According to Variety, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars will no longer tour with the band, although he will continue as a member.
A statement from Mick‘s representative reads as follows: “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 (A.S.),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 rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine.”
Back in 2013, CRÜE singer Vince Neil said that Mars‘s ongoing battle with Ankylosing spondylitis, a painful form of chronic arthritis that causes vertebrae in the spine to fuse together, as well as the band’s desire to “go out on top” were the primary reasons for CRÜE‘s decision to call it quits after 2015. “It’s just time,” Neil said nearly a decade ago. “Mick‘s health is not that good, and touring is tough on him. I’m sure in five, 10 years’ time, we’ll probably do something together again, but it’s not gonna be like a KISS farewell to the farewell to the farewell tour. We’re not gonna be like that.”
The 71-year-old Mars has struggled with Ankylosing Spondylitis since his late teens and spoke about his first experiences with it in CRÜE‘s 2001 biography “The Dirt”.
“My hips started hurting so bad every time I turned my body that it felt like someone was igniting fireworks in my bones,” he said. “I didn’t have enough money to see a doctor, so I just kept hoping that I could do what I usually do: will it away, through the power of my mind. But it kept getting worse. Then, one afternoon while doing my laundry. I started having trouble breathing. At first, it felt like someone had plunged a knife into my back. But as the weeks passed, the pain kept moving around my back. Next, my stomach started burning, and I worried that my whole body was about to fall apart. I thought that there was a hole in my stomach, and acids were leaking out and destroying my bones and organs. I’d grab hold of doorknobs, anchor my legs into the ground, and pull with my hands to stretch my back and ease the pressure out.”
“Nowadays, it’s not so bad, but back then when I was high on all that stuff and MÖTLEY were having a break, I knew if I didn’t stop, I was gonna die. In the end, I had to go to a neuro-psychiatrist to straighten me up, and he said to me, ‘Just hold the guitar for an hour a day — don’t play it, just hold it.’ It was pretty bizarre but I got through it, and in the end, I think I’m actually a better player because of it.”
A replacement guitarist has not yet been named, although John 5 has been rumored to step in for Mars. Speculation about John 5‘s involvement with CRÜE gained strength after the longtime ROB ZOMBIE guitarist failed to appear with the shock rocker at this year’s Aftershock festival in Sacramento. Rob was instead joined on stage by returning guitarist Mike Riggs for the first time since 2006.
Last week, it was announced that MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD will go global in 2023 with their co-headline “The World Tour”. Produced by Live Nation, the trek will kick off on February 18, 2023 at Foro Sol in Mexico City and include stops throughout Latin America before heading to Europe in May 2023.
Produced by Live Nation, the world tour kicks off on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Foro Sol in Mexico City. Both bands will bring their electrifying stage shows across the globe with stops throughout Latin America before heading to Europe in May 2023 – which includes a stop at the iconic Wembley Stadium on Saturday, July 1, 2023 – then wrapping up in Glasgow, UK at Hampden Park on July 6, 2023. Stay tuned for additional 2023 shows to be announced soon.
“After finally getting back on the road and having a monumental summer tour in the US & Canada this year, we’re beyond thrilled to be bringing this massive stadium tour to major cities all over the world, and kicking off Europe in Sheffield where it all started for us 45 years ago. We’re looking to forward to seeing you out there, somewhere soon!” said Joe Elliott of Def Leppard.
“We had an incredible time playing The Stadium Tour in North America this summer and we truly can’t wait to take the show around the globe with The WORLD Tour in 2023. Crüeheads in Latin America and Europe: Get ready! We’re coming for you next and can’t wait to finally see all of you out there again next year!” Mötley Crüe said in a joint statement.
Check local listings for complete details including VIP offerings, on sale times vary. To purchase tickets, visit HERE, and/or HERE.
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe “The World Tour” Dates:
February:
18 – Mexico City, Mexico – Foro Sol
21 – Monterrey, Mexico – Estadio Banorte
25 – Bogota, Colombia – Parque Simon Bolivar
28 – Lima, Peru – Estadio Nacional
March:
3 – Santiago, Chile – Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida
7 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Allianz Parque
9 – Curitiba, Brazil – Estádio Couto Pereira
11 – Porto Alegre, Brazil – Arena do Grêmio
May:
22 – Sheffield, UK – Bramall Lane
25 – Mönchengladbach, Germany – SparkassenPark
27 – Munich, Germany – Koenigsplatz
29 – Budapest, Hungary – MVM Dome
31 – Krakow, Poland – Tauron Arena Kraków
June:
2 – Prague, Czech Republic – Prague Rocks *
3 – Hannover, Germany – Expo Plaza
7 – Solvesborg, Sweden – Sweden Rock Festival *
9 – Hyvinkää, Finland – RockFest *
11 – Trondheim, Norway – Trondheim Rocks *
14 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhell *
18 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting *
20 – Milan, Italy – Ippodromo SNAI San Siro
23 – Lisbon, Portugal – Passeio Maritimo de Alges
24 – Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain – Auditorio Miguel Ríos
27 – Thun, Switzerland – Stockhorn Arena
July:
1 – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
2 – Lytham, UK – Lytham Festival *
4 – Dublin, Ireland – Marlay Park
6 – Glasgow, UK – Hampden Park
* Festival Date