Nikki Sixx renews dispute with former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars
Developing story first seen 6 hours ago
Nikki Sixx has publicly revisited his dispute with former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars, accusing him of misleading fans and turning his back on the band. Sixx made the comments in a now-deleted social media post, renewing attention on a legal battle that followed Mars’s dismissal.
Replying to a fan on X, Sixx said he had played bass on every Mötley Crüe album and written much of the band’s music. He said Mars’s claims during the lawsuit, which the band considered untrue, caused confusion; Mars had also alleged that Sixx did not play bass live on the 2022 tour. Mötley Crüe won the case and has since toured with guitarist John 5, playing 34 shows with him in 2026; the band has announced eight Las Vegas shows from 12 March to 3 April 2027.
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In short
- Sixx says Mars misled Mötley Crüe fans.
- He denies claims about his bass playing.
- The band has announced eight Las Vegas shows for 2027.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago Sixx added that he had tried to support Mars through addiction struggles and described their decades-long relationship as a brotherhood; the band has since played 34 shows with guitarist John 5 in 2026 and announced eight Las Vegas dates from 12 March to 3 April 2027.
- 2 hours ago Nikki Sixx renewed his dispute with former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars in a now-deleted post on X, saying he had played bass on every album and written much of the band’s music, while accusing Mars of misleading fans after the lawsuit that followed his dismissal.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Sixx’s account deserves consideration because he says Mars made claims the band regarded as untrue, confusing fans, and because he cites his long history of recording and songwriting with Mötley Crüe. From this perspective, the dispute is a painful breakdown of a decades-long relationship, and the band is entitled to continue touring with a replacement guitarist after Mars’s departure.
The case against
Mars’s challenge arose in the context of a lawsuit after the band dismissed him, so his criticism of Sixx’s live playing may be understood as part of a substantive dispute over the band’s treatment and public account of events. Fans may reasonably question Sixx’s characterisation of Mars as misleading, particularly when the competing claims are contested and the reported account does not establish which version is accurate.
Explained simply
Mötley Crüe are an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. Nikki Sixx is the group’s bassist and a songwriter; Mick Mars was its guitarist for most of its history. Their albums and touring made the band a prominent name in heavy metal.
Mars left touring in 2022 because of a chronic spinal condition, but said he wanted to remain a member. The band later replaced him and dismissed him, prompting a legal dispute over his status and the group’s business arrangements. Mars also questioned whether Sixx played bass live, making the roles of band members and the trust of fans part of the dispute.
The conflict matters because the musicians’ long association helped shape the band’s identity. Mötley Crüe has continued performing with guitarist John 5, while the public disagreement has kept attention on how the group’s history and music are represented.
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Originally published by Far Out as “Nikki Sixx says Mick Mars “misled” fans and “turned his back” on Mötley Crüe”.