Guitarist DJ Ashba (Sixx:A.M.) recently spoke with Music Radar, offering up his 5 tips for other guitarists with regards to their playing. He also commented on his departure from Guns N' Roses. Following is an excerpt from the article

Ashba: “Walking away from G'N'R was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life. I loved sharing the stage with Axl and the guys. Axl put together such an incredible bunch of musicians, and I was proud to be part of that. I’ll always be thankful for Axl believing in me. But it’s not my band and it never will be. I was performing songs written before I got there. I had a blast doing it, and I will cherish it. But we did a 19-day sold-out run on the Sixx:A.M. Modern Vintage tour and it was that tour of playing my own songs - songs that came from my soul - and seeing how they connected to the fanbase, I could not put that feeling into words, and I realised that I needed to follow my heart.”

Read more here.

Sixx:A.M.’s first half of their double album, Vol. 1 Prayers For The Damned, released on April 29th, debuted at #2 on the Rock Charts in the US, Top 5 around the globe, and landed itself in the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 Chart. Vol. 1 and it’s masterfully crafted 11-tracks currently sits at #5 on the Top Current Albums Chart, at #19 on the Top 200 Albums Chart, and #2 on the Hard Rock Charts, making it an undeniable force to be reckoned with.

Their powerhouse, call-to-action single, “Rise”, has been steadily climbing the Rock Charts, currently sitting at #5, connecting with audiences across the globe, imploring fans to stand up against the status quo and raise your fist for what you believe in.

A band with a strong message and convictions, Sixx:A.M. are going above and beyond to connect with the rock community with their single-focused #ReasonToRise campaign and their openly penned letter to YouTube in efforts to ensure musicians are compensated fairly for their creative content. Their commitment to their fans can be clearly reflected by all of their upcoming tour dates, boasting stops across the globe, making sure everyone has the chance to feel the energy and excitement emanating from Sixx:A.M.. The tickets for the recently announced fall arena tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown are now on sale. A full list tour dates can be found below.

Vocalist James Michael offered, "It is thrilling for us to see how Sixx:A.M.'s message of hope, unity and empowerment is resonating on a global scale. Vol. 1 Prayers For The Damned is clearly impacting people in ways that we couldn't have imagined. It's gratifying to have something that is so important to us become so important others."  

“Rise”, their call-to-action anthem, served as the first taste of Vol. 1, and fans immediately attached to it’s beautiful crooned melodies and hard-hitting chorus. Taking it one step further, the band drilled in the mission of the single with their #ReasonToRise campaign, offering fans an outlet to share the reasons why they don’t let the status quo define them - more information can be found here. The band initiated the movement with fans by sharing their own reasons to rise, with Dj Ashba standing up against bullying, James Michael calling for human trafficking awareness, and Nikki Sixx’s crusade against the growing heroin epidemic. In providing fans with a platform to express their concerns with the state of the world today, the band hopes to communicate how truly important it is to Sixx:A.M. to usher this generation into a forward-thinking state of mind, ready to take on the injustices before them.

Sixx:A.M., comprised of three unparalleled and accomplished musicians, recently penned an open letter to YouTube in regards to the unfair compensation of artists for their creative content, a loophole protected by the Safe Harbor Act. Head here to read the band’s letter in full. In efforts to secure and protect the integrity of music streaming platforms Google and YouTube, the band is simply asking the search engines to agree to abide by their initial slogan: Don’t Be Evil: Do The Right Thing. Recording artists including Blondie and Nelly Furtado followed suit and are continuing to join the movement, spreading awareness with their own messages in hopes for a serious change.  

An album made for the stage, fans across the globe can expect to see Sixx:A.M. perform favourites old and new at a venue nearest them across the globe through this year into next. The trio are currently on the road, commanding the crowds at at all of the major global spring and summer festivals, with select headlining dates interspersed, and then, the highly-anticipated fall arena tour with Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown. Be sure to catch the band perform live at a venue nearest you!

Prayers For The Damned tracklisting:

“Rise”
“You Have Come To The Right Place”
“I’m Sick”
“Prayers For The Damned”
“Better Man”
“Can't Stop”
“When We Were Gods”
“Belly Of The Beast”
“Everything Went To Hell”
“The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground)”
“Rise Of The Melancholy Empire”

Sixx:A.M. tour dates:

May
17 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
20-22 - Columbus, OH - Rock On The Range
21 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
22 - Albany, NY - Rock ‘n Derby
24 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
27 - Pryor, OK - Rocklahoma
29 - San Antonio, TX - River City Rockfest
29 - Dallas, TX - KEGL’s BFD

June
2 - Monza, Italy - Gods Of Metal
3 - Nuremberg, Germany - Rock im Park
5 - Mendig, Germany - Rock am Ring
7 - Lodz, Poland - The Power Festival
9 - Solvesborg, Sweden - Sweden Rock Festival
11 - Castle Donington, UK - Download Festival
12 - Newport, UK - Isle of Wright Festival
14 - Utrecht, Netherland - TivoliJune 16 - Pratteln, SW @ Konzertfabrik Z7
17 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Festival
18 - Clisson, France - Hellfest
20 - Hamburg, Germany - Knust
22 - Stockholm, Sweden - Grona Lund
23 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
24 - Halden, Norway - Tons of Rock

July
23 - Walker, MN - Moondance Jam

October
18 - Little Rock, AR - Verizon Arena
22 - Wichita, KS - Intrust Bank Arena
23 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
25 - West Valley City, UT - Maverick Center
27 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Arena
28 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena
29 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
31 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center

November
2 - Portland, OR - Moda Center
3 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena
5 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
7 - Boise, ID - Taco Bell Arena
9 - Billings, MT - MetraPark Fairgrounds
11 - Bismarck, ND - Bismarck Civic Center
17 - Cincinnati, OH - U.S. Bank Arena
18 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center