Might as Well Face it, You're Addicted to Love (Joe Perry/Nikki Sixx)

Chapter 132: A Retrospective II (1995-1998) Part 1 (Nikki/Joe)

-Nikki-

1995 was one of the most memorable years of my life. Course all the years of my life (at this moment in time 66 of them) have been memorable in their own ways. But yeah, back to 1995 or rather the rest of 95' (to start) as I believe my husband had left off on that fateful (especially for Johnny Cooper-Depp) date of June 21, 1995. It of course helped, more than I KNEW my talk with Johnny. Sure, he'd still come to have rough morning sickness for a bit, but his mental state began to get much better. It helped him SO much my experiences with my pregnancies, and of course thru out his pregnancy or the rest of it.... He'd always come to me for help, relying on me & Joe as well. My husband said that day & still does of how proud he was of me.... Well, I AM and was proud of him, I was proud of US. Alice credits us with making his relationship with Johnny better, him becoming a father etc....it all goes back to Joe & I.

If you just so happen to be wondering Johnny gave birth to his & Alice's first child on Dec.17, 1995 in the wee morning hours.... a month early. All was healthy as it turned out, Johnny fondly quipped at the time (still does to this day) ...., "Just like her father, always having to make a dramatic entrance." For it was indeed a girl, as Joe, my beloved Jo-Jo Bear has told you. A daughter named Calico Josephine Cooper, which fucking meant so much to my husband and I that she had one of her names named after my oldest daughter.

As for my own children? God they were growing up so fast. Joe & I wished time would slow down, but we wouldn't trade the time with our children for the world......The triplets learning to crawl, James & Tony were always getting into trouble......and Frankie joined in. The rest of the 95 saw them not only crawling but learning to walk which the three of them took off at 9 months of age. Their first words? Man, fucking priceless!

For Tony, aka Joe jr. it was 'Boston' and in the most adorable baby version of my beloved husband's Boston based accent. Of course, 'Boston' was followed by mommy, & Daddy etc. James's first word was, 'Bass' and that moment in question came while Joe & I were jamming away with all five of our children watching/ joining in (as was Josephine's case. Also, Joe & I worked on projects/ideas for future projects). Frankie's first words were, 'Josey' & 'Mommy' and yes you heard me right, 'Josey'," meaning Josephine was her first word. God, I remember that moment, that September evening during dinner Josephine talking & as always watching over her siblings....out of nowhere, Frankie started excitedly chanting, "Josey! Josey!" Her brothers joining in. The moment made me cry, Joe too & Josephine herself. All our children have always had and maintained a close relationship.

95' saw Josephine turning 7 on November 15, Amara, 3 on September 5......they were growing.... growing. That healing time we'd all spent in Boston; I never had wanted it to end, and I cried when we left the first of August to head back to LA in time for Josephine to go back to school...to third grade. But it was time that was needed, very much so for our family.

"I remember that Joe, I didn't wanna leave but always knew we'd find our way back, kind of like finding our way back to one another."

1996: A year that saw Aerosmith & Mӧtley record new albums, '9 lives' for my husband's band, which may or may not have been inspired by what was or has been said about me. For my band, we began at some point to record not just 'Generation Swine' (Which critics hated), but also 'Saints of Los Angeles' (Saints would be released in 98, the album that came before 97'). 'Generation Swine' though marked a shift, however slight in Mӧtley's sound....it was heavier, with currents of what we'd become famous for. It was also huge for ME, because for the first & only time I SANG lead vocals. Joe was my biggest cheerleader, I remember that well, but when did it come to the band? Well, of course the guys were a huge support, but I remember well Vince telling me, "It's a song that suits YOU not me singing it. Sides this is a way of giving the world the middle finger." Vince wasn't wrong. There was awards show, photography projects, and plenty of things to do this year. Of course, as always, my husband and our family came first......things began to pick up speed, but we learned or had to slow down and what truly mattered. I had of course ended up becoming Aerosmith's photographer around this time and would capture many iconic shots as it would turn out. I would do this whenever I could over the following years.

That's roughly workwise what went on 1996, for all else I will hand the reins over to my Jo-Jo Bear....

-Joe-

What a year! Busy with 2 bands, working.... but more than that living & loving. We THRIVED; we kept on thriving.... Raising our children, Nikki & I. This year had many milestones for my husband & I such as: 10 years, it marked 10 years since we'd met. I still remember so very well our first meetings, granted they weren't good ones at least at the time they weren't. and our initial meeting, Nikki & I bumped into each other at a bar. He was rude, so was I. We were such different people then, quick to mistrust, defensive, hurt, pained.... fueled by booze & Drugs. We've come so far since then, and I am damn proud of us. But ah yes, back to the point: 10 years. 1996 meant 10 years since not only our first meeting, that changed EVERYTHING the moment we bumped into each other in 86', it changed our lives & we didn't even know it......but it was also 10 years since our first date, an anniversary we always mark on Oct. 24. Our first date, 10 years then & then and today feels like yesterday. Its where Nikki & I were falling in love with one another, before things went to hell...went to hell & then heaven.

"1996 was a hell of a year for us, ya know? The usual chaos our work tended to bring, it was chaos.... life, it was US. As always, our family came first.... i remember the 10th anniversaries of our first meetings, so bitter-sweet & it was epic on the anniversary of our very first date, we recreated it.... or I should say you did, surprising me...well minus the booze of course." Nikki's eyes shine, reflecting more than just the tears, but the memories & the love.

"It was...." I agree reaching out now and gently caressing his cheek, "Each day, each MOMENT with you has been memorable because it's YOU that I am with, always & forever you..." I don't say anymore, get the chance to & I don't care as Nikki claims my lips & we get lost in one another as we have for all these years, we've been together, lost & found both.

Lots more to come here, including 1997 to roughly May of 98......so for now, here is where Nikki and I will leave you....

A/N: Part 1 of the retrospective chapters, part 2 is coming soon & we are leading up to Joe & Nikki's 10th wedding anniversary, so excited to write it all.