"It wasn't Nikki (Sixx) playing bass" on Motley Crue's Theatre of Pain Says 'Eye Witness' Greg Leon

A full in bloom News Brief - Former Tommy Lee bandmate Greg Leon talks about how he met Tommy, Suite 19, Dokken, Quiet Riot, visiting during Motley Crue's Theatre of Pain sessions and seeing someone other than Nikki Sixx playing bass, and helping Mick Mars get his guitar sound.
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Intro & Outro by FOOL OF FATE
#motleycrue #mickmars #ozzyosbourne #tommylee #nikkisixx #vinceneil #quietriot #dokken

[@rikfox8812]

I know Greg, he's a good friend since I left WASP, I auditioned for his band The Greg Leon Invasion in 1982 before I auditioned for RATT. Years later his band supported one of our SIN concerts. He doesn't BS, so, there's got to be some truth to this.

[@jasoncrocker5138]

If I was Greg I wouldn’t claim theatre! I don’t think his tone was too good in it. Shout was great! I’d like to know who was ghost playing tho….

[@80sRocker]

rik did nikki play at all on those records back in the hey day ?

[@bdm1000]

@@jasoncrocker5138 he likely didn't set up Mick's amps to please himself.

[@rikfox8812]

@80sRocker Good question 🤔. I know he did play live; I saw him. I saw him playing the albums live, so, that's anyone's guess. There's a video on KZbin I saw recently where they said that Nikki took bass lessons and improved, but that was later. I can't speak for his condition while on heroin. But, early on, he was very gracious to me; I still have a pair of his thigh high stiletto boots that he gave me. When their Shout at the Devil budget came in, Nikki got my number and called me and said that if I want, he's giving me one of his Ampeg V4-B bass amps sitting in SIR studios in Hollywood for free, just go pick it up. He also gave me other assorted costuming gear. He didn't have to do that. So, I'll always remember how kind he was to me.

[@josephcollins628]

That’s amazing! Thank you!

[@s.d.c5513]

After seeing Motley Crue perform live over the years I came to realize they were nothing more than hard rock's talentless barbie dolls, Who somehow secured an absolutely mindblowing guitarist. 🤘M.M🤘

[@river2352]

That’s not exactly true now is it? Put your emotions aside, the first 2 albums were killer. After Girls Girls Girls they declined. They’re old now and have a pool in the back yard, of course they’re not the same.

[@youaresoft-ee4ub]

dewds talkin str8 outta his ass

[@srincident]

Motley Crue was one of my favorite bands since the 1980s until this year. I've lost so much respect for them. Viva Mick Mars.

[@Adrenaline416]

My sentiments exactly. I still love the music on those 80's records and will still play them loud, but the fake, lying, corporate shills that Motley Vanilli have become now is something I will only make fun of and never pay to see.

[@sirchromiumdowns2015]

I feel the same. They were my first concert! I saw them on the Girls, Girls, Girls tour. When I found out Sixx was faking it onstage, I lost complete interest in the band. How could anyone stand onstage and fake it? I don't even understand that mentality. One would think after being in a band for forty years he would at least be competent at the instrument. Motley Vanilli can stick it.

[@jonasandersson3684]

I'm playing guitar (and some base) on a hobby level and it's such a delight, and to actual play yourself is the actual purpose with playing an instrument. What's the point in running around show off with an instrument without playing. It may be cool as a little kid to stand in front of the mirror, play some music in the background with an guitar, base or whatever, but NOT cool in front of a paying audience.

[@ThatGuy-2882]

Check out Mars' new solo release. Motley had it's time but honestly they did Mick a favor because he has pure fire coming from his fingers. Mick is the Crue!

[@thejusticeappalachianhomes1454]

Ive been a crue fan since the beginning but see how full of shit they are. Now, after how they've treated Mick they can blow me.

[@Riazor1370]

He didn't play at the record, and he didn't play it at the show, he is mili vanili of metal.

[@zublacus]

Who wrote 90% of their songs....Ok genius.

[@theshawdows]

I seen motley Crue open for Ozzy and yes Nikki was actually playing the bass

[@Terk131]

@@theshawdowsFunny because even Nikki says he does use Pre-recorded tracks for a live show soo…… yeah.

[@Terk131]

@ConservativeKirbyXIcKXIAnd you ran the control board when they recorded ? No you didn’t. Obviously you do not know how the industry works. That or you know how it works but being a “fanboy” you just go with a narrative 🤘😎🤘

[@theshawdows]

@@Terk131 maybe these days but not in the 80s at least not when I saw them

[@HyperInflation2020]

My brother was a driver and assistant (Gofer) house sitter for Mick Mars for 5 years 84-88. I was fortunate enough to meet all of them many times. I can tell you 100% that there were 2 different people that I met at 2 recording locations that were recording bass on this album. One of the guys name was Matt or Mathew, I don't remember talking with the other guy but I did see him playing bass about 3 or 4 months before it's release.

[@rocknroll6396]

Matthew Trippe or whatever his name was. He always said he got hired by McGee around this period cause Nikki was strung out and got in a car accident and hurt his shoulder or arm and couldnt play bass. So McGeee hired Nikki look alike and he claimed he wrote some riffs for a few of the songs on the album. Played some bass. He also claimed they started the tour and Nikki was sent to rehab or something if I remember correctly so he claimed to have played bass at a few gigs till Nikki came back. To me with MCs lack of overall integrity why couldnt Matthews story or at least some portions of it not be true?

[@bdm1000]

@@rocknroll6396 I remember hearing something about this all those years ago.

[@cancelbubble6535]

@@rocknroll6396 yeah, the Matthew Trippe story is a great one. Too bad he's dead...If people aren't familiar with the story, just google "Matthew Trippe Nikki Sixx" and enjoy going down that rabbit hole.

[@daddiikong1602]

@@bdm1000 Same.I remember all the promo photos and they all conspicuously covered certain tattoos.

[@HyperInflation2020]

I looked up the last name you gave "Trippe" and found that story link.

[@richcarroll7510]

I read a interview about Nikki Sixx trying out for Quiet Riot ,Randy Rhoads said he didnt even know how tontune his bass,So Randy ended up giving him a bass lesson

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

I remember reading an interview way back in the 80s one of those Metal Edge magazines where Nikki said he wanted to play guitar so he went to a guitar shop and stole a bass. He didn't know the difference between a guitar and a bass guitar. So that's how he ended up "playing" bass.

[@SmedleyWarIsaRacket]

@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533 I read that as well......

[@GB-zy6nk]

@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533 That’s true, he talks about it in the movie “decline of the western civilization”

[@williamlangeii4012]

​@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533I read that article in high school (during class, lol)

[@leathercoatguy]

Nikki described a period of time in the book "the Dirt" where he was living in Seattle in the Queen Anne neighborhood and was playing a Rickenbacker in a band. No doubt Nikki isn't that great of a player and I've heard that theft story, or something like it, a few times. But, I think he was playing bass for some time before he got down to LA.

[@elvis13577]

Being an 80’s MetalHead, stumbling on this today was Pure Euphoria 🎸🤘

[@derekrodriguez6030]

He's dope

[@reggaefan2700]

Nikki can't play bass for shit, but he can sure write good songs.

[@MrManfly]

@@derekrodriguez6030 It's always interesting to hear these little snippets on the behind the scenes junk !!

[@tabvalentino]

imagine me after a two bong hits

[@eeeore1629]

Again more proof of what the world already knows…. Anyone who’s ever seen Motley live surely knows that Nikki is the Sid Vicious of metal… just a coat hanger on stage taking of space because he looks the part even though he can’t play. Watch him, his left hand is always in the same place on the fretboard. The only time it moves is when he points at the audience. Saw the shout, dr feelgood & and Stadium tours. Mick carried that whole band on all of them. Played the guitar and bass parts at the same time on an old beat to shit fender strat copy that sounded awesome. Mick is a true master… Rock on Mr Mars!

[@icaanul]

"Played the guitar and bass parts at the same time...." That's when you jumped the shark. You almost made it until the end without doing so. Considering bass by design is playing at least 1 octave lower than the guitar, it's not possible to play the bass parts on the 6 string guitar.

[@toddsmods.623]

😂😂😂😂

[@aaronwilkinson]

Didn't Sixx write pretty much all the tunes?

[@mlaforce]

Nikki Sixx was told by an early band, way early in his beginning journey of wanting to be a rock musician. They asked if he could play bass for they had just lost their bass player. Nikki said he could play bass and that was a lie. He also lied about having a bass to play on so they invited to audition but he didn't have a bass so he walked into a guitar store with an empty guitar case and asked the employee behind the counter for an application, once the employee went to the office Nikki opened the guitar case, shoved a bass in it and left with an application. The only problem was Nikki didn't know the difference between a guitar and a bass. He showed up to the audition with a guitar. That, I believe sums up Nikki Sixx and his bass playing skills.

[@SteveBello]

He may have even lied about that story just to gain "punk street cred". Nikki was always a fraud.

[@jamescon55]

True story "here" definitely 😏..... WELL documented FACT since SHOUT was released and the band started getting notoriety. It WAS IN ALL those rags I used to read BACK when .😄 Lol 🤘🔥🤘

[@blueee100]

How do you get in a band if you can't play? Also If Nikki can't play an instrument how does he write songs without being able to play it on a guitar at least to play it for his bandmates to learn it? Makes you wonder.

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

Yes! I remember reading that story in a Metal Edge mag way back in the 80s.

[@miketrice1748]

Yup,a gold top Les Paul

[@shanebush2751]

Motley is not known for great musicianship except Mick. They got lucky and live off the classics. Mick's new record is solid.

[@loganheidel5008]

Tommy a good drummer

[@mikewallace1270]

Mick? Hmm...ok.

[@ltjoseph9042]

metal guitar player replies: ok you know everything

[@mattlewis6833]

Tommy is actually a great drummer. Not a rudiments guy but an exceptional time keeper, highly innovative beats and has his own style.

[@BillLouthain]

Mick's only released one song ! Hi full album wont be released until February 2024 !

[@bcmprgraphics6378]

Did a recording with my former band and when we played back the bass our engineer almost quit so my rhythm guitarist re-recorded all the bass tracks. To this day everyone who was in the band knows but the bass player. Its tough when not everyone is on the same level.

[@peppergrand1072]

It's even tougher when the bass player can't tell that it's not him playing. It's funny to think that there wasn't one note or part he doesn't recognize or think "did I play that, I never done that before?" I ran a recording studio for 12 years and there were a few times that another member would have to do the bass parts, mostly because the guitar riffs were so complicated that the bass player would have to be as versed in his instrument as the two guitarists. But ironically the bass player was flipping most of the bill for the studio time.

[@howlinwulf]

It happens that way alot.

[@ianstewart2335]

Happened to me… first song on the record… that ain’t me!!! 🤣 Rips your heart out

[@reggaefan2700]

Nikki can't play bass for shit, but he can sure write good songs.

[@sdsmt99]

So he's so stupid he can't tell the difference or it was so insignificant of a difference it was a waste of time just to keep an engineer.

[@FFLL2112]

This may be true about Mick as an isolated incident, but he was a tone chaser and had a GREAT sound his entire career

[@reggaefan2700]

Nikki can't play bass for shit, but he can sure write good songs.

[@johannjohann6523]

Nikki: "Hey guys, let's use backing tracks on tour that way we can party all we want and not embarrass ourselves on stage. Besides, my fingers hurt I'm too old for this shit". Tommy: "Great idea, we can pull it off and not end up like Milli Vanilli!" Vince: "Whatever. Where's that fucking pizza I ordered"? Mick "What the bloody hell is wrong with you MoFo's! No wonder I'm so fucking depressed"?

[@DarrelllCampbelll]

I highly doubt Nikki played on any of their studio albums

[@TheoriaZone]

Only a naive fool would believe there is honesty / integrity in the Music Industry 😂

[@lelandgaunt7130]

Hahah. Yes, I love all the people with the, "I can't belive" or "I lost respect for them". What? You actually had respect for a bunch of degenerate dope fiends before? 🤣

[@mikeryan5088]

Well to be honest. For the most part, many bands all members played on the album. Some bands however, had members who could not perform in the studio intricately enough, some not at all.😂 But could play live no problem. Beau Hill brought in a guy for Eric Turner’s and Joey Allen’s parts on the Warrent records. And again, they were really good live. He also wanted to bring in one for some of Warren DeMartini’s parts on Ratt albums. But Ratt said, no. And I always thought Robbin and Warren were great on all those records.

[@StephenMarris-mn7rd]

All the guys in GNR played every note on appetite for destruction. Even Steven Adler, as doped up as he was, played every drum part

[@williamlangeii4012]

​@mikeryan5088 Yeah, the Warrant stories are incredible. They couldn't play anything, they were just the "looks" while and actual player (can't remember his name) played the songs. I remember listening to their album "dog eat dog" and wondering how they suddenly became THAT good at solos...listen to that album, it's incredible. No way Joey played a note of that stuff.

[@mikeryan5088]

@@williamlangeii4012 Well like I said just because a guy’s not good enough for the studio doesn’t mean he can’t play. Unless Warrant was playing to a prerecorded version of their live music in concert, I’ve seen them twice and I wouldn’t never have known. I think Eric and Joey were great live. I had absolutely no clue they didn’t record on their albums. I would imagine that some players simply don’t have the technical ability for studio music recording, but fine actually in front of a crowd. I’m not going to mention any of these bands. But they sounded awesome on their albums. But they were such a disappointment live because they were either just ok or they flat out sucked. And one is a huge iconic band with one of the greatest guitar legends of all time. Maybe they were just really drunk or they weren’t that great live?

[@ericscottstevens]

Nikki auditioned for QR. Randy immediately saw the sham and instead sat with Nikki showing him bass chords. Randy could have kicked him out of the building making an awkward scene but instead took the high road to make it a learning situation. Randy was an educator to the end.

[@kristy9337]

If Randy had gone on to become a teacher.....😢. It's not quite fair that he died, while so many other awful(personally/professionally)musicians seem to live forever. I feel so bad for Randy's parents😭

[@Zer0basscovers]

I've covered a butt load of Crue on my channel, and I've come to suspect some of what I was hearing and wondering if it actually was Nikki playing the parts in the studio. I noticed he leaves a lot of fills out live. Also, for example, the song Tonight (We Need A Lover) has some pretty cool bass work and I've rarely seen any live footage of them doing this song. Things that make you go hmmmm.

[@sirchromiumdowns2015]

That's a shame. It's a good song, cool bass line, too. Seems like a no-brainer for a live setting- unless the bass player can't play.

[@patricknunez8884]

Awesome! Segment. Fuckin WILD! It’s like Politics, we’ve been Lied to, For Years!

[@chasebeavers]

Matthew Tripps’ story gets more believable every day.

[@mattwatson2550]

I was thinking the same thing

[@Davo-gj7gl]

100%

[@josephromero4585]

😂

[@Bananenbennie]

Yes

[@sidscifi]

My thoughts exactly. I knew Mathew. He used to come into the small little music store in Tampa Florida called Horizon music. Swore that he was the bass player for Crue briefly.

[@mikewallace1270]

Cool stuff!

[@1bassman9]

So Nikki Sixx is another Milli Vanilli ???

[@damndirtyrandy7721]

There is an interview on KZbin with Nikki saying he always assumed someone would be redoing his bass parts after he left the studio

[@joshkaye5303]

The story of Nikki busting his shoulder and still recording SATD never made sense - especially given his apparent inability to play with a good shoulder

[@joshburns6625]

That's when heroin entered the picture.

