Nikki Sixx betrayed by ex-Motley Crue bandmate
Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx recently opened up about his feelings towards his former bandmate Mick Mars. His remarks came when Sixx shared a photo of himself wearing nothing but a t-shirt and boxers with the caption “snarky comments only.”
When a fan asked Sixx, “Do you regret that Mick Mars tattoo on your thigh?” the bassist replied:
“I was his biggest fan, saved his life, and then he betrayed us and the fans. So yes, it’s not easy to see.”
In October 2022, Mick Mars announced he would be retiring from touring with Mötley Crüe. That same week, the band announced Mars was not just retiring from touring, but would be exiting the band completely and that he was being replaced by John 5.
The following year, Mars filed a lawsuit against the band, alleging that they were trying to “unilaterally” remove him from the lineup.
“Those guys have been hammering on me since ’87, trying to replace me,” he said in a statement at the time. “They haven’t been able to do that, because I’m the guitar player. I helped form this band. It’s my name I came up with [the Motley Crue moniker], my ideas, my money that I had from a backer to start this band. It wouldn’t have gone anywhere.”
The Bitter Motley Crue Feud
Sixx’s recent remark is the latest jab in a bitter war of words that has stretched over the past two years. Mars has maintained that he only retired from touring because of his struggles with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic condition that has affected his spine for decades. He insists he never intended to quit the band entirely, while the other members have argued that his playing had declined and that the live shows required a new guitarist to meet the demands of their global tour schedule.
What began as a health-related decision quickly escalated into lawsuits, public statements, and pointed comments on social media. Mars accused his former bandmates of trying to erase him from the group he helped build, while Sixx and the others stood by their claim that Mötley Crüe could not continue at the highest level with him onstage. John 5’s addition to the lineup only deepened the divide, drawing mixed reactions from fans who were torn between loyalty to the band’s founding guitarist and excitement about the new era.
Sixx’s “betrayal” comment shows that the wounds are still fresh, and it underscores how personal the split has become between the two rock veterans. Are you team Nikki or team Mick? Let us know in the comments.
