Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx recently addressed the band’s usage of backing tracks during a Q&A session on his X account.
During the session, fans directly questioned Sixx about the band’s live performance practices. When a fan asked, “Why do y’all use backing tracks?”, Sixx offered a straightforward explanation.
“Since we saw Queen using some to help during the song Bohemian Rhapsody live, we understood that we could bring in elements that we could not do live like orchestras, saxophones, etc., etc. and sync them up with what we are playing and we do play 100% live,” Sixx said. “And it’s better for the fans and we enjoy being able to do what we did in the Studio live. It’s a win win for us.”
A second fan then pushed further, asking: “Why don’t you guys play 100% live?”
Sixx was direct in his response, firmly pushing back against the claim.
“We do,” he said. “You were lied to. Sorry.”
The backing track argument has followed Mötley Crüe for years. Sixx’s latest remarks are the most recent chapter in a long-running conversation about what it means for a rock band to perform live.
