Mick Mars Replaced?…

Rumors are swirling throughout the music industry that legendary Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars won’t be appearing with the band for their upcoming stadium tour. Stevie Rachelle of Metal Slude apparently broke the story. The TUFF singer and music journalist has a number of sources throughout the Hollywood music scene and has speculated that the Crue will be replacing Mars with John 5.

John 5 has played with the likes Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson to a name a few and is considered a guitar virtuoso in his own right. This of course is not the first time that The Crue (which is code for Nikki Sixx) has considered replacing Mars. Today the reasoning might rest with his health, but there was also much talk about Mick being benched in the mid 2000’s for former L.A. Guns guitarist and then-current Brides Of Destruction axeslinger Tracii Guns. When Guns & Sixx’s friendship soured, Sixx denied ever wanting Guns in the Crue and even went on to get a tattoo of Mars on his leg in 2008 in a tv program with his then-girlfriend Kat Von D.

Although Mick has been the only member of Motley to never leave the group, along with Sixx, he does have options. Shortly after the Crue supposedly disbanded for life, Mars called on former Crue lead singer John Corabi to sing on a track for his upcoming solo record. “The Crue” (Nikki Sixx) was said to have gone ballistic and reined Mick in. The song with Corabi was never released and unless I missed it, nor was Mars’ solo. If Mick is officially benched from the upcoming stadium tour what’s to stop him from recruiting John Corabi again – and not just for one song – but for a whole album?

Who wouldn’t want to see a lineup consisting of say Mars on guitars, Crabby on vocals, maybe Robbie Crane on bass and a kickass drummer like Bobby Rock or someone on that level behind the kit? Again, I just put a fantasy band together that could pack large clubs and theaters if not be marketed to package deals that rock large sheds and arenas! Plus with Crab on rhythm guitar we could hear Mick like we haven’t heard him since 1994! That’s a sound Crueheads and rock fans of all stripes just couldn’t pass up!

If in fact Mars gets shelved for John 5, how will “The Crue” (Nikki Sixx) stop him from moving full steam ahead with his solo record? Moreover, Mars could do the solo and he could join Corabi for a second go of the Crue 94 tour. It could be two shows in one!! I mean Mars’ guitar work on that album was out of this world. How many people (myself included) wouldn’t KILL to see Crabby and Mars doing those songs the way they were intended to be played?!?!

In fact, Mick ranks the ’94 album as one of his Top 3 favorites of the whole Crue catalog!! And I for one think Mick can tour just fine. I think his health issues get used by folks who have ulterior motives but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s got plenty left he wants to do! PLENTY!