In a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Nita Strauss opened up about her journey with substance abuse, making it clear she doesn’t see herself as comparable to Nikki Sixx.
“I wouldn’t say I hit rock bottom,” Strauss admitted, reflecting on her past struggles. “I’m not like Nikki Sixx, but I was a dangerous addict. Whether I was drinking or using drugs, I was highly functional.”
She elaborated, “I never missed a beat on stage—I wasn’t stumbling or playing poorly. But it was creeping into my personal life in a way that was deeply harmful.”
Strauss revealed a pivotal moment in her recovery came from her now-husband, Josh. “Some of the guys in the band had noticed, but Josh sat me down and said, ‘If this is how you’re going to be, I don’t know how long I can stay with you. Watching you self-destruct is too hard.’”
At the time, Strauss was riding the wave of a successful career, which made it harder to accept. “It felt unfair,” she admitted. “I was at the height of my professional life, and yet I had to be the one to cut back, to go to bed early. It didn’t make sense to me.”
Strauss made the decision to get sober during a tour in 2015. Reflecting on that period in a 2021 interview with Matt Stocks, she shared wisdom from Zakk Wylde that had stuck with her. “I was seeking advice wherever I could. On tour with Mötley Crüe, I talked to Nikki Sixx. At a festival where Black Label Society was playing, I asked Zakk Wylde, ‘How do I deal with this feeling of missing out? Everyone else seems to be having fun except me.’”
Wylde’s response was both blunt and empowering. “He put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Listen, little hurricane, don’t be a fcking pssy.’ Then he gave me this pep talk: ‘That liquid means nothing. It doesn’t control you. You’re a strong, badass woman. Only you control you.’”
Recently, Strauss stepped away from Alice Cooper’s upcoming tour. Orianthi, who performed with Cooper from 2011 to 2014, will fill in for tour dates spanning late January to mid-February 2025.