[@OznerpaGMusiC]

listen to the bass on 'Too Fast For Love' - i have always thought there is some absolutely fantastic melodic and super-tight bass playing on that album which sounds absolutely nothing like the bare-bones bass style Nikki has since recorded. 'Public Enemy #1', 'Take Me To The Top', and the solo/bridge part of 'Starry Eyes' have some killer bass licks all conjecture, but pretty suspicious - i'l give him credit for being a great songwriter though, he still was their leader to successfulness and got the job done

[@dadolin01]

It's kind of surprising not to hear that Mick didn't play all those simple bass lines on records, as he probably could've played them in his sleep.

[@BillKurn]

Man, I wore that record out!

[@lolamurder1882]

My husband literally said the same thing before I read your comment.

[@derekabma]

Recording Too Fast For Love, they were still nobodies. If he was so bad, they wouldn’t have been so popular on the club circuit and the band would’ve just replaced him. They wouldn’t have had the budget to hire ghost players.

[@BillKurn]

So, no one ever, including their supporting acts ever noticed that Nikki had been replaced on stage? Has Mick Mars commented on this?

[@Mike-su2xg]

My band Destined was working with producers, Jeff westlake and Michael Wagener. Michael Wagener spoke of how difficult it was working with Nikki Six and how he would screw up the bass lines to the point of wanting to get someone else. That Nikki would even play on one string only.

[@SOHC427]

So a huge name pro trashes a big name star to a nobody band, risking never working again...because you're soooo awesome he risked it getting out and never working again...ok,if you say so

[@MPK-72]

Has anyone watched the documentary on randy rhoads? Nikki auditioned for bass with them or quiet riot and didnt even know how to tune a bass let alone play one back then. Randy said he didnt have the time to teach him to play bass while learning and writing songs for his band.

[@endtimesprophecybroadcasti2311]

Matt Trippe said he played on those records because Nikki was hurt and even filled in as Nikki's double during that time, I'm starting to believe the guy wasn't crazy.

[@doreencharlie6694]

It’s does make sense!

[@zachary_attackery]

Tom Werman said Nikki played it while in a sling

[@TheoriaZone]

It’s possible Tom is lying to protect Crue Inc, himself and label, etc. The Music industry is a vipers pit of deception, let’s get real 😂

[@justinsixx90]

​@@TheoriaZonehe could a also signed NDEs too?

[@TheoriaZone]

@@justinsixx90 yah true, like the Wrecking Crew players did when they played on all those “ Talented Artists/ Songwriters albums in the 60’s & 70’s. Yep, Non Disclosure Agreements ( NDA )are common too.

[@rocknroll6396]

Matthew Trippe or whatever his name was. He always said he got hired by McGee around this period cause Nikki was strung out and got in a car accident and hurt his shoulder or arm and couldnt play bass. So McGeee hired Nikki look alike and he claimed he wrote some riffs for a few of the songs on the album. Played some bass. He also claimed they started the tour and Nikki was sent to rehab or something if I remember correctly so he claimed to have played bass at a few gigs till Nikki came back. To me with MCs lack of overall integrity why couldnt Matthews story or at least some portions of it not be true?

[@tomwerman5960]

Complete fiction.

[@lancel71]

Seems like Niki was more about looking like a rockstar than actually being a musician.

[@hugolafhugolaf]

It always was. Very driven, very cunning, but not a virtuoso by a long shot.

[@user-dh8we6ef1h]

I know for a fact through Nikki's former tech Kevin " Beavis" Briars on the 1998 - 1999 Greatest Hits Tour that Nikki was using tapes ...

[@LuisHernandez-hw7dj]

Years ago I heard about a guy named Matthew Trippe going around saying he was Nikki Sixx. I remember in a article Sixx was so pissed at him that he said if he ever saw Matthew, he'd blow his ass away.

[@jasonmarchant4525]

isn't head dead now?

[@LuisHernandez-hw7dj]

@@jasonmarchant4525 yeah.

[@jasonmarchant4525]

@@LuisHernandez-hw7dj maybe Nikki got to him

[@SPAMNATOR]

This is very timely news!

[@ryankieth1675]

How is this controversy? Nikki still isn’t playing the songs.

[@robroblox8844]

My dad was the guitar roadie for the Greg Leon Invasion and I showed him this video and he said while working with Greg Nikki would be hanging out a dew times begging Greg to come back to MC for one reason mainly...to play the bass parts for the Theater of Pain album. When Greg declined MC brought in Dana Strum to record a few songs.

[@jamescrouch3217]

So many good people behind-the-scenes that you didn’t know back then. Seems like a pretty good guy to me.

[@ArchangelCrusader-he3gg]

I was a student at Full Sail when they first opened in 1986. Not mentioning any names but a legit A list producer told me ALL stadium rock concerts are prerecorded. The big touring companies used to haul 2-3 Otari MTR 90's or Studer A800's to get a great mix at stadiums. Of course in between songs they could always pull up the microphones. No lie.

[@mooknick242]

to me the bass on Too Fast For Love is heads and shoulders above the later albums.. so "to me" that is kind of suspicious.

[@paulthompson8642]

Thank u

[@vincentjoubert5514]

For what I know now, I believe everything this Guy says!!

