There’s some tension between the members of Steel Panther and Motley Crue founder Nikki Sixx. The two sides traded barbs in October of last year and, in a recent interview, Panther guitarist Satchel insisted he still felt Sixx “is a dick,” but it hasn’t tainted his love for the band’s music.
In advance of Steel Panther’s ”Concert to Save the World” — a fully produced livestream benefit show taking place on June 7 —Satchel spoke with Ultimate Guitar and was asked if the band’s plan was to steal Crue’s audience.
“I’m a fan of Motley Crue,” said the axeman before commenting on two of the band’s members. “I think that Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx can act like total dickheads much of the time, but that’s also what comes with being a rock star sometimes. The guys want to act like dickheads and they do – and that’s cool, I still like the songs. But we can’t steal their fans any more than they can steal ours,” he affirmed.
Satchel denounced any sort of competition, expressing there is room for each band to be appreciated. ”People are gonna be fans of both bands and I’m always gonna love Motley Crue no matter how big of a dick Nikky Sixx is because I like how they sound,” he defended, noting that the two groups are “not mutually exclusive.”
Perhaps fans felt like they had to pick sides once the beef between the two hair metal groups erupted last year. Singer Michael Starr and drummer Stix Zadinia were asked what rocker they’d like to bring back from the dead. The two doubled down and named Crue Singer Vince Neil — who is alive — quipping that the Neil from “back in the day” was metaphorically dead.
This incensed Sixx, who called Steel Panther “backstabbers” but Panther quickly shot back and dug up an old interview clip of the band mocking Neil following his jet ski accident that left him with broken ribs during his time away from the band.
Satchel didn’t see the need for fans to pick a side and urged, ”You don’t have to hate Steel Panther to love Motley Crue and vice versa. And you don’t have to hate Motley Crue to say Nikki Sixx is a dick as well. [Laughs] I still love Motley Crue even though I think Nikki Sixx is a dick – these things are not mutually exclusive. [Laughs]”
Despite the war of words in the past, the guitar player is seemingly over the whole ordeal. He said if he saw Motley Crue, it’s likely he wouldn’t go out of his way to spend time with them, especially because “Nikki Sixx seems like he doesn’t like my band, so I probably wouldn’t buy him a beer.”
Burying the hatchet a bit, Satchel wished Crue “the best in the future” and then proclaimed, “But it seems like we annoy Nikki Sixx — and I’m fine with being annoying to Nikki Sixx ’cause I don’t really give a fuck.”
Steel Panther’s June 7 “Concert to Save the World” will benefit both Live Nation’s Crew Nation Fund as well as the Heavenly Pets Animal Rescue. Get more details here. Loudwire was even tapped to help Michael Starr pick out his stage outfit for the special event, which can be viewed at this location.
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