Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee recently opened up regarding the dramatic departure of guitarist Mick Mars from the band for the first time. He shared his candid thoughts in an appearance on The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan.
Lee has addressed the painful circumstances around Mars’ exit and the lawsuit that followed. He expressed both personal hurt over how the situation unfolded and deep empathy for his former bandmate.
“For me, that whole thing was awkward and really hurtful to the point where people are saying untrue things and kind of doing that,” Lee said.
“And I was like, God, this sucks. I’m not into that kind of stuff, you know? I was like, ‘Why can’t we just all — you go do your thing, we’ll go do ours. It’s all cool.’ That part of it sucked. I guess you know that’s like a divorce or whatever. It sucks in any format.”
Lee the reflected on the physical toll that Mars’ degenerative bone disease had taken on the guitarist over the years. He described it as a deeply saddening experience to witness.
“I mean, there is only one Mick and he’s an insane player, and it saddens me just on a personal level for him that this insane bone disease or spine disease slowly started, you know, dementing his shape,” he continued.
“He started locked into being hunched over — good thing it was forward instead of backwards. At least you’re looking at the guitar neck, right?”
Lee also disclosed that it was ultimately Mars himself who approached the band saying he could no longer continue.
“It was a lot of pain and watching him struggle, and then all of a sudden, I think it takes a toll — and maybe his age too. You kind of mix all that in. He came to us saying like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I can’t,’” Lee said.
“I always try to put myself in Mick’s shoes and, you know, I got nothing but love for that guy. Nothing but love. I just wish it didn’t get so — and then that’s just unfortunately the way things go. When people are threatened or hurt, you know, they fight back. But it’s all good, you know.”
This marks the first time Lee has spoken in such detail about Mars’ exit and the legal dispute that followed. The situation had already played out extensively in the courts — a chapter that ultimately concluded with a decisive outcome against the guitarist.
