Nikki Sixx has fired back at a social media user who insulted his longtime bandmate Vince Neil, defending the singer after a harsh comment about his appearance and vocal abilities.
The exchange took place on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend when one of Sixx’s followers directed a crude message at the bassist regarding the frontman of MÖTLEY CRÜE.
On Saturday (March 7), an X user wrote to Sixx: “You should get Vince jogging or some Ozempic. Fat s**t can’t sign” [sic].
Sixx didn’t let the remark slide. The following day, he responded bluntly: “What an embarrassing thing to post to me about my singer who’s been with me for 45 years. No matter what you think he’s my brother and you can go suck a d**k.”
The bassist has previously defended Neil against criticism from fans, particularly regarding the singer’s live performances. Back in November 2025, Sixx pushed back against complaints following the band’s Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, where the CRÜE had staged a rescheduled run of shows.
Those concerts were originally planned for spring 2025 but were postponed after Neil suffered a stroke during the previous Christmas season. Despite the health scare, the singer eventually returned to the stage for the residency later that year.
When another user suggested that Neil should “get in shape and fix his voice first” before the band’s upcoming touring plans, Sixx again jumped to his defense, replying: “Did you hear him in Vegas? He sounded solid and bad a*s.”
Meanwhile, Neil has openly discussed the serious medical ordeal he faced and the difficult recovery process that followed. Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in October 2025, the singer explained just how severe the stroke had been.
“I had a stroke. My whole left side went out… I had to learn to walk again, and that was tough. The doctors said they didn’t think I’d be able to go back on stage again. I go, ‘No, no, I’m gonna do it. Watch and see.’”
Neil described the long rehabilitation journey that followed, gradually progressing from needing assistance with basic movements to regaining his independence.
“I went from people carrying me to the bathroom, because I couldn’t walk myself, finally to a wheelchair,” he revealed. “I graduated to a walker, and then I had a cane. Now I don’t need anything. But it’s like a full-time job getting back to where you feel good again.”
The singer also spoke about the difficulty of retraining his body after the stroke.
“It takes a while to get your brain to start moving your legs, for them to do what your brain wants to do. You try to walk but it doesn’t come out right.”
To help regain his strength, Neil worked closely with a football coach in Nashville, where he lives, putting himself through intense training sessions that included running.
“It’s been tough, but I’m back, I’m 90, 95 percent to where I was before, and it’s going to be great.”
Neil ultimately returned to the stage on August 1, 2025, performing with his solo band at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston — his first live appearance since Aftershock Festival in October 2024.
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