Mötley Crüe Guitarist Mick Mars Announces Retirement From Touring After 41 Years

Neil Lupin. Getty Images.

Variety- Motley Crue guitarist and founding member 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.

After 41 years on the road, Mötley Crüe founding member Mick Mars is hanging the strat up for good.

If you're a Crüehead, this news probably didn't surprise you too much when it broke last night, as it has been rumored for weeks that Mick Mars wouldn't be on the next Mötley tour due to his ongoing battle with Ankylosing Spondylitis. It's an incredibly painful disease that he's been dealing with for decades that affects his spine/mobility/etc, if you weren't aware.

In the statement given to Variety, it says that Mick remains as a member of the band but just cannot handle touring anymore - which is a bit interesting considering I don't think Mötley has any plans to record new music….so essentially, Mick's not REALLY a member of the band, but there's no beef and he's not being kicked out, so he keeps "Executive Producer" credit? I'm cool with that, I guess.

Mick is one of the most underrated guitar players of all time in my mind. He created an INSTANTLY recognizable tone, perfected heavy metal/blues fusion riffs, and wrote some of the most iconic solos in the history of rock n' roll. Combine that with the look, and he was everything you'd ever want out of a hard rock guitar player on the Sunset Strip in the 80s.

Bill Tompkins. Getty Images.

No announcement has been made on who will replace Mars on guitar when the band embarks on their Latin American/European tour in 2023, but I would bet my life on it being Rob Zombie guitarist John 5, who is close friends with Nikki/Tommy.

David A. Smith. Getty Images.

John 5 just parted ways with Rob Zombie's band, and has been heavily rumored to be the next Mötley guitarist for as long as Mick stepping down has been out there.

I know a lot of old schoolers will roll their eyes and say they shouldn't replace Mick, they should just retire (again) - but I actually disagree. Maybe concerts being taken away from us during COVID has made me a bit soft, but I'm all for artists getting on stage and performing for as long as they want to (as long as they can actually put on a show) nowadays. 

I'm sure there were some Mötley fans got to see the band for the first time ever on their comeback tour this past year, and they probably feel so lucky and grateful they got to see Mick now. Why not give some more fans the opportunity to see Nikki and Tommy before they hang it up?

From the videos I saw of that comeback tour, Crüe more or less sounded the same as they did during their Farewell Tour in 2015….

Vince's voice has been shot forever, and he swings and misses on more notes than not now, but Nikki and Tommy can still play their asses off and bring the signature stage presence that they've been known for forever - and John 5 is just gonna add another element to that. 

He wears KISS-inspired facepaint, sleeveless dark cloaks, rocks a light up guitar, and is among the best shedders I've ever seen….

I mean - I'm curious enough by the prospect of Mötley with John 5 that I'm fine with Mötley continuing on without an original member. I feel like that says somethin! 

Waiting to announce this until AFTER the tickets went on sale for their next tour is a bit of a shady move, but that's showbusiness I guess. 

Here's a clip of John 5 playing some Mötley so you could envision it….

If only they replaced Vince next! They could sound better than they have in decades!

UPDATE: Motley just made their official announcement, John 5 confirmed….

BONUS: MY TOP 5 MICK MARS RIFFS

5. 'DR. FEELGOOD'

4. 'LIVE WIRE'

3. 'TOO FAST FOR LOVE'

1. 'GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS'