Book Review: The Heroin Diaries

The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
by Nikki Sixx

Synopsis: In one of the most unique memoirs of addiction ever published, Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx shares mesmerizing diary entries from the year he spiraled out of control in a haze of heroin, alcohol, sex and cocaine, presented alongside riveting commentary from people who were there at the time, and from Nikki himself.

You'd think I would have had enough of this story, having read both The Dirt about all of Mötley Crüe and Tommyland by drummer Tommy Lee, so even I was a bit skeptical going into this book wondering just what other insight I could get about the wild 80s from a Motley point of view. It didn't take many pages to figure out that this book is quite a bit different than the other 2. This is really just the tale of 1 year of heavy drugs and ridiculous excess.

Nikki writes in his journal like he's talking to it and it comes back as a read that is both scary and sad. I felt like I was right there watching Nikki as he spiraled from wild partying rock star to a dark, depressed, paranoid drug addict that despite having achieved his lifelong dream of playing music for a living, wasn't able to see past his next fix. The love/hate relationship he had with the drug mirrored a lot what was going on in his life with his band, friends and family.

One thing that makes the book much more enjoyable is how you will read a diary entry from 20 years ago, and then there is a quote from current times from someone who was involved. There are quotes from the other band mates, girlfriends, managers, roadies and family members. It's sort of an update on the tales and keeps the book feeling new and it's much more insightful as such and also makes it feel a lot more honest and they don't pull any punches in clarifying his tales or disagreeing with some entries.

I got a real kick of the entries by his now ex-girlfriend Vanity, since turned Evangelist, as she's about a big of a whackjob now as she was then... only then she was obsessed with drugs and now she seems like a major Jesus freak. She's got some really confusing and odd remarks that left me shaking my head.

There is also a lot about the 80s LA metal scene in general, a lot of insight into Mötley Crüe's backstage and touring lives, the dangers of excess, the music industry and Nikki's childhood. In the end after he's decided to really try and clean up from the year of hell (and actually having his heart stop twice) there's a chapter he calls "Life After Death" that updates a quick time line of what's happened in his life since. It's amazing he's been able to accomplish what he has after what he's gone through.

You don't have to be a Mötley Crüe fan to enjoy this book, but Crüe fans should love it more obviously. It's just a good book on addiction in general as well a book on the potential pitfalls of being a rock star and lastly something anyone battling depression might want to read. I really think in the end the whole message is a hopeful one, because if Nikki can live through a year like this and escape the hold, there is hope for anyone. It's also a nice little piece of Mötley history and rock n roll history as well.

"Drugs make it better. Drugs make it worse." ~ Nikki Sixx

8/10