Former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars has recently made shocking revelations regarding his minimal contributions to the band’s last three studio albums. Amidst an ongoing legal battle with his former bandmates, Mars claims that he barely played on these records, challenging the authenticity of live performances. The guitarist’s accusations add fuel to an already contentious dispute, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes controversies within Mötley Crüe.
Mars’s Claims of Limited Involvement
Mick Mars, who retired from touring due to his battle with the degenerative bone condition ankylosing spondylitis, is currently engaged in a legal battle with Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil, his former bandmates. Mars alleges that certain members of the band mimed to pre-recorded tracks during live performances. However, the band suggests that it was Mars who relied on additional help. In a surprising twist, Mars now discloses that he barely played on Mötley Crüe’s last three studio albums.
Generation Swine and New Tattoo: Frustration and Exclusion
Regarding the band’s 1997 reunion album, “Generation Swine,” Mars states:
“I don’t think there’s one note that I played.”
He expresses his frustration, explaining that the band wanted his guitar to sound like a synthesizer rather than a traditional guitar, rendering him feeling useless. Mars describes a disheartening process where he would record a part, only to have it erased and replaced by someone else. The situation did not improve with the subsequent album, “New Tattoo,” as Mars reveals that he did not contribute to the songwriting process and was only able to play one lick.
“They didn’t want my guitar to sound like a guitar, basically. They wanted it to sound like a synthesizer. I felt so useless. I’d do a part, they’d erase it, and somebody else would come in and play.”
“I didn’t write any of those songs, since I wasn’t invited,” he says. “I think I got one lick on that album.”
Conflicting Accounts and Denials
Bassist Nikki Sixx denies Mars’s claims, asserting that Mick played various guitars on both albums, including lead and rhythm guitar. Despite Mars’s assertions, Sixx maintains that the guitarist’s contributions were present. However, the controversy continues to cast doubt on the extent of Mars’s involvement.
“Mick played lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and any other guitar that’s on that record.”
“When they wanted to get high and fuck everything up, I covered for them,” Mars told Rolling Stone. “Now they’re trying to take my legacy away, my part of Mötley Crüe, my ownership of the name, the brand. How can you fire Mr. Heinz from Heinz Ketchup? He owns it. Frank Sinatra’s or Jimi Hendrix’s legacy goes on forever, and their heirs continue to profit from it. They’re trying to take that away from me. I’m not going to let them.”
Challenges with Saints of Los Angeles and Legal Battle
By the release of Mötley Crüe’s 2008 album, “Saints of Los Angeles,” guitarist DJ Ashba was brought in due to Mars’s struggles to perform his parts. Sixx acknowledges a mixture of Mars and Ashba on the record, emphasizing Mars as the primary focus unless he faced difficulties remembering or playing his parts. These revelations further complicate the narrative surrounding Mars’s role in the band.
Amidst the legal battle, Mars expresses his determination to protect his legacy and ownership of the Mötley Crüe brand. Feeling that his contributions are being undervalued and stripped away, he compares his situation to firing the namesake of a prominent brand. Mars vows to stand his ground, refusing to let his accomplishments be erased.