Nikki Sixx (birth name Frank Carlton Serafino Ferranna) is the bassist for metal bands Mötley Crüe and Brides of Destruction.

Sixx was born December 11, 1958 in San Jose, California. He was raised by his single mother, Deana Haight, after his father abandoned the family. When he was six, he and his mother moved to Mexico for a short time, after which they moved to Idaho with his grandparents. The family moved several more times, to Texas, then to New Mexico, back to Texas and then to Idaho.

While living in Idaho, Sixx became a teenage vandal, shoplifting and being expelled from school for selling drugs. His grandparents sent him to live with his mother, who had moved to Seattle. He lived there for a short time, and learned how to play the bass guitar after buying his first instrument with money made from selling a guitar he stole from a music store. At the age of 17, he moved to Los Angeles on his own.

By 1981, Sixx had developed a plan to create the ultimate "theatrical" band for the new decade. He found guitarist Mick Mars, drummer Tommy Lee, and singer Vince Neil to share in this vision. The band Mötley Crüe rose quickly in the musical enviornment of L.A.'s Sunset Strip and quickly reached national fame.

Like his bandmates, Sixx became addicted to drugs, heroin in particular, in the 1980's, at the start of the band's climb to the top of popularity. On at least one occasion Sixx was declared dead after an overdose, only to be revived by the paramedics with an adrenaline shot to the heart. This incident was the inspiration for the song Kickstart my Heart.

Nikki Sixx is now married ( then separated , currently reconciled ) to actress/model Donna D'Errico. Between the two of them, they have 5 children, Sixx has three from a previous marriage to model Brandi Brandt, Gunner, Decker and Storm, D'Errico's son from a previous marriage, and their daughter together, Frankie Jean.

He is now in a band called Brides of Destruction, and Mötley Crüe are currently on a reunion tour, featuring the original line-up, with Nikki Sixx (bass), Tommy Lee (drums), Vince Neil (vocals) and Mick Mars (guitar).

Credit: en.wikipedia.org