WHEN IT WAS confirmed that Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx would take part in this issue’s cover story (he agreed to respond to emailed questions), it was requested that we keep the focus on “what’s happening now — the tour, music, nothing about Mick Mars.” At the time, this didn’t strike us as outwardly odd or significant (somewhat rock-star quirky, perhaps), and there was nothing to indicate that there was any kind of drama, legal or otherwise, surrounding Mars’ departure as a touring member of Mötley Crüe.
A short time later, news broke of Mars’ lawsuit against the band, and it became clear why Sixx preferred to sidestep the elephant in the room. Seeing as we were very careful to steer clear of asking the bassist even the vaguest question about Mars, we were more than a little
