Nikki Sixx recently revealed details about Mötley Crüe’s tour planning process. He explained how ego conflicts prevented certain bands from joining their upcoming reunion tour, as shared in an interview with 93XRadio.
The bassist discussed the challenges of assembling the right lineup for their ‘The Return Of Carnival Of Sins’ tour. The tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of Crüe’s groundbreaking 2005-2006 tour.
“It’s who’s available, which is not easy. And who’s still around, which is really not easy,” Sixx said. “There’s a few bands that we actually talked to about getting back together to do this tour with us, and there’s a couple of bands I just couldn’t get ’em to understand that it would be better for the fans than their egos. And so we try.”
Despite the setbacks with some potential collaborators, Sixx expressed enthusiasm about the bands that did join the tour.
“And just Tesla and Extreme both were available, and we couldn’t believe it. We were so happy because that’s just — from the opening chords of Extreme to the last chords of Mötley Crüe, it’s really good songwriting, and I just love good songs,” he continued. “Whether it’s done Metallica style, Rammstein style, Norah Jones style — I don’t care — Al Green style, Mötley Crüe style, a great song is a great song. And it’s just gonna be a night of just singing everything.”
The tour announcement comes as Mötley Crüe continues to navigate various scheduling challenges and health concerns within the band.
Metal Injection reported that The Return of The Carnival Of Sins tour represents a major 2026 North American tour celebrating two significant milestones for the band. The original Carnival Of Sins tour from 2005-2006 was groundbreaking for its theatrical elements and marked a pivotal moment in the band’s career.
The band has faced recent setbacks with their performance schedule. IMDB noted that Mötley Crüe had to cancel their New Year’s Eve concert and make adjustments to their 2024 Atlantic City shows. These scheduling changes highlight the ongoing challenges that veteran rock bands face when planning extensive touring commitments.
Beyond touring, Sixx has been exploring creative collaborations outside of Mötley Crüe. Antimusic revealed that Sixx recently collaborated with Dolly Parton on a duet version of “Home Sweet Home.” This unexpected partnership was sparked by her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination comments. The collaboration demonstrates Sixx’s openness to cross-genre partnerships.
The band has also dealt with health concerns affecting their touring plans. The Las Vegas residency was rescheduled to September 2025 due to a required vocal procedure for frontman Vince Neil. This shows how the band continues to prioritize the health of its members while maintaining their commitment to fans.
The tour will feature Tesla and Extreme alongside Mötley Crüe for what Sixx describes as an evening of quality songwriting across different musical styles.
