Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars announces retirement from touring due to degenerative disease

Mick Mars, the guitarist for Mötley Crüe, announced his retirement from touring on Wednesday. 

A representative for the 71-year-old musician, who is a founding member of the hard rock group, spoke to Variety about the decision. 

‘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,’ the rep. told Variety. 

Retiring: Mick Mars, the guitarist for Mötley Crüe, announced his retirement from touring on Wednesday (pictured June 2022)

The representative continued, ‘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.’

According to the Mayo Clinic, Ankylosing Spondylitis ‘is an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the bones in the spine (vertebrae) to fuse. This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply.’ 

Mars, born Robert Alan Deal, has suffered from the disease since his teenage years though it worsened as he got older. 

Ankylosing Spondylitis: ‘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.)’ (pictured far left) 

Not completely out: The representative continued, ‘Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road (L to R: Tommy Lee, Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx, 2004) 

See also  How Putin's enemies would mount a coup

He had hip surgery in the early 2000s to help him continue touring with the group though he admitted he struggled for many years with the pain. 

‘I kept getting worse and worse, and I just stopped playing guitar for almost two years,’ Mars revealed to Metal Sludge back in 2008. ‘Nowadays, it’s not so bad, but back then when I was high on all that stuff and Motley were having a break, I knew if I didn’t stop I was gonna die.’

Mars helped found Mötley Crüe in 1980 alongside Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee. The group later added Vince Neil as their lead singer before hitting it big.  

Back on tour: The band will tour alongside Def Leppard in South America and Europe from February to July of next year (photo taken by Paul Brown)

What does it mean? Despite saying he would ‘continue as a member of the band,’ it’s unclear what that looks like without going on tour. Mötley Crüe hasn’t released an album of new music since dropping Saints of Los Angeles in 2008 (L to R: Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee pictured 2005)

Mötley Crüe announced John 5, who previously played in the band Marilyn Manson, would take over for Mars. 

The band will tour alongside Def Leppard in South America and Europe from February to July of next year. 

Despite saying he would ‘continue as a member of the band,’ it’s unclear what that looks like without going on tour. Mötley Crüe hasn’t released an album of new music since dropping Saints of Los Angeles in 2008.