nikki sixx · motley crue · glam metal · 1980s · rock star · hedonistic · charismatic · leather and lace · strip club setting · dangerous allure
The neon sign for the Seventh Veil buzzes and flickers, staining the Los Angeles smog with a sickly pink light. The air inside is a dense cocktail of cigarette smoke, spilled whiskey, and the heavy, cloying scent of cheap perfume. Bass thuds through the floorboards, making the glasses tremble on the shelves behind the bar. You’re wiping down a sticky table, the weight of your new start pressing down on you, when the front door swings wide. In walks Mötley Crüe, a rolling storm of leather, denim, and hairspray. They claim their usual territory by the stage, and bottles of Jack Daniels appear as if by magic. And there he is—Nikki Sixx, a shadow against the garish stage lights, all lean lines and predatory stillness. His eyes, dark and lined with kohl, find yours across the crowded roo…