[@5150show]

Incredible

[@user-yq8vn5ee5b]

There was that urban legend of Matthew trippy playing bass in concert and videos when Nikki sixx was having problems with surgery or drug issues

[@stvalue3]

He’s right, it was actually Matthew Trippe, the infamous Nikki Sixx imposter from the early 80s. 🎭

[@thebipolarbear1]

Matthew trippe baby, the mysterious bass player

[@billtrepkowski527]

I talked to Greg on Facebook before. That EP of Dokken demos shows him on the cover, but he told me he did NOT play on those songs. He said he doesn't know who is on those demos (I've since learned it was Don, Juan Croucier, and Greg Pecka), but as for the cover, the label that put it out used whatever old photo they could find, which is the photo of Gary Holland, Greg, Don, and a bass player they hired for a German tour, Gary Link.

[@mikeb.7183]

Have to remember back then there was no pro tools either you got it, punched it in or started over. My guess is that Nikki did the basic, punched in where he could but when it came time to critical punches or time savings they had a ringer play for a afternoon to clean up either the rough spots or some minor changes they had made after bass was laid down.

[@havocharmony9661]

Dont work like that. You dont have Nikki playing the bass and then have someone else punch in here and there. There would be no consistency and result in a pile of dog sheet. Them having a ghost player come in for sessions is the most likely answer. Nikki is and always has been the biggest poser in the biz. More concerned about photo shoots and how he looks then he was recording the music and how he played. Dictionary definition of POSER IMHO.

[@anthonylynch4737]

The back cover of Theatre of Pain that's not Nikki Sixx but his doppelganger Mike Tripp !

[@shawnbullard9099]

Even Bob Rock, the producer for Dr.Feel Good said Nikki Sixx didn't play bass on that album. The same Bob Rock who produced Metallica's "Black" album.

[@tomwerman5960]

No, Bob did not say Nikki didn't play bass. Bob simply repeated what Nikki said to him about not remembering, and for all he knew, someone could have replaced his bass parts. Fact. Not hearsay.

[@canyonproductions7683]

Thank HEAVENS for Ghost players or I wouldn’t have gotten tight drums on a certain album I did! It’s crazy when you start to find out WHOSE been on which albums haha.

[@jeffkolln5291]

Sad to hear that kind of stuff. I will always love the music they made, don't pay attention to their daily lives and what they did.

[@Dave_Wight_The_Rock_Oracle]

they are B league frauds

[@fetzeria]

Doesn't surprise me. Sixx was more worried about drinking and drugs than laying down descent bass lines.😊

[@johannjohann6523]

You forgot to add: The only thing Nikki was interested in laying was your girlfriend.

[@bretviola6871]

I totally believe that part at the end, Greg is an amazing amp tech!

[@sidscifi]

He’s talking about Mathew Tripp in the studio.

[@Lnps123]

Seeing someone in the studio doesn't mean he is playing and also doesn't mean what he plays was on the records.

[@NearGuttersPath]

Was Matthew Trippe telling the truth all along?

[@rocknroll6396]

Yup 100%

[@icemansify]

Nice to see the photo of Matt Trippe you included,, I for one can't wait for the day the truth is revealed, unfortunately it's to late for Matt, but he deserves the recognition for his time in the Crue.

[@MyDyerMaker]

Not surprised. I thought it was pretty common to have studio musicians play. Pink Floyd did. Numerous country bands do. It's often more efficient and less expensive to use studio pros.

[@georgecc]

There's a big difference between playing bass LIVE and laying down bass tracks in the studio. Many commenters seem to conflate the two. For example: Rex from Pantera played bass LIVE for the band. He also attempted to record bass for the latter studio albums as he'd done in the early days. His attempted takes were replaced by his guitar player - Dimebag Darrell. Some of the engineers for their albums will openly attest to this *hidden* tidbit of information. Why would anybody ever doubt that Nikki Sixx, who by most metrics COULD NOT PLAY OR TUNE his own instrument, wouldn't have necessitated a ghost player (here's the tricky part for the slow kids here -) in the STUDIO? I rate the info provided in this video: 100.

[@tommyibanez3958]

Rex's book was a rough read, he essentially took credit for everything in Pantera and made Vinnie and Dime out to be hillbilly jackasses.

[@georgecc]

@@tommyibanez3958 - Yep. Big boasts, considering the man's recorded contributions to the band were replaced as soon as he'd leave the studio. I've heard that Timothy Gaines of Stryper was another whose studio work played out in much the same way.

[@daveycmusic8903]

Steve Bailey. He did hundreds of ghost sessions. And Nikkis bass never made final mixes of most of their albums.

[@jonathanmerkel6811]

Exactly right. Steve played bass on many of these 80s records. It was well known at Musicians Institute where Steve taught at the time.

[@MegaBassfunk]

I heard it was Jim Lacefield who did Crue stuff. I hung out with Steve Bailey quite a bit back in the 90s and he was pretty hush hush about the ghost sessions. He said that once, after a few drinks , he ran his mouth at a party and wound up getting blackballed by one particular producer who didn’t take kindly to his studio secrets being revealed .

[@adamfindlay7091]

Kinda hard to perform in a studio when you're OD'd in a tearaway ambulance.

[@windwarattack2300]

Everybody in the know...knows that Nikki can't play bass till this day...like bass after 40 years can't be learned...in his case..it cant...but dude fit the image of that time I can give him that

[@joetheplummer8128]

I remember hearing Steve lukather played guitars on a motley record.

