Live Forever' are so fucking bland they would struggle to get on the next Daughtry album.

Ultimately though this is music for people who buy their albums in supermarkets, its safe, boring and vacuous, its also so far removed from 'Knock Em Dead Kid' you do have to wonder if Matthew Trippe really was telling the truth. 

I hate to say it but if 'This Is Gonna Hurt' was used to define the word "Rock" then this website would in fact be called Uber Shit... Thankfully for us though it isn't.

One to avoid Uber Rockers.

http://sixxammusic.com/