In a recent interview on Riff X‘s “Metal XS,” MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars discussed his ongoing legal dispute with the legendary hard rock band. Mars claimed that the group is attempting to exclude him following his announcement of retirement from touring.
“I’m not upset or any kind of thing like that,” Mars said. “It’s normal. It just happens. It just happens.”
Regarding his current status with MÖTLEY CRÜE, Mars said: “I can’t say it’s the end of my association or even being in the band. When I retired, I still made myself available for new songs, short tours, one-offs or residencies and stuff like that. But I had this ankylosing spondylitis, and that intense touring, at my age, just got to be pretty rough. And that’s about it. It’s gonna be what it is, and I have to leave it at that. But you’ll follow it and know what’s going on.”
In a recent interview with Audacy Check In, Mars discussed the reasons behind the more than four-decade delay since the band’s formation in releasing his first solo album.
“Well, it took me 40 years ’cause MÖTLEY was priority… and now that I’m retired, I’m just me,” he responded. “I mean, if MÖTLEY wanted me to write songs with them again, of course I would… But right now, I’m just me, so I’m writing, and it’s not MÖTLEY, and it’s how I feel — my ideas and my kind of thing and kind of trying to reinvent myself or bring myself up to date.”
Mars released his debut solo album, The Other Side Of Mars, on 23 February through his independent label 1313, LLC, in collaboration with MRI.
Following Mars’ announcement of retiring from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 due to deteriorating health conditions, he asserted his intention to stay as a band member, with John 5 stepping in for live performances. Nevertheless, Mars initiated legal action against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County’s Superior Court. He alleges that subsequent to his announcement, the remaining members of CRÜE attempted to strip him of his substantial stake in the group’s corporation and business assets through a shareholders’ meeting.