[@kmortensen]

You had me right up until the "dial Mick's amps in" part.

[@bdm1000]

Why?

[@heyjarrod]

Had you? This isn’t some made up story. It’s Greg Leon.

[@Myrrhkuri]

@@heyjarrod and so that means it true? The producer just did an interview recently, and he says Nikki played his parts on the albums.. The guys bio basically says his "notable" parts are stints in Quiet Riot and Dokken, and that later on with his Invasion project he toured Europe with new material and the "Myth" of his name.. Just sounds like somebody thats jealous the guy he didnt like, and thought couldnt play got famous and he didnt.

[@RichardGutierrezRG]

Greg is known for being an amp guru, look it up. I wouldn't doubt that Mick needed some kind of amp tweak to get the sound they needed, all the Greats have had people like this. EVH had people to do the same. Greg is also a great player who just never got the big break others got. Look him up as a player. No shame in not making it, tons of fantastic players never made it.

[@heyjarrod]

@@Myrrhkuri Looks like you just don’t understand. I give you all this great first-hand info, but you think you know more than people that personally lived through all of this. You’re probably in the middle of nowhere, and know nothing about the LA music scene. He left quiet, right, and Dokken, to pursue his own music. We could easily be talking about him instead of George Lynch, or Carlos Cavazo. There are no guarantees, a lot of great musicians aren’t household names… while a lot of terrible musicians are. He’s not jealous at all, and never talks poorly about anyone-if you watch any of his interviews. There’s hundreds of interviews with Greg, from people in the business that know he is the go go to guy to learn about the growing heavy metal scene out of LA in the early 80s. He’s not worried about a Wikipedia page, nor is Chet Thompson. He has nothing to prove, and nothing bad to say out anyone. He is just being honest. It’s common knowledge that Nikki and others did not play on some albums. The wrecking crew played on everyone’s albums. It’s hard for a lot of musicians to be able to deliver in the studio, and record clean tracks that can be used.

[@theoverlook5976]

I remember seeing a segment where the doc said Nikki couldn’t play bass (SATD era) but I also wonder if Nikki played the bass lines on TFFL.

[@TheJindelt]

He played bass on all of there albums, Nikki did, I was around those guys for years, this is all a bunch of BS.

[@lopear111]

Sure Jan.@@TheJindelt

[@Dave_Wight_The_Rock_Oracle]

Also people need to realize, was buddies wiht Randy Rhoads who also exited Nikki Sixx from an audition because he did not know what key a song was in. HE was also in Dokken and in the first iteration of Motley Crue with Tommy Lee, to Tommy's credit he chose look over musical integrity and it worked out

[@Petequinn741]

We all know Nikki's playing abilities are extremely limited

[@2216sammy]

What abilities ?

[@stephenmoore3035]

No way…I’ve seen videos of him and he’s so good he doesn’t even have to touch the bass to play it!

[@SJ-ty5rw]

It's such a joke when people say Nikki .. wrote all their music . How can he "write" anything when the guy couldn't even play Bass correctly . Mick and Tommy have carried that band from day 1 musically .

[@clamdigr]

And you'd think after all these years, with all the experience, and learning opportunities, that he'd be a solid bass player. If not a killer one.

[@Cobra-ky9bt]

Dialed. Mick's. Amps. In. Yeaaaaaaah....

[@corybarnes2341]

I can't remember what producer I was working with but he was talking about the poor guy who produced MC's first album ripping his hair out because Nikki's "bass playing" was so unworkable. I don't know what the final solution was but I bet a session player came in and re-cut the parts. Wouldn't have had to have been Chuck Rainey or Leland Sklar. Some kid from a around the neighbourhood with a couple of years under their belt could have played those parts well enough.

[@rikfox8812]

I wonder if it was Jeff Pilson doing the ghost bass work 🤔 He's played some ghost bass on some Scorpions albums.

[@chrislestermusic]

Jeff was a “go to” guy for a lot of albums. He and James Kottack were the rhythm section for quite a bit of stuff in the 90s. Not sure about the 80s but it wouldn’t surprise me. Great player. Nice guy too. When I first moved to LA to play in Wild Horses he loaned me a Spector and an Ampeg stack to use. He had done the bass tracks on the album before I joined.

[@rikfox8812]

@@chrislestermusic Jeff is an awesome guy, always a great friend; he once offered to sell me his white Gibson Thunderbird bass for $600, but I didn't have the money for it. When I'd see Dokken in concert, he'd toss his guitar picks at me🤣...

[@brianpawlowski6498]

Several influential people in the industry, including Blackie have said Nikki just wasn't that great of a bass player. It's debatable even now if that still holds true. The bass sound he got from Dr. Feelgood was from Bob Rock, not he himself. He's surely not on the level of a Steve Harris (who is?), but it's argueable he's way behind Geddy and Lemmy. He falls somewhere between the middle and bottom of those from that era.

[@MrT6R6E6Y6]

My friends cousin brother sister aunt said he ties his shoes backwards too.

[@Stationary76]

wild stuff coming out. It's funny though, it seems EVERYONE is coming out about this now

[@Tumbleweed_Tx]

Carole Kaye did most of the bass work for the rest of the albums.

