Nikki Sixx revealed in a new interview that compared to today’s environment, Motley Crue was “most probably” a sexist band, though he does make the distinction that “as was everybody.”

The ‘80s were certainly a different time, before camera phones could document every event and social media could spread it on a worldwide scale. It was also decades before the #MeToo movement and before powerful individuals in the entertainment industry such as Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein could be taken down by justifiable public outrage.

Beyond acts that are undoubtedly criminal, the social fabric of the past has also been placed under a microscope. So was Motley Crue and hair metal as a genre sexist? Nikki Sixx seems to believe so.

“It was a different time. In today’s environment, most probably,” Sixx tells Classic Rock. “As was everybody. In the seventies, when I grew up, it was just the messaging that came through, and you were emulating your heroes.”

The Crue bassist recalls growing up hearing Steven Tyler use the term “slitty licker” on “Pandora’s Box” and being captivated by its sexual nature. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s fucking rad!’ It was dangerous, y’know? When someone is talking about guns and sex and drugs, you’re like, ‘This is fucking dangerous, man. This is not mom and dad’s music.’ So it was a different time. You can’t rewrite history, man.”

The 1980s will come alive once again when Motley Crue begin their stadium tour with Def Leppard in 2022. For the full list of dates, click here.

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