MÖTLEY CRÜE’s NIKKI SIXX Says ‘It Was Becoming Harder And Harder To Get Anything Done With MICK MARS Because Of His Memory Problems’

In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Nikki Sixx defended MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s choice to move forward with John 5 after their split from Mick Mars, reiterating claims that Mars had been experiencing “memory issues” before his retirement.

“It was becoming harder and harder and harder to get anything done with Mick because of his memory problems and just his physical ailments,” Nikki said. “And we have a lot of empathy for that.

John 5 stepped in as Mars‘s replacement in fall of 2022. Mick officially retired from touring with the band in October 2022 due to deteriorating health conditions.

“When Mick left the band, we had to make a choice. And we made the right choice with John. We wish Mick nothing but the best.”

Expanding on the decision to bring in John 5, Sixx remarked: “I run this band with an iron fist and nobody can get in and f**k with our band, legally, marketing-wise”, adding that MÖTLEY CRÜE had to make “a self-sufficient decision” on the way forward without Mars, which was, according to Sixx, “the right thing to do.” He added: “But doing the right thing isn’t always f**king fun, [with] fans believing we did something we didn’t do.”

In April 2023, Mars initiated legal action against his MÖTLEY CRÜE bandmates, alleging that he was unjustly terminated by his “brothers of 41 years.”

In his lawsuit, Mars asserted that the other CRÜE members sought to unlawfully strip him of his 25% ownership stake in the band after he disclosed his inability to tour due to an arthritic condition known as ankylosing spondylitis, which he described as a “tragic announcement.” Mars also claimed that Nikki Sixx “did not play a single note on bass” during the entire 2022 tour, that “100% of Sixx‘s bass parts were nothing but recordings” and asserted that a “significant portion” of Neil‘s vocals and “some of” Tommy Lee‘s drumming were pre-recorded.