[@earld158]

it wasn't Crol Kaye. It was the guy who played for David Bowie

[@daviddigital6887]

Yes it was the Wrecking Crew, so came the name Motley Crue

[@BirdDogey1]

Funny

[@pycellesbeard9728]

LMFAO!!! Those stories remind me of a drunk that used to come in a bar I worked and tell me how He taught Tony Stewart to drive and once escaped Vietnam in a stolen helicopter AND dated Adrienne Barbeau, love the touch of "NOBODY touch those controls!!!" of course not, they were dialed in by the legendary Greg Leon!!

[@outoforder2162]

Eddie Van Halen swapped equipment with Greg, and you have a problem with him adjusting Micks amp?? LOL..

[@pycellesbeard9728]

@@outoforder2162 WTF Said I have a problem with it?, I think I made it pretty clear that I think He's a BS artist and I don't believe His little studio story for a second I'll take Wermans account any day over WTF Greg Leon is, I mean "Nobody touch those dials for THE Greg Leon finally gave us the sound we've been looking for😂

[@lopear111]

So you’ll take Werman’s account over Bob Rock’s? Bless your heart. @@pycellesbeard9728

[@Jay-ef2ii]

I like this story. Very interesting. 2023

[@user-sj5wx3oc9u]

Mic was the best thing about them.

[@dallrevenge9256]

That lead singer on Hooligan’s Holiday album kicked butt. No way I’m bringing Vince Neil back. But I heard he cried his way back.

[@johannjohann6523]

Rob Corabi, and certainly Motley Crue's heaviest album. Too bad it came out in the early '90's when "grunge" for some reason became King. For a short while anyway. Vince while not a great singer but good, does or did have what I thought was a really unique voice.

[@michaelharrington75]

The album flopped.

[@bbbccc9813]

​@@michaelharrington75had it came out now or during their prime it would have done much better

[@tod3msn]

A lot of studio maneuvers and actions go on in music all the time.

[@rona.9731]

Vh,Journey,Metelica,Aerosmith. On on on! It's normal, folks!

[@rona.9731]

@jeddej7884 VH Journey Metilica Aerosmith the Stones all have uncredited musicians on their records genius!

[@rona.9731]

@@jeddej7884 Do your homework genius!

[@rona.9731]

@jeddej7884 Go & talk with an adult who knows about the Rock music industry. Then thank me latter after you google those bands son!

[@rona.9731]

@jeddej7884 Stick with Miley Cirus & the Jonas bros kid! You can't handle the big boys' debates! Oh & there is no Santa Claus! Lol!!!!

[@tomwerman5960]

The absolutely hilarious stories on this page are beyond belief. We have the engineer playing bass on "Shout", and all sorts of people playing bass everywhere else, and some guy declares with certainty that Nikki never played bass with his arm in a sling -- I have no reason on earth to report anything but the facts, and Nikki Sixx played every note on all three albums I produced. Period. No ringers, no session guys, no stand-ins, no look-alikes. Just Nikki. Full stop.

[@littlejimmy7402]

Sometimes there's more than one reason to anything, Nikki & Tommy looked like a couple of outer space alien freak twins. The look and attitude had so much to do with glam metal.

[@suesmith364]

I always knew Nikki didn’t play on the Too Fast For Love album. There are some neat little bass lines and tricks on it that he couldn’t have pulled off, back then. Then he had an alleged shoulder injury as an excuse for Tom Werman to take forever in the studio grinding out Nikki’s very minimal bass lines for Shout At the Devil. Not one interesting technique similar to those present on the first record appeared on the second, and they mixed those bass lines so low they are barely audible. Guess Werman didn’t want to go through it again on Theatre of Pain, so Nikki was stricken from the record. As for Mick’s guitar sound on that record, I always thought it was very unique. It was sort of both warm and melodic in a way that I don’t believe I’ve ever heard again. Always wondered how he got the sound on that particular album, and now I think there’s a sensible answer.

[@tomwerman5960]

Well, Sue, if I were you I'd check my sources.His "alleged" shoulder injury was the real deal, I didn't take "forever, grinding out" Nikki's bass lines, and I'd love to know what "interesting techniques" were on the first album that you were missing on "Shout".

[@vickd3702]

Sixx wrote all of the songs, so clearly he was the right choice.

[@tripod4482]

Hi Nichole.

[@johannjohann6523]

No. He only wrote some lyrics. The music is all Mick.

[@michaelharrington75]

​@@johannjohann6523Most of the music and all lyrics are attributed to Nikki on the first 5 albums. If Mick was writing the music he would have his name on the credits.

[@5stringking]

Motley Crue was Nikki Sixx vision. It worked. He can play bass now?

[@vickd3702]

@@johannjohann6523 not according to the credits. And that reflects the truth.

[@user-bc7dz7ei4x]

One thing that’s strange is this mysterious bassist Matt Tripp was stopped in Florida for speeding in Mick Mars car. Ticket is public record and clearly shows the car owner as Mick Mars and Tripps name as aka Nikki Sixx. Mick Mars never reported the car as stolen either. Strange how no one in the band admits to knowing him. Love to hear more about it but Tripp died around ten years ago so it will probably remain a mystery.

[@whyitmatterstome]

Great, someone else taking credit for ALL of Motley Crue's success. Wow, we love to build up and tear em down. Nikki admits he wasn't a strong player, and having session players on albums was (is) common practice in the studio. Nikki also wrote most of the lyrics that were chanted by millions, so he was an integral part of their success - as much as anyone else in that band.

