MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx spoke with Melissa Locker from TIME recently about a number of topics including the band's retirement and upcoming tour with ALICE COOPER. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

TIME: Why end the band now?

Sixx: "Now is better than later. We’re at our peak now. We’re making a movie of The Dirt. We are still selling out arenas everywhere we go around the world. It’s the original four guys. The concept of hobbling off into the sunset with only two of the original guys in the band doesn’t appeal to us. That’s not the band that came up listening to the RAMONES and AC/DC’s 'Dirty Deeds' and going, how do we make those two bands into our band? The very first show, Vince and I ended up in the crowd in a fist fight! That kind of set a precedent for who we are and what we do. Being such huge rock fans, so many before us have let us down and been sort of embarrassing. You have to squint your eyes and they kind of look like the same band. We play a lot of festivals and I’ll hear that so-and-so is on the bill and I’ll run up to the side of the stage to see them and say, “I know they’re older, but I don’t recognize anybody” and Vince will say, “Oh the only guy in the band is the drummer’s brother.”

TIME: It seems like you and the band are very concerned about your legacy and making sure it is properly represented in the film and in history. What do you think that legacy is or should be?

Sixx: "Vince was asked that the other day and he said, 'That we did it our way,' and I agree. Remember, no record company wanted to sign us. They thought we were a joke, so we figured out how to form a record company and how to fund it and how to take that music that we recorded and find someone to distribute it. We sold 40,000 copies of that record and all of a sudden, everyone believed in what we do. The one thing that Vince didn’t mention is that when you really love an artist — what I think is the real legacy — is that when you take away their looks, take away their history, take away everything — whether it’s JIMI HENDRIX, RAY CHARLES or LED ZEPPELIN — you take away their entire lifestyle, and what is their real legacy? It’s the music. In the end, that’s it. When we’re in band rehearsal, it’s just the four of us in a dirty little rehearsal room with a half-eaten box of pizza just pounding through those songs. We put a lot of work into those songs. They are our legacy."

TIME: Is there a particular album that you’re looking back at most fondly?

Sixx: "Too Fast For Love. I remember being in the recording studio with the guys and we were so amped up. Remember, no one believed in us and we were in the studio, just going for it and we didn’t know if anyone would ever hear it. We were like, f— it, playing bars and clubs and slugging it out. We learned very early how to promote ourselves in a way that was bigger and louder than anyone else, but no one believed in us! No one would finance us to make a record. But we sold 40,000 copies! There was no advertising, there was nothing, just us slugging it out, playing. It was kind of magical. I think back on that now and it’s like, man, the same four guys who thought “What are we going to do? Let’s do it our way!” If you think back on that, you might have a tear in your eye right now."

Read more at TIME.

Mötley Crüe dates with Alice Cooper:

July

2 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
4 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest
5 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
6 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
8 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center
9 - Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
11 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
12 - Wichita, KS - INTRUST Bank Arena
13 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
15 - Cedar Park, TX - Cedar Park Center
16 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
18 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
19 - Phoenix, AZ - AK-Chin Pavilion
21 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
22 - Irvine, CA - Verizon Wireless Amp
23 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
25 - Reno, NV - Reno Events Center
26 - Ridgefield, WA - Sleep County Amphitheater
27 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheater
29 - Wheatland, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheater
30 - Chula Vista, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheater

August

1 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amp
2 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
3 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
5 - Sturgis, SD - Sturgis Buffalo Chip
6 - Sioux City, IA - Tyson Events Center
8 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
9 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
10 - Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amp
12 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
13 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
15 - Pelham, AL - Oak Mountain Amp
16 - Alpharetta, GA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
17 - Tampa, FL - MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp
19 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
20 - Virginia Beach, VA - Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
22 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
23 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
24 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
26 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing. Arts Center
27 - Allentown, PA - Great Allentown Fair
29 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
30 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center
31 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

October

10 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Arena
11 - The Woodlands, TX - Cynthia W. Mitchell Pavilion
12 - Bossier City, LA - CenturyLink Center
14 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center
15 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
17 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Live
19 - Jacksonville, FL - Veterans Memorial Arena
21 - Greenville, SC - Bon Secours Wellness Arena
22 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum
25 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Events Center Phoenix - AK-Chin Pavilion
26 - Montville, CT - Mohegan Sun
29 - Syracuse, NY - The OnCenter Complex

November

5 - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast College
6 - Southaven, MS - Landers Center
9 - Moline, IL - iWireless Center
11 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
12 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center
13 - Omaha, NE - CenturyLink Center
15 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
16 - Fargo, ND - FargoDome
18 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
19 - Calgary, AB - Scotiabank Saddledome
21 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena