If you’ve ever been on either side of judgment, ridicule, misunderstanding, teasing, abuse, and/or neglect then you’ll want to pick up a copy of “THIS is GONNA HURT: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx” by Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe and Sixx: AM fame. Released today, April 12, 2011 via the Harper Collins imprint William Morrow, “THIS is GONNA HURT” is a collection of original Nikki’s original photography and narrative as he explores his own life’s demons and questions our perceptions of beauty.
In celebration of the book’s release, I am giving one of my readers a copy of “THIS is GONNA HURT” autographed by Nikki Sixx. All you have to do is leave a comment in this blog post with your definition of makes you beautiful. Make sure to enter a valid email address so that I may contact you if you win. In order to be entered, your comment must be posted no later than midnight 3:00 AM PST/6:00 AM EST on Wednesday, April 13, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2011. You may enter as many times as you like.
CONGRATULATIONS FABIAN!!! *throws confetti* *spirit fingers* I will contact you by email to arrange for your autographed copy.
This was a random drawing, but keep the comments rolling. I’d especially like to hear if you’ve seen Nikki on his book tour, have purchased the book, and/or have been checking out the documentary series.
Along with this book, Nikki has collaborated with his Sixx:A.M. band mates DJ Ashba and James Michael to release an accompanying soundtrack with the same title due out May 3, 2011 followed by an 11 city book and album tour. For more, read my previous blog post “Nikki Sixx debuts This is Gonna Hurt: The Documentaries on Hulu, album and book to follow.” I just watched the first four episodes of the documentary series on Hulu and was so inspired by what Nikki, DJ Ashba, and James have compiled that I want my own copy of the book and album for my collection.
In an article released about Nikki’s project by Billboard.com in February:
Sixx describes the “This is Gonna Hurt” book as “very personal,” using his photographs as jumping-off points for essays about a variety of subjects. “It’s definitely not an autobiography,” he says. “I don’t write with an editor in mind or critique myself. It’s just me shooting from the hip. Sometimes it’s tirades and rants. Sometimes it’s very focused. Sometimes it’s very sentimental and soft and reflective. Sometimes it’s brutal in is assholeishness. It’s all my opinion, and I stand by it.”
Sixx adds that many of the photos led him to reflect on his childhood. “A lot of this photography is based around the fact my sister was institutionalized,” he acknowledges. “I realized a lot of what I’ve done my whole career was based around fulfilling this fantasy of being closer to my sister, which is pretty heavy.”
In a guest blog post on Hulu, Nikki Sixx wrote:
I have always thought the misfortunate are the fortunate, and the misfits are a better fit. But it wasn’t until I flushed it out through months and months of self-reflection in my book, and then jammed into the wee hours with James and DJ, that the questions clawing in my head got hammered into the answers.
Listen to an excerpt from the audio version of the book “This is Gonna Hurt”
Additional Reads
- Huffington Post– Mike Ragogna: This is Gonna Hurt. A Conversation with Nikki Sixx
- Vanity Fair– When Nikki Sixx goes to Rock ‘N Roll heaven, he’s taking a long overdue nap
- Canoe: Jam! Showbiz– Crue’s Sixx unveils candid book
- Dr. Drew HLN show– Rock icon Nikki Sixx celebrating life
- The Joy Behar Show– Nikki Sixx in the Joy Behar Show green room (posted on Facebook)
Beautiful?; my tendency to trust others, even if they may not have earned that trust. A flaw? Being niave? Perhaps.
Beautiful mean that u are proud and that you dont let nothing stand in the way but also mean that u are beautiful creation
Great post!!! Mmm after watching and learning about Sixx AM definition of what make us beautiful, my opinion would be that if I can trust others without looking their appearance, and Im friends with people because of their personality thats the real beauty in life. That when I meet someone I dont judge them by their look, I just dont judge, I learn from them and have a good time with them, and I think thats really beautiful. Thx!!!
What makes me beautiful is that I’m different and different is a type of beauty. Before I would have loved to be like everyone else like what they do and live like them now it’s something that makes me awesome. When I’m different in style, opinion,food, or music I feel important, like I’m worth something, born to do something, and live to the fullest. That’s what I see people doing and it inspires me to not be ashamed I don’t live or think like everyone else. You’re one of those people Nikki, you help me feel proud so thank you.
Beautiful – a feeling that empowers one to overcome society definitions of “beauty” which ultimately explodes from the inside and bursts outward through your eyes, words…even movement. Beautiful is your soul that radiates into the outer world, regardless of the shell that houses it.
That sucks just now was able to like this and find this site. Few hours too late. That’s cool! Life will go on!!!
Go ahead and enter! I’ll count your entry and whoever else. I’ll just extend the deadline a few more hours.
This makes me think so I have more to add – when I look back on the past I worked very hard to forget…the “ugly” things in my life (bad choices, decisions ect). Over the past few months in working through my past I’m learning to find the beauty in those things that brought me to where I’m at today. Beauty is forgivenss of yourself, forgiveness of others, acceptance, tolerance, and above all love. Love of self and love of others. Beauty is love.
What makes me beautiful is my ability to recognize beauty in other people and “things”, even when that beauty isn’t readily apparent. This is a definite learned trait, mind you, because I am a naturally impulsive person. Being that the ability to make rush judgments in order to secure one’s survival is an innate characteristic, it’s oftentimes hard to stick through the undesirable parts of knowing someone in order to get through to the parts of them that make them shine or may prove valuable to you. Additionally, being that we are *all* raised with a certain amount of prejudiced views, it is oftentimes difficult to not make snap assessments based on the outer shell of a person or circumstance. I have had to work over the past 37 years to learn that the saying “never judge a book by its cover” is essentially true. Everyone and every thing has a certain amount of value, a certain amount of beauty, and definitely a lesson to teach us if we only pay attention. I may miss the mark here and there but I try my hardest to start each interaction out by seeing a person through their presumed surface imperfections and into what make them *them*… into what prompted the Universe to bring them forth. In doing so, I’ve developed a patient listening ear, a sense of compassion for other’s situations and a humility many others may miss. Since we are all mirrors, recognizing the beauty in others helps me to see and respect the beauty in myself and reflect it back confidentially.
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Aww, it warms my heart to wake up to all of these replies and they’re so uplifting! Winner to be announced by random drawing shortly! Thanks for entering. 🙂
Awesome!!! Thanks!!! And to answer the question about the documentaries, I love them!! They all talk about stuff thats is so true, I loved when James started talking about judging, DJ about writing about subjects that people don´t like to hear or touch, and Nikki talking about all the people he met in this process… And I just named a few, because there are lots of good moments! Cant wait to see chapter 5 and 6 😀
What makes me beautiful is my heart. I have always been told that I have a heart of gold, even when someone wrongs me, I always forgive, it seems like one of my faults tho as I tend to get screwed over a lot by being that way. I try to focus on the good in people instead of their faults. My daughter Nikki is a HUGE fan of Nikki Sixx, she is graduating high school this year and I am getting Nikkis book for her as part of her graduation gift. I took her to Cruefest in 2009 , PIT section, she cried when Nikki came onto stage, it was cute !! 🙂