Earlier today, Mick Mars, the celebrated guitarist from MÖTLEY CRÜE, has unveiled the first single from his upcoming solo venture, The Other Side Of Mars. The official video for the song “Loyal To The Lie” can be seen below.
The Other Side Of Mars is slated for release on February 23, 2024. Fans can now pre-order the album at the newly launched merchandise storefront, shop.mickmarsofficial.com. The album is available in various editions, including a 180g LP and CD, with both signed and unsigned options. Mars will release The Other Side Of Mars through his private label, 1313, LLC, in collaboration with MRI.
And now in a new interview with Guitar World, the guitarist revealed that he’s already commenced work on next studio album.
When asked what took him so long to make The Other Side Of Mars, he responded:
“There were a lot of stumbling blocks! [laughs]. “I started writing this stuff during The Final Tour [2014-2015] with MÖTLEY CRÜE. Then that TV show [The Dirt] came out, so we went back to playing. I had a lot of stuff written at that time but I couldn’t get it finished. Then there was another stumbling block, because I gave the record to a distribution company who didn’t distribute, so I had to get it back and it took me a little while to do that, but it’s okay!
“The first single, ‘Loyal to the Lie’, will get premiered on Eddie Trunk’s show [Trunk Nation] because I promised him many years ago. That’s pretty much how it’s going – I’m all about new ideas now! I’ve been wanting to do this solo thing for a very long time. First thing’s first, there are always priorities, I had to do stuff with MÖTLEY… now it’s my time! In fact, I’m already working on my next album. Why stop the momentum, right?!”
Asked if this is a band or a project with a revolving door of members, Mars said: “It isn’t really a band. I’ve hired some singers – Jacob Bunton did a lot of stuff, Brion Gamboa is also on the record. He’s so cool… a contractor/construction guy with a voice like that? Come on! Listen to him on the songs ‘Undone’ and ‘Killing Breed’, that’s Brion. Then the other songs are all Jacob.
“They have pretty different voices,” he continued. “Brion had a little more angst for those two particular song. I hired in Paul Taylor [WINGER, Alice Cooper, Steve Perry] to do keyboards and also write with me. He knew Brion and brought him in, and the best part is Brion did those songs in just one take, which was unreal! I had to say ‘Please don’t do it again!’ I knew we could correct any off-notes if needed, though there weren’t any. Those first takes made me go, ‘Oh, man!’”
After interviewer noted that Ray Luzier from KORN is playing drums on the album, Mars said: “He actually insisted on playing on this album! I’m now working on new stuff, not to get ahead of what we’re talking about, and he’s in Bakersfield right now with Korn but he’s coming over tonight and tomorrow he’ll be playing drums on this new song I’ve written. And the other half of the rhythm section is a guy called Chris Collier on bass.”
