In 1981, guitarist Mick Mars and vocalist Vince Neil joined drummer Tommy Lee and bassist Nikki Sixx to form what would become Mötley Crüe. The Hollywood, California quartet’s open debauchery and often dangerous live performances gained them a massive following, selling more than 100 million records worldwide. However, their success has often been marred by interpersonal strife. The conflict reached a boiling point when Mars announced his retirement from touring in 2022 due to his battle with the degenerative disease Ankylosing Spondylitis.
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Mars’ announcement indicated only that he was stepping back from the road, not the band. However, the remaining members released a statement less than 24 hours later announcing that Mars was leaving Mötley Crüe entirely. Former Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 came aboard as his replacement. This ignited a public feud between Mars and his former bandmates, whom he ultimately sued in Los Angeles Superior Court. The 72-year-old heavy metal legend didn’t just take legal action, however. Mars went on to publicly claim that Mötley Crüe has relied on backing tracks as early as the Dr. Feelgood era. In an interview this week with The Los Angeles Times, Nikki Sixx shot back at his former bandmate.
Nikki Sixx Regrets Tattoo of Ex-Mötley Crüe Guitarist
In an Aug. 5 post to Facebook, Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx shared a selfie displaying his myriad tattoos, including one of former bandmate Mick Mars on his thigh. Amid the “snarky comments” (which the 66-year-old legend admittedly solicited), one fan asked if he regretted that particular ink.
“I was his biggest fan, saved his life and then he betrayed us and the fans,” the Grammy winner replied. “So yes it’s not easy to see.”
Nikki Sixx reiterated those feelings when discussing Mars’ comments that he, Vince Neil, and Tommy Lee all used backing tracks during their last tour with the founding guitarist.
“Saying he played in a band that didn’t play, it’s a betrayal to the band who saved his life,” Sixx said.
He continued, “Anything we enhance the shows with, we actually played. If there are background vocals with my background vocals, and we have background singers to make it sound more like the record, that does not mean we’re not singing.”
[RELATED: No Witnesses, No Consequences: Tommy Lee’s Thoughts on Social Media and Mötley Crüe]
What Did Mick Mars Say?
In a June 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Mick Mars claimed that he did not play “one note” on the band’s 1997 studio album Generation Swine. And in his lawsuit, Mars made the same claim about Nixx Sixx regarding Mötley Crüe’s 2022 Stadium Tour.
“100 percent of Sixx’s bass parts were nothing but recordings,” the filings read.
Featured image by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images
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