1999 and 2000 found the members of
Mötley Crüe getting involved in various side projects that sounded nothing at all like the influential heavy metal/hard rock band. While
Tommy Lee was busy with the in-your-face rap-metal/alternative metal outfit
Methods of Mayhem,
Nikki Sixx did some experimenting of his own with 58 -- an eclectic alternative pop-rock foursome that also includes producer
Dave Darling (known for his work with
Meredith Brooks), singer/guitarist Steve Gibb (son of
the Bee Gees'
Barry Gibb), and drummer
Bucket Baker. There's no danger of anyone mistaking
Diet for a New America for Theater of Pain, Shout at the Devil, Girls Girls Girls, or even Generation Swine -- 58's foundation is melodic pop/rock, but these guys fuse pop/rock with elements of hip-hop, funk, techno, and industrial noise. 58 takes its share of risks, and more often than not, they pay off. It should be noted that Sixx was in his early forties when Diet For A New America was recorded -- if this forward-thinking CD is any indication, he was still up for a musical challenge. ~ Alex Henderson