Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx: Bands He Tried to Reunite for Tour

When Mötley Crüe announced their Summer 2026 North American trek, The Return of the Carnival of Sins, fans were thrilled to see support from Tesla and Extreme, but during a recent interview, bassist Nikki Sixx gave rock fans a deeper look at what almost could have been. Sixx revealed the band tried to convince other artists to reunite specifically for the tou, but says ego stood in the way.

In a recent radio interview, Sixx explained how the lineup came together. “It’s who’s available, which is not easy. And who’s still around, which is really not easy,” he said. “There are a few bands that we actually talked to about getting back together to do this tour with us, and there are a couple of bands I just couldn’t get ’em to understand that it would be better for the fans than their egos.”

Sixx didn’t name names, but many point to contemporaries like Skid Row and RATT as the most obvious possibilities. Fans would love to see either of these bands reunite but so far, it hasn't happened. Skid Row’s relationship with former frontman Sebastian Bach, in particular, has been publicly tense. Sebastian has openly said he'd love to reunite with the band. Meanwhile founding members, Rachel Bolan and Dave "The Snake" Sabo have openly said they have no intention of reuniting with Bach.

Sixx’s candid remarks underscored a core theme for the tour: giving fans what they want, even if behind-the-scenes negotiations fall short. “And so we try,” he added, before moving on to praise Tesla and Extreme for coming aboard. His point was clear. Rock fans deserve big moments, but sometimes pride gets in the way of making them happen.

The 80s bands need to take a cue from the 70s bands. Even if they only meet up on stage, give the people what they want and continue the legacy of the band. In the end, the bands and the fans benefit.