In an exclusive interview with Chris Akin Presents, ex-Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars unveiled additional details about his upcoming solo album, “The Other Side Of Mars.” Mars, whose guitar tone is synonymous with the legendary Los Angeles rock act, candidly discussed his deliberate departure from the familiar Mötley sound.
Acknowledging the interviewer’s astute observation, Mars affirmed: “You hit the nail on the head when you said it was way different from Mötley, which is what I wanted to do.” Mars revealed the apprehension he felt about tinkering with his distinctive guitar tone, a hallmark of Mötley Crüe‘s sonic identity. However, his experimentation proved successful, leading him to reflect, “The part that was the scariest part about doing that stuff is because my guitar tone is associated with Mötley‘s sound. I was kind of concerned about that, so I just played around a little more. I mean, it turned out well for me.”
Contrary to expectations, Mars opted for an unconventional path with his solo project, consciously steering away from a blues-oriented or Mötley-esque sound. “I know that a lot of people were expecting probably more of a blues-oriented thing or kind of an extension of Mötley or something like that. And I wanted to go a whole different route and leaning more towards the left instead of the beaten path” he explained. The guitarist took risks, unsure if the venture would resonate with fans, but expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
Mars attributed the album’s distinctiveness to collaborations with a diverse group of musicians. The synergy with these fellow artists contributed to the fresh and unique sound that defines the album: “I wanted to go somewhere with it. I didn’t know if it would work or not. I just did the stuff and got acquainted with different people, like fellow musicians and collaborators Paul Taylor and Jacob Bunton and Brion Gamboa and Ray Luzier, of course.”
Fans eagerly anticipating the release won’t have to wait long, as “The Other Side Of Mars” is scheduled to hit the shelves on February 23, 2024. The album will be released through Mick‘s own label, 1313, LLC, in partnership with MRI. Check out the video for the album’s first single “Loyal To The Lie” below.
