Nikki Sixx recently expressed that Mötley Crüe felt “forced” to bring John 5 on board as their new guitarist, claiming retirement was the only alternative.
John 5 initially joined the band as a touring replacement after Mick Mars announced his retirement from live performances in October 2022 due to the severe pain from his long battle with ankylosing spondylitis.
The situation escalated in April 2023 when Mars filed a lawsuit against his bandmates, alleging they withheld business information and attempted to remove him as an equal partner.
He also accused them of “gaslighting” him regarding his memory and abilities, claiming that significant parts of their 2022 comeback tour had been pre-recorded. Mötley Crüe denied these allegations.
Despite the tensions, Mars had no issue with John 5 stepping in as a touring replacement, and it appears the younger guitarist has since become a full member of the band.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, Sixx defended the band’s decision, emphasizing that they had no choice but to adapt:
“Listen, we were forced. The choice was simple: do we break up? Do we screw over Live Nation? Do we let down Def Leppard? We had planned everything based on one of our members being too ill to perform live.”
Sixx reflected on the tough position the band found themselves in, noting that they didn’t want to deal with the backlash or end up in a lawsuit.
He compared the situation to a football team, saying, “If one of your guys can’t play anymore, they bring in another guy.”
Despite the challenges, Sixx remained optimistic, stating, “We’re still here, and we are still creative.
We’re able to tour—not to the point where we break the spirit of human beings. We get to go out, play some badass shows, reinvent the band here or there, and really enjoy this time.”
Earlier this month, Sixx reiterated his concerns about Mars’s memory issues, which Mars had denied. “It was becoming harder to get anything done with Mick because of his memory problems and his physical ailments,” Sixx said. “We have a lot of empathy for that.”
He concluded, “When Mick left the band, we had to make a choice. And we made the right choice with John. We wish Mick nothing but the best.”
