Sixx:A.M. is a hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2007 by Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba, and James Michael, and is the side project of Sixx, who is also the bass guitarist for Mötley Crüe. The name Sixx:A.M. is a combination of all of the member's last names
(Sixx, Ashba, Michael).

Frontman James Michael is a producer, who has worked with artists ranging from Meat Loaf to Papa Roach to Alanis Morisette. Guitarist Dj Ashba is a composer and producer who has worked with Neil Diamond, Run-DMC, and Drowning Pool, among others, and who was also recently appointed lead guitarist in Guns N’ Roses. And then, of course, there’s Sixx—cofounder of the legendary Mötley Crüe, bestselling author, radio personality, photographer, clothing entrepreneur, and philanthropist, among many, many other things.

The band released album called "The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack" in 2007, which is based upon Sixx’s autobiography, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star.

The band made their live debut at Crash Mansion on July 16, 2007. They performed five songs from the album, The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack. The album had no drummer, because lead singer/rhythm guitarist James Michael programmed all the drums. Due to this, there was some curiosity as to who would be playing drums for them live. Former Beautiful Creatures drummer Glen Sobel ended up playing on tour with the band.

On October 25, 2007, Sixx:A.M. played another show opening for Korn. At the time of this show Glen Sobel was on tour drumming with Elliott Yamin.

Originally the group stated they had no intention of touring. After constant support for the band and interest in a tour, they held a nationwide vote for tour dates. The tour was scheduled to start in spring 2008, but had been postponed to the summer due to unforeseeable circumstances.

On April 15, 2008, Sixx:A.M. announced they would be touring as part of Mötley Crüe’s Crüe Fest, along with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Trapt.

The tour began on July 1, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Florida. During Crue Fest, Papa Roach drummer Tony Palermo served as a touring drummer for the band. A deluxe tour edition of The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was released on November 25, 2008,
which included a bonus live EP entitled Live Is Beautiful which features recorded performances from the band’s summer tour.

This is gonna hurt
Sixx confirmed the work on a follow-up album to The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack in late 2008, after rumors that the band began writing for their second studio album, during the tour in the summer of 2008.

In April 2009, both James Michael and Sixx confirmed that the band is currently in the studio, recording new material. Sixx added that the new material is “inspiring. it feels like we may have topped ourselves on this album coming up, and can’t wait for you to hear what it sounds like.” He also revealed that the new album, like the first, would be a concept album, but refused to reveal more details about the concept. He also added that a “surprise”, possibly a new song, might be coming soon, and that the album would probably be ready in mid/late 2010.

On September 4, 2010, it was announced that Sixx will be releasing a new book, entitled This Is Gonna Hurt, which would be accompanied by an album by Sixx:A.M. Some of the songs on the upcoming album were inspired by the author’s photographs, others inspired photographs of their own, as the book is part photo, part journal.

The HarperCollins imprint William Morrow and Company has then announced the new book will be released on March 22, 2011, accompanied by the album on the same day. On December 7, 2010, the band uploaded a video preview for the new album on their official website, stating that it’s coming in April 2011, and though denying the March 22 date. On January 3, 2011, another video preview by the band has confirmed that the book would be released on April 12, 2011, with the album soon following on May 10, 2011, which was confirmed by Nikki Sixx.