TRICKY NIKKI: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx...

TRICKY NIKKI: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx has been open about his past drug use and recovery, but he never expected someone to write a song about it. So he was very surprised to see the lyrics to “Calm Before the Storm,” written by old pal Stephen Pearcy, formerly of Ratt and now fronting a new band, Arcade. The song details an incident two years ago when Sixx overdosed and nearly died, as well as an episode of excess involving Pearcy.

A sample:

Yeah man Nikki got a crazy horse

He got no hands on the wheel

Five more minutes would have done him in

If he weren’t made out of steel.

“He’ll love this,” Pearcy predicted. “I’ve never been into (writing about other people). But look, he came into the picture and he’s in the song. I can’t see him getting (upset). Ask him.”

So we did.

“Sometimes you don’t realize you make an impression on someone,” Sixx said after seeing the lyrics for the first time. “I consider it a compliment.”STEVE HOCHMAN