It turns out the ‘Stadium Tour’ this past summer was Mötley Crüe guitarist and cofounder Mick Mars’ last ride.
Mars announced his retirement from touring Thursday morning in a statement issued to Variety.
“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 (AS), 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 rigours of the road. AS is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine.”
Mars has been dealing with AS, a form of arthritis, since he was a teenager.
Now, 71, the guitarist’s final shows with Crüe were during the band’s long-delayed North American ‘Stadium Tour’ reunion with Def Leppard. The final date of the North American leg was September 9 in Las Vegas.
While Mars is taking a step back, his band is far from finished. Crüe and Def Leppard announced last week plans to take their tour global, announcing 2023 tour dates in Latin American and Europe.
Mars’ pending retirement has been rumoured for some time, as has speculation about his replacement, which mostly points to one person: John 5.
A long-time friend of Mars and Mötley Crüe, John 5 is a renowned sideman best known for his work with Rob Zombie. He’s also earned credits with Avril Lavigne, David Lee Roth, Garbage, Meat Loaf, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, Steve Perry and many others.
