Tommy Lee discusses his incredible career with Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe’s current tour has been noticeable for the absence of guitar player Mick Mars who retired from touring with the band last October.
Then in April the 72-year-old filed a lawsuit against his former bandmates accusing them of pushing him out of the group and cutting him out of its future profits.
The dispute is about whether or not Mick can remain a shareholder in the band following his announcement, but it has already become very messy with mudslinging from both sides.
However, at the heart of the case is a debilitating illness that Mick has been living with for over four decades.
In his official statement when he stepped down from touring duties Mick actually cited his affliction which is called Ankylosing Spondylitis.
READ MORE: Lorraine Kelly responds to backlash after repeatedly misgendering Sam Smith
His statement said: “Mick Mars, co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe for the past 41 years, has announced today that due to his ongoing painful struggle with Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.), he will no longer be able to tour with the band.
“Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine.”
According to the Mayo Clinic A.S is an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the bones in the spine to fuse.
This fusing makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply.
Despite this Mick managed to fulfil his duties with the band for the past 41 years with his last live show taking place just last September in Las Vegas.
Don’t miss…
Sophie Morgan’s fresh heartbreak as car broken into and wheelchair part stolen[CRIME]
Huw Edwards once credited ‘sympathetic’ wife for helping him out of depression[INSIGHT]
Sweet Magnolias’ Heather Headley pays tribute to ‘graceful and wise’ co-star[LATEST]
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
As the case rumbles on the group have continued their double headline world tour with Def Leppard with former Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 on axe duties and the lawsuit details a falling out that the band had with Mick after his retirement.
The suit says the rest of the band responded to his news by convening an emergency shareholders’ meeting of Mötley Crüe’s main corporate entity to throw him out of the band, fire him as a director of the corporation and take away his shares.
The lawsuit also states that Mick has a 25 percent stake in each of the band’s affiliated business entities.
His illness isn’t a new development and his bandmates have long been aware of it as he was first diagnosed at just 27 years of age.
He wrote about it in the bands biography The Dirt where he spoke about his first experiences with it.
“My hips started hurting so bad every time I turned my body that it felt like someone was igniting fireworks in my bones,” he wrote.
“I didn’t have enough money to see a doctor, so I just kept hoping that I could do what I usually do: will it away, through the power of my mind. But it kept getting worse.”
He went on to describe a burning sensation in his stomach and feeling as if a knife had been plunged into his back saying that the pain kept moving around.
As the court case rumbles on with no new updates at present it remains to be seen how much Mick’s condition, which was his reason for retiring, will impact the final decision.
Source: Read Full Article
