Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx has once again justified the group’s decision to continue with John 5, after the departure of Mick Mars. Sixx reiterated his claims that Mars suffered from “memory problems”which the guitarist had previously vehemently denied.
The departure of Mick Mars and the transition to John 5
Mick Mars announced in October 2022 that he was retiring from touring due to excruciating pain caused by his long-standing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic, inflammatory disease affecting the spine. After this announcement, John 5 was brought in as a touring replacement.
However, in April 2023, Mars filed a lawsuit against his former Mötley Crüe bandmates, accusing them of withholding information about the group’s business activities and making unilateral decisions, including removing him from his equal partner status. Mars also claimed that the group had it “manipulated” about his abilities, and he spoke out against the use of pre-recorded recordings on their 2022 tour.
In response, Mötley Crüe and their representatives denied the accusations, claiming that Mars was no longer fit to perform on stage and that its representatives “took advantage of him”.
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Nikki Sixx justifies the decision to continue without Mars
In a new interview with Classic Rock (via Guitar.com), Nikki Sixx reiterated her comments about Mars’ memory issues, stating: “It was becoming more and more difficult to work with Mick because of his memory problems and his physical problems. We have a lot of empathy for that.” He also added that when Mars left the group, a difficult but necessary decision had to be made, emphasizing: “We made the right choice with John. We wish Mick nothing but the best.”
Sixx also defended the way he manages the group, saying: “I run this group with an iron fist and no one can come and screw up our group, whether legally or from a marketing point of view.” He explained that Mötley Crüe had taken “the right decision” to ensure their future without Mars, even if this decision was not always understood by fans.
A cordial relationship between Mick Mars and John 5
Despite the legal dispute, Mick Mars has expressed his support for John 5, describing his former bandmates’ choice as “very, very wise”. Mars clarified that he never had any personal issues with John 5, stating: “I always appreciated it and still do. He was a very good friend.”
For his part, John 5 also testified to his good relationship with Mars, revealing that the latter had been one of the first to congratulate him when he joined Mötley Crüe.