[@marlonread4746]

Jimmy Bain played bass instead of nikki sixx??? That’s awesome 🤣🤣🤣

[@paulmackay7265]

How could anyone replicate Nikki Sixx;s off the charts bass playing? I was almost 16 before I could even come close.

[@mindtorquemusic]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@rona.9731]

Didn't Nikki write the majority of MC songs? I'm not a huge fan but I love there 1rst album to this day! It's fun!

[@AtacamaHumanoid]

​@@rona.9731 yeah, it's weird! I like up to Theatre of Pain most, but Dr. Feelgood and Girls, Girls, Girls are alright, too, once in a great while.

[@AtacamaHumanoid]

@@ML-eh8td but why would the rest of the band allow him to get all the credit for the lyrics?

[@Terk131]

@@AtacamaHumanoidEveryone had an equal share in the company.

[@RolanRoyce]

It wasn't no Matt Tripp playing live in Motley from 1981 to when he said the real Nikki returned in '84 though. There's clear footage of the '83 US Festival and it's definitely Nikki, Frank Faranno, Tripp looked vaguely like him but not enough for that to be him at the US Festival.

[@icaanul]

"there's no clear footage of the '83 US festival." ..... Wat?! And as far as whether or not there was a fill-in, it's not possible to go from being an innie to an outie without a hernia. Yet somehow Sixx managed it. Strange.

[@RolanRoyce]

You didn't actually quote my comment, you inserted the word "no" into it. About his navel, where did you find closeup pics of it?@@icaanul

[@NealVio]

Wow, what a great story. So that was Greg playing on that first Dokken album. Someone mentioned wayyy back and I forgot.

[@billtrepkowski527]

No. Greg himself told me it's not him.

[@drivebye2709]

All these years and never got good enough at bass...bass. Couldn't even be a bassist, much less a good bassist. Unbelievable.

[@sketchyold]

Not a Motley Crue fan and think they’re clowns who never grew up, but this guy sounds rather bitter.

[@phasevariance258]

It becomes very obvious when you listen to the isolated bass tracks.

[@brianbarker620]

I heard a story of a “ghost” playing bass on Warrants Cherry Pie because Warrants bassists was preoccupied with cocaine at the time and what he did play at the time was discarded by the producer. That was the first time that I had heard of musicians “ghosting” on records. I still love the echoey bass tone the studio guy got on Mr. Rainmaker 👍👍👍🤘🤘🤘

[@AnthonySforza]

Weird... you would think Jani could have played it.

[@shaunclifton5281]

Mr. Rainmaker is an overlooked Great song that I Crank pretty often. There is another video of the session guitarist that actually played all of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Down Boys instead of Joey & Eric.

[@michaeldavis6607]

There is a video of Six playing a bass solo. I said this is the worst bass player I’ve ever seen so I believe he is not playing on the albums.

[@diabeticmonkey]

If Mike Slamer can play all the guitars on Warrant’s album, somebody else can record Nikki’s bass tracks for Motley Crue. I’m not even surprised.

[@billtrepkowski527]

Well, ALMOST all the guitars. C.C. DeVille did the solo on "Cherry Pie."

[@WAM4EVER]

Facts.

[@paulclark4071]

Dang this guy walked away from 3 huge bands.

[@stevemorissette5080]

Yeah that is the question we should keep in mind

[@mattskustomkreations]

@@TheoriaZoneStill, to think he was 3x unlucky. Most people wouldn’t have that many brushes…. Or maybe there’s a slew of those guys from that scene, you just never hear about them?

[@michaelharrington75]

Saying he had to dial in Mick's guitar tones was when I knew he was full of shit.

[@teeoh9192]

@@stevemorissette5080 That's been my main sticking point. If he was so great, how come he's not become known until now? And, it seems, these "ghost" spots, are the ONLY thing he's done of note. His personal projects, seem to have never got off the ground.

[@TheLordGoat]

Also, Geoff Workman the engineer played bass on Shout At The Devil.

[@AceGibson1959]

Geoff (RIP)? where did you get that from? I'm not going to rag on the guy, cuz he's no longer here. But no, he didn't play the bass on any Shout tracks.

[@tomwerman5960]

Now THAT one is the prizewinner for ridiculous declaration of the day....

[@TheLordGoat]

@@tomwerman5960 I've had many this week. If this is Tom, I'm a huge fan

[@mhitson7483]

After SATD these guys were done

[@ic_clearly]

Agreed, Lost interest after Shout also..

[@AlexSosaBolivia]

Pretty much, yeah.

[@geoffsecombe]

Girls, Girls, Girls had its moments but it's true that nothing they've done since comes close to the first two albums.

[@AlexSosaBolivia]

@bth9318 Nobody here but you is talking about sales figures. Go ahead and follow the masses - they’ll lead you right into a Taylor Swift “concert” 🤣

[@AlexSosaBolivia]

@bth9318 Done = a spent force creatively

[@Nightwinflyer]

The list of guest or additional musicians on Dr Feelgood is pretty long. I'm sure Nikki didn't record the bass for 'Don't Go Away Mad' and I saw him live and he didn't play it then.

[@KEEPINGitREAL213]

Why am I NOT surprised

[@josephromero4585]

😮 Matthew Trippe claim to play bass on Theater

[@Birdlab]

Metal Vanilli!