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The James Michael Army

About Me


About James Michael...
While enjoying a successful career as a multi-platinum music producer, songwriter and mixer, working with such artists as Alanis Morissette, Hilary Duff, The Exies, Saliva, Mötley Crüe, Scorpions and Meat Loaf to name a few, James Michael has once again joined forces with Nikki Sixx along with DJ Ashba to complete Sixx:A.M.
James Michael is not only the voice of The Heroin Diaries soundtrack but also lends his skills as a producer, writer and musician to the project. Michael also mixed the album. His Los Angeles-based studio is constantly buzzing with artists like John 5 (Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie), Filter, and a veritable who’s who of the rock world. James’ collaboration with Nikki Sixx began when they crossed paths at Mötley Crüe manager Allen Kovac’s Beyond Records, where Michael released a solo album, Inhale, in 2000.
“Meeting Nikki was a life-changing experience for me,” he explained. “He has always been a believer and supporter. Any time Nikki and I do something together, it affects both of us in a major way.”
He and Nikki have been talking about The Heroin Diaries project for years, according to Michael, who first began collaborating with the Crüe member for their comeback album New Tattoo.
“We had so much fun writing together, we instantly became close friends,” said James of the experience. “It was just too easy and too much fun, so we began writing together for different artists. We just enjoyed the process… It was so satisfying.”
James brought some songs he was working on at the time that fit in perfectly with what Sixx was trying to do with The Heroin Diaries project. “Nikki and I were both going through big changes in our personal lives,” he explains, “And I believe that is when we both realized we were going to make this soundtrack.”
James was also blown away after reading the book. “I heard many of the stories first-hand from Nikki,” remembered Michael. “To know him personally, then to be aware of his public persona, is so powerful to me. To sit down and read this stuff now, I have to constantly remind myself how much of a rock star he is because he’s so down-to-earth in person.”
Sixx:A.M. consists of James Michael, Nikki Sixx and DJ Ashba who collectively created this sonic diary to Sixx’s biography The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life Of A Shattered Rock Star.
“We were eager and willing to do anything to honor this record,” he said. “That was what freed us to make the kind of record we wanted to make. It’s really turned into something we’re so proud of. We’re all so devoted to the heart of this project; we’re anxious to do whatever it takes to get it out there and have people hear it.”
On “X-Mas in Hell,” they even bring in a children’s choir for their buzzsaw take on “Carol of the Bells”, the traditional holiday standard. “We tried to make it sound as big and demented as we could,” he laughed.
For James Michael, the success of The Heroin Diaries soundtrack is largely the result of his relationships with Nikki and DJ.
“That’s what allowed me to become so emotionally invested in this,” he explained. “There will be times where I’ll be reading the manuscript and it brings me to tears because I know this person as a friend.”
In the end, Michael relates most of all to the themes of both the book and album: it’s a story of survival and recovery.
“There is life after death,” acknowledged the talented producer/songwriter, who continues to work behind-the-scenes on a full slate of projects. “The musical part of this was one small element that turned into something very big, but the heart of it is what’s so important to us. We all write music—it’s what we do for a living—so this was the obvious vehicle to express the kinds of feelings Nikki does in The Heroin Diaries.”
To Visit James Michael's Official Website, go to www.jamesmichael.net

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My Blog

What Is Stalking?? Let me tell you!

Some of you have contacted me on my other profile, Sixx:A.M. Revolution, about a specific Myspace user. The escalation in this persons behavior is disturbing to say the least! I have reported her to t...
Posted by on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:03:00 GMT

SIXX:A.M.S JAMES MICHAEL INTERVIEW

WEB EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: SIXX:A.M.S JAMES MICHAEL LOOKS BACK AND AHEAD AT THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE OF HIS HARD ROCKIN CRÜE! When vocalist James Michael calls Revolver from Boston while on the road with C...
Posted by on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:35:00 GMT

Crue Fest 2008 Review - Toronto, ON

What a MUTHERFUCKIN' AMAZING NIGHT! As I waited in line to get in the concert my phone rang. I got a call from Ticketmaster telling me that the liquor license for the Molson Amphitheatre had ...
Posted by on Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:15:00 GMT

Crue Fest Leaves Ears Ringing

Cam Fuller, Arts & Life EditorPublished: Saturday, August 16, 2008 Beer and joy, beer and joy. And friends primed to party. And crushingly loud rock and cellphone pictures and a ringing in t...
Posted by on Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:27:00 GMT

My Van Nuys Montage

..Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com
Posted by on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:38:00 GMT

Sixx:A.M. Repost

  ----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------From: Sixx:A.M.Date: Aug 3, 2008 8:04 PM Since Crue Fest started over a month ago, we have made a lot of new friends here on myspace and at t...
Posted by on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:29:00 GMT

Waiting To Inhale - James Michael - by Ian Koss

October 2000Waiting To InhaleJames Michaelby Ian KossJames Michael's Inhale starts off with a blast of fresh air, catchy pulses of guitar fuzz that lead from strolling verses to singalong choruses. Hi...
Posted by on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:42:00 GMT

Lets Do This - A Note From James Michael

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------From: James MichaelDate: Aug 2, 2008 11:56 AMThanks again for all the great messages wishing me a speedy recovery! A lot of you were wondering if Si...
Posted by on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:34:00 GMT