Credit: Casey Hugelfink

Mick Mars announces his touring retirement from Mötley Crüe

Thu 27 October 2022 11:14, UK

Mötley Crüe founding member and guitarist Mick Mars is to retire from touring with the band, with a statement disclosing his ankylosing spondylitis, which he has suffered for decades, as the reason behind his decision.

The statement was provided to Variety, where the band confirmed the news that Mars will be stepping down from touring. However, he is not fully retiring from the band, and will still be a member in the studio and the legal senses.

The full statement reads: “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.”

The release of the statement means that Mars played his final show with the band on September 9th at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, when Mötley Crüe were on tour with Joan Jett, Def Leppard and Poison. It is currently uncertain who the band will get to replace Mars for their future shows.

It’s been a strange time for the band, as the tour also saw Tommy Lee only performing segments of sets because he broke his ribs. This meant that Tommy Clufetos took his place until he was fit enough to return to the fold in the full capacity.

Mick Mars has been a constant member of the band since they formed in 1981, and has suffered from ankylosing spondylitis since he was 17 years old. The ‘Kickstart My Heart’ guitar hero has been very open about the degenerative disease over his career, with the most candid account of his struggle coming in the band’s tell-all memoir, The Dirt.

Elsewhere, just last week Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard announced a stadium tour of the UK and Ireland for next summer.