These revelations have sparked curiosity among fans, especially as they imagine what an expanded rock-heavy tour might have looked like. The discussion also opened a window into the strategic decisions required to build a blockbuster tour in today’s touring landscape.

During the interview, Trunk asked Sixx whether MÖTLEY CRÜE had reached out to other major acts from the 1980s rock scene. The question was rooted in fan interest, since the group already announced TESLA and EXTREME as supporting performers. Many wondered whether even bigger reunions had been explored behind the scenes.

Sixx confirmed that the band indeed evaluated multiple options. He explained that choosing tour partners is far more complicated than simply inviting acts from the same era. Instead, the process requires realistic assessments about logistics, ticket demand, and the ability of a band to draw large crowds.

Sixx explained:

“I mean, you look at who’s available, you know, you look at who’s alive, right? And then you’re like, well, which bands are still drawing? There are a lot of bands that I really like that only have maybe two members, and they’re playing to 200 to 500-seat clubs, and it’s like, I love them, but you’re playing an amphitheater. It can go up to 40,000 people.”

His comments highlight a challenge many legacy acts encounter. Some of the biggest bands from the 1980s no longer perform with their classic lineups or cannot fill large-scale venues. When MÖTLEY CRÜE prepares a tour, they must pair with artists who can deliver impact at high-capacity locations, not smaller club environments.

Moreover, Sixx emphasized that complementary acts strengthen the entire tour. The goal is to help introduce newer fans to older catalogs while giving long-time fans a wider musical experience.

He elaborated:

“You want to be sure that you know you got someone that’s pulling in people, and if you’re an Extreme fan or a Tesla fan and you like some MÖTLEY CRÜE songs, you may get really turned on to more MÖTLEY CRÜE songs or vice versa. MÖTLEY CRÜE fans may know one or two Tesla songs, and then they go see them live and they become a bigger fan of their bigger catalog.”

These comments reflect how carefully tour lineups are curated today. A successful pairing increases ticket sales for all bands involved while expanding each group’s audience. Therefore, the compatibility of fanbases becomes a major factor.

Yet the most intriguing part of the conversation didn’t come from Sixx—rather, it came afterward from Eddie Trunk. He revealed that the negotiations extended far beyond TESLA and EXTREME. According to Trunk, multiple well-known bands were approached privately to see whether they would consider joining the tour. Some discussions even included the idea of reuniting estranged members to boost fan interest.

Trunk explained:

“They’ve got Tesla and Extreme, but they were attempting to go and get some other bands of their era to come together and play.”

He added that while Sixx could not discuss the matter publicly, several of the bands approached had internal issues that prevented them from accepting the offer.

Trunk continued:

“But I’ll say this, and I know Nikki can’t get into it and all that, but I’ve heard some stories through my sources that there were several bands approached about coming together or reuniting with certain members or what have you to potentially make this thing even bigger or to build it out even more.”

In other words, MÖTLEY CRÜE was apparently open to helping broker reunions that fans would consider monumental. However, the plan fell apart because those bands were unwilling to resolve long-standing issues.

Trunk then delivered the key detail:

“But those bands did not accept the invitation because it would have required them to work with or to reconcile with certain members not in those bands anymore. So, I’ll leave that up to you to speculate on who those bands may have been, but you know, they were attempting to, I think, make it an even bigger thing.”

His statement suggests that unresolved personal conflicts—not scheduling or financial considerations—were the primary reasons for the decline. For fans familiar with the rock world, this explanation will come as no surprise. Many classic acts have splintered over the years, with rifts that remain unresolved decades later.

Still, the idea that MÖTLEY CRÜE attempted to pull off multiple reunions demonstrates the band’s ambition for the tour. It also shows their understanding of what excites multi-generational audiences. Although the lineup ultimately includes only TESLA and EXTREME, the behind-the-scenes efforts were far more expansive.

This new insight adds another layer of interest to the upcoming tour. Fans now know that the event could have been even larger, potentially featuring historic reunions. While those possibilities did not materialize, the revealed negotiations speak to the scale of the band’s vision.

In the end, the 2026 tour remains one of the most anticipated rock events of the decade. Although some bands declined, MÖTLEY CRÜE has shown that they are still aiming high—and still capable of drawing enormous crowds. Their willingness to explore creative partnerships only reinforces their determination to deliver an unforgettable live experience.

If additional behind-the-scenes details emerge, fans will no doubt stay engaged, especially as speculation continues about which bands declined and why. For now, however, the confirmed lineup and the story behind it provide plenty of excitement as the tour approaches.