“I’ve never been one that talks about my bass playing, but I really am proud of my playing on that album – it was the first time I was sober”: In an era dominated by look-at-me shred guitarists, Nikki Sixx showed that playing bass could be cool, too

Nikki Sixx of the band Motley Crue performs onstage during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 19, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Born in San Jose, California in 1958, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, real name Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, was the kid from a tough background who found redemption in playing in a great rock band. But it wasn't an easy start.

He famously stole a guitar from a music store in Seattle thinking it was a bass. It wasn't – and he was soundly ridiculed by his prospective bandmates. Having recovered, Sixx went on to buy his first real bass, a black Rickenbacker 4001.