Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars will no longer tour with the band, although he will continue as a member, a rep for the musician tells Variety.
The full statement reads:
“Mick Mars, co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe for the past 41 years, has announced today that due to his ongoing painful struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.), he will no longer be able to tour with the band. Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine.“
There was no immediate official word on who will replace Mars as the band’s touring guitarist, however rumors have been rife for weeks that former Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie guitarist John 5, who recently stopped touring with Zombie, will fill in for him.
The news comes days after the group announced another leg of their co-headlining tour with Def Leppard, which is slated to cover Latin America and Europe from February through July of 2023. The two groups recently wrapped a North American tour…
…Mars, 71 (real name: Robert Deal), has struggled with the disease since his late teens but soldiered through for many years, as noted by Ultimate Classic Rock. He spoke about his first experiences with it in the group’s 2001 biography The Dirt…
Dana’s note: Thank you, to Doug R., for passing this news on to me.
24 Responses
Mick, Lynch and Demartini all had a signature sound. I think that is a high compliment. Could they battle it out with Eddie Van Halen? I don’t know. I do know they were the soundtrack to my teenage years and I thank God I came along during that era of music. All legends in my book.
Hi Yankee Rose,
I don’t want to sound like I am pooping on him, but no, I personally do not think Mars could compete with Van Halen. DiMar? That’s a maybe, but I do think Lynch could. Remember, when Rhoads went on tour with Ozzy, it was Randy who asked George to take his place at Musonia. I cannot think of a higher compliment.
Hi Dana
I think the reason that Mick gets over looked is because he’s in Mötley Crüe. They’ve never been media darlings; and they’ve (well three of them) have these reputations (some of which is probably amped by said media).
Hello my British mate,
I can only speak for my fiancee, ex boyfriend and friends, and the consensus on Mars was, that he wasn’t as technically proficient as many of the other guitar players I listed, below. I even asked my fiancee again (mind you he’s still resting) and he said “there is nothing special about his playing. He’s not bad, but…” So, while being in Mötley Crüe may have affected why he wasn’t a media darling, nor covering many guitar magazines, for most people I know, that had no bearing on their opinions of his prowess. DiMar has always made the conversations, and I can’t say Ratt, was well respected by the music snobs, either. It’s also possible, that Mars’ disease limited, and stifled, his ability to progress, as a player.
Oh the other hand, someone like Edward Van Halen, is always talked about for his amazing skills, and ingenuity, but his rhythm playing tends to be highly overlooked.
I once asked my fiancee, whom he felt was the most talented member of Crüe, and he stated “Nikki Sixx, because he is the primary song writer.” In a very unpopular opinion, my favorite Crüe member was always Tommy Lee. He made me want to be a drummer, and I just loved his animated way of playing. I could live without some of his offstage antics, and comments, but as I drummer, I love him.
I have heard and read about Lynch almost getting the Ozzy gig. It’s wild to think about the domino effect had that happened.
Sykes also auditioned for Ozzy, and Ozzy said he had no idea, or he most likely would have gotten the gig.
Dana – I think the reason why some of these players are considered “underrated” or “overlooked” is that even though they played on some great albums, some of them just might not have had that moment with a solo that no one will ever forget. Eddie Van Halen not only played on some amazing albums, but straight out of the gate, he immortalized himself with “Eruption.” Most of us probably still remember the moment we heard it for the first time and never forgot it nor ever got tired of hearing it. For me, there are three other guitarists who have had “that” moment:
Jimmy Page – his solo on “Stairway” is often called the greatest of all time, but equally as good is his amazing solo on “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” Outstanding.
Ritchie Blackmore – sure, like “Stairway,” we’ve all heard it a million times, but I can listen to Blackmore’s solo on “Smoke on the Water” anytime. A classic.
Tony Iommi – while most consider him the all-time riff king, and maybe this one isn’t foremost with a lot of people, but I think Iommi’s solo on “Heaven and Hell” is one of the most underrated of all time. This solos is simply amazing – give it a listen today.
These gentlemen certainly had other fine moments, and lots of them, but for these examples, I consider them among the best of all time. No matter how many times I’ve personally heard these songs, I’ll listen to them again and again just to hear these timeless solos.