In a recent interview with the Talk Louder podcast, John Corabi shared details about the various guitarists Mötley Crüe considered to replace Mick Mars.
Corabi, often asked about Mötley Crüe due to his past involvement with the band, predicted Mars was being pushed out even before the guitarist filed a lawsuit against his bandmates. During a London book signing in 2022, Corabi was skeptical about Mötley Crüe’s statement on Mars retiring, stating he’d only believe it when Mick himself confirmed it. When asked why, he explained:
“It’s pretty much common knowledge — Mick himself has said that working on the ‘Generation Swine’ record [1997] was the most miserable, worst f*cking time of his life. Tommy [Lee], Nikki [Sixx], and producer Scott Humphrey mentally got under Mick’s skin and made him feel like he wasn’t a very good guitar player.”
Mötley Crüe’s Dissatisfaction with Mick’s Playing
Corabi detailed the pressure other band members put on Mars at the time:
“Vince was coming back, and we had written many of those songs the year prior. Management asked me to help finish the record. I got daily calls from Tommy, Nikki, and Scott asking me to come in early because they were disappointed with Mick’s performance from the night before. They said Mick was okay with it, so I went in and ended up playing about 80 percent of the guitars on ‘Generation Swine.’ They weren’t happy with Mick then.”
He revealed who played guitar on various Mötley Crüe albums:
“I don’t know who played guitar on ‘New Tattoo,’ but for the ‘Red, White & Crüe’ compilation, that was DJ Ashba. ‘Saints of Los Angeles’ also featured DJ Ashba on guitar. The soundtrack for ‘The Dirt’ had John 5 playing.”
Mötley Crüe’s Collaboration with Various Guitarists
Corabi listed other guitarists Mötley Crüe worked with or wanted to work with:
“Bob Daisley mentioned that during the ‘Bark At The Moon’ tour, Mötley Crüe tried to get Jake E. Lee to join their band, replacing Mick. This isn’t new information; Mick has talked about ‘Generation Swine’ in the press. There was also a feud between Tracii Guns and Nikki Sixx over hiring DJ Ashba for Brides of Destruction.”
Last year, Corabi told The Metal Voice that he wasn’t privy to everything but anticipated the conflict. When Mick’s health issues were announced, he spoke up but has since remained quiet. He’s not surprised by the ongoing drama.
