Nikki SixxEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

In this episode, I sit down with Nikki Sixx — founder of Mötley Crüe, rock legend, bestselling author, and a man whose story goes so much deeper than anything that ever happened on a stage. This conversation is not about the music. It's about what happens when a boy grows up without his father, carries that wound through decades of addiction and chaos, and finally — through sobriety, therapy, forgiveness, and faith — becomes the kind of dad his own kids can always run to. Nikki opens up about growing up without his dad in the picture, how the story he was told about his father wasn't the full truth, and the slow and painful process of forgiving both his parents. He shares the defining therapy session where a frumpy office, a dusty couch, and one sentence from his therapist — "you don't have to love your mom" — cracked something open in him that changed everything. We talk about sobriety, and Nikki is direct: it always gets worse before it gets better. When you remove the substance, you have to face what's underneath. But if you can survive that first year, your whole life reorganizes. He's 20 years sober, and what he's built on the other side of that — as a husband, a father of five, a writer, and a creative — is nothing short of remarkable. And Larry's son Ethan jumps in with a question that leads to one of the most important moments of the episode: Nikki's warning to today's teenagers about the very real and deadly danger of fentanyl-laced drugs — from someone who has lived every version of this story. Timeline Summary [0:00] Introduction to the Dad Edge mission and the movement to raise leaders of families and communities [1:01] Introducing Nikki Sixx — founder of Mötley Crüe, author, and one of the most unexpected guests in Dad Edge history [2:28] Growing up on vinyl, discovering music, and the self-discovery of being a young man in a different era [5:13] Both Larry and Nikki share the experience of growing up without their fathers — and how it shaped them [6:00] Writing The First 21 — the story of Frankie Farina, his dad's name, and what Nikki discovered about his father that surprised him [7:15] How the absence of a father manifests differently in every man — and why Nikki's came out as anger in his late teens [10:36] Larry's own story: being reunited with his father at 30 and building a relationship over 16 years [13:30] Getting to maturity means facing reality — and what Nikki's kids get to see by watching their dad work through his own stuff [14:22] Being gone on tour while raising kids — the guilt of absence and the work of making amends [15:35] No gold records on the walls: how Nikki deliberately kept his celebrity out of the home to protect his kids [16:32] "Not wanting to be my dad made me a better dad — but forgiving my dad might make me an even better one" [17:16] At 62 with a two-year-old: what legacy do you want to leave, and how do you get there without carrying old baggage? [18:31] Put down the baggage — it's heavy, it's exhausting, and it's crushing the people who love you most [19:23] The therapy session that changed Nikki's life: a dusty office, beams of light, and "you don't have to love your mom" [21:19] Letting go of the victim story and reclaiming the good — his dad was creative, his mom was charismatic, and Nikki carries both [23:28] Creating a home where your kids can always call dad — no matter what, no matter when [24:19] How unforgiveness clouds your ability to love the people right in front of you [25:36] Why Nikki shares his story publicly — so someone else doesn't have to wait as long to have their moment [29:18] When your daughter says "dad, you seem so happy" — the moment you know it's working [30:11] Ethan tells Larry "I love my life" — and why that's the greatest thing a father can hear [31:04] Movi

Nikki Sixx is a legendary musician, bestselling author, devoted father, and the founding member and bassist for Mötley Crüe, one of the most successful rock bands in history. Nikki is not only a successful musician but also an advocate for addiction awareness, mental health, and personal growth. Today, he joins Larry to talk about his journey as a father and husband, his sobriety for 22 years, and the advice he would give to the current generation of teens. Embracing sobriety can lead to unexpected benefits in our lives. For Nikki Sixx, sobriety transformed his life in more ways than he could have ever anticipated. He shared his experience of becoming sober and how it has enabled him to explore new opportunities and passions. Remarkably, he mentioned that he never thought he would write books, participate in photo exhibits, and showcase his photography in galleries. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of managing his time and not diverting attention away from his family. The most astonishing benefit Nikki has observed from sobriety is the courage it provided him to confront his issues and be honest about them. He emphasizes that facing our issues is the key to changing our lives and those of the people around us. Additionally, he talks about how we can use sobriety to create healthier and more fulfilling lives, simplify our lives, and focus on the present moment. In essence, sobriety is a gift that should be wholly embraced, as it can bring unexpected benefits to our lives, such as the courage to face our issues, the creation of a healthier and more fulfilling life, and simplification of our lives. Sobriety can help us establish a life of joy and freedom. By concentrating on nature and simplicity, we can create a more meaningful and fulfilling life. www.thedadedge.com/420 thedadedge.com/alliance

Doug Pick Founder Hearo’s and Sleep Pretty Pink Earplugs Doug Pick has had quite a ride. With dreams of becoming a record executive he entered the music industry in a totally different way. Instead of producing albums he produced earplugs. In this episode we discuss his entrepreneurs hero’s journey. Maybe a more appropriate description would be a ‘Hearo’s’ Journey. Doug Pick is the founder of Hearo Earplugs. Doug has become a friend, and he’s an incredibly talented storyteller and has plenty of stories to showcase his talent. Join me for this episode where the nuggets of wisdom rain down like mana from Heaven! Through a series of unforeseeable events, at age 13, Nikki Sixx (yes — THE Nikki Sixx, leader of the heavy metal band, Motley Crue) invited me to be the band’s official local photographer. This once in a lifetime experience left an indelible mark and set the stage for my life as an entrepreneur. I attended USC’s Entrepreneur Program, all the while, fixated on becoming a music business executive. Just days after graduating, Jerry Moss, Chairman of the Board of the famed A&M Records, hired me to work in sales. Through A&M, I enjoyed concerts and noticed frequently the only people protecting their ears were those on stage. I was a curious 24 year old and had no idea this single perplexing observation would lead me on a wonderful 26 year journey to become a recognized global leader in foam ear plugs. Research, research and more research on the ears and how to protect one’s hearing. By completing a viability study, I knew I could bring to the masses an innovative new brand and product. In 1992, I trademarked HEAROS and went to work. I lived by the saying “the only place where S uccess comes before W ork is in the dictionary” and was eventually rewarded beyond my dreams. By 2008, HEAROS had claimed the position as the #1 and #2 selling foam ear plug brands in the country through the nation’s largest retailers. With nearly 20 years experience of buying hundreds of millions of ear plugs from others, I craved to support my desire for disruptive proprietary innovative designs and building enterprise value for my company. In 2011, from the ground up, I built a state of the art ear plug manufacturing, assembly and distribution facility. Looking back, it was the most difficult project I ever took on. Fortunately, I was blessed with a brilliant and passionate team. When completed, our ear plug manufacturing facility would be capable of producing 120 MILLION ear plugs annually. As fate would have it, a large private equity group saw synergy and acquired all four HEAROS companies in October 2018. By the time my HEAROS chapter concluded in 2020, I’d made a transformative mark in the ear plug category and sold more than 500 MILLION ear plugs worldwide. As a next step, I invested in a Metaverse startup and accepted a senior position to apply my talents and experience. While it was a thrill to work with the entertainment community and raise funding from venture capital, I felt the pull to return to my roots of product marketing and distribution. So begins my next chapter. I’m exhilarated to offer my energy, experience and skills to help other bold dreamers achieve extraordinary success.

My guest today is Nikki Sixx and I have to tell you, this is by far one of the best interviews and guests I’ve had on the podcast. I grew up on Motley Crew and no doubt this interview surpassed all my expectations in the content he shared, his authenticity and so much more. You won’t want to miss it. Nikki Sixx is one of the most respected, recognizable and entrepreneurial icons in the music industry. He founded Motley Crew and has been sober for 21 years. He is incredibly passionate about his craft and wide open about his life in rock and roll. He was an All-American kid growing up. He loved to hunt, fishing, he chased girls, played football, but underneath of all of it, there was this burning desire for more, and that was music. It’s one of my top 5 interviews, that is all I can say. For the show notes and exclusive links mentioned in this episode go to https://thedadedge.com/343

Every day, drug overdoses kill 142 people. That’s more than car crashes and gun homicides -- combined. Prescription opioids and heroin are the prime contributors to these statistics. Heroin use in the U.S. has more than doubled, and heroin deaths have more than quadrupled just in the past decade. So, we ask ourselves, what will it take to beat this epidemic? In the latest episode of Spit, host Baratunde Thurston explores addiction, the relationship between genetics and the environmental experiences that may have led to early drug use and, ultimately, the journey to recovery. Baratunde speaks first-hand with the people who are actively using their experience, their influence and their voices to help understand what it takes to overcome addiction. In part one, Baratunde sits with Nikki Sixx -- The founding member and bassist of Motley Crue and Sixx A.M, a three-time New York Times best-selling author, a philanthropist and an addiction recovery advocate; and Dr. Adi Jaffe, mental health and addiction specialist, lecturer at UCLA and author of The Abstinence Myth. In part two of this episode, we go further to understand the science of addiction. Whether addiction is something we are born with and what triggers we need to avoid. Baratunde speaks with Drs. Abraham Palmer and Sandra Sanchez Roige from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry to understand their latest research where they discovered a genetic signature that correlates a person’s ability to delay gratification with reduced chances of addictive behavior. Could we be closer to having more answers? Join us for a real, raw and powerful conversation that calls on all of us to do our part in understanding the science behind addiction and what it takes to beat it. Nikki Sixx continues to advocate for greater awareness, research and financial support to end the opioid addiction. For more on his journey, check out his book The Heroin Diaries Visit Dr. Adi Jaffe is currently supporting the launch of his latest book dedicated to helping others overcome addiction The Abstinence Myth. Visit Dr. Palmer and Dr. Sanchez Roige continue to develop breakthrough research on the science of addiction and the relationship between Genetics and Alcoholism Research Study Spit is an iHeartRadio podcast with 23andMe. Enjoy this episode and subscribe, rate and review Spit on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to tell your friends all about it. Find out more about our host Baratunde Thurston at Baratunde.com or sign up for his text messages at 202-902-7949. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.