Mick Mars

Mick Mars (born Bob Alan Deal,[1] May 4, 1951,[2] in Terre Haute, Indiana[1]) is the lead guitarist for heavy metal/glam metal band Mötley Crüe. After his family relocated from Indiana to California, Deal dropped out of high school and began playing guitar in a series of unsuccessful blues based rock bands throughout the seventies, taking on menial day jobs to make ends meet. After nearly a decade of frustration with the California music scene, the 30 year-old Deal reinvented himself, changing his stage name to Mick Mars and dying his hair jet black, hoping for a fresh start. In April of 1981 he composed a want-ad in the Los Angeles "Recycler" newspaper that read, "Loud, rude, and aggressive guitar player available". Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee contacted him and the three decided to form a band together. Upon Mick's prodding, they persuaded local Rock Candy singer/frontman Vince Neil to hop on board. It was Mars' suggestion that the band be called Mötley Crüe, a name that had stuck in Mars' head when he saw his old band White Horse sitting in a room all together, stating "isn't this a Motley Looking Crew" Unlike many of the hard rock/heavy metal guitarists of his era, Mars' guitar style is steeped in the blues tradition. He employs frequent use of a metal slide in his soloing and takes on both the rhythm and lead guitar duties of the band. Mars frequently tunes his guitar down to D (rather than the standard E) to get a lower, snappier, crunchier sound both in the studio and live. For the sum of his career with Mötley Crüe, Mars has created the aura of being a somewhat mysterious figure. In what interviews he has conducted, Mars often comes off as a very reserved and somewhat quiet individual, though not shy by any means. A home video made in 1984 and posted on the web by one of his former White Horse bandmates reveals Mars to be a rather jovial, wisecracking, down-to-Earth person-- one who obviously saw his fair share of adversity during his long rise to the top. There is also a video of Mick wise cracking a rather explicit version of "silent night" during studio time in the early 90s when John Corabi was in the band. After an eventual split of Mötley Crüe in 2001, Mars dealt with worsening health problems (see Health section below), depression and eventual financial bankruptcy, reportedly giving up guitar playing. Mars' situation improved with the reformation of Mötley Crüe, kindling the desire to play again. Mars underwent hip replacement surgery in the autumn of 2004 that was followed with intensive physical therapy. Mars has just finished a tour co-headlining with Aerosmith called Route Of All Evil. He also recently contributed to 3 songs for the second album by Swedish sleaze rock band CRASHDÏET. The album entitled, The Unattractive Revolution, was released on October 3, 2007. For most of his professional career, Mars has struggled with a degenerative bone condition called Ankylosing Spondylitis. It was initially diagnosed when he was 19 years old, and has increasingly impaired his movement and has caused him a great deal of pain and suffering. This led to hip-replacement surgery at the end of 2004. Due to the fragility of his condition, he is kept on large amounts of pain killers, although has recently stated that his newest medication is better at subduing his joint pain. After his hip replacement surgery, Mars became healthier and became strong enough to tour. From January of 2005 to October of 2006 Mars toured with the reunited Mötley Crüe. Mars has also admitted a drinking problem during most of the tours between 1984 and 1988, when the band cleaned up for their hugely successful Dr. Feelgood album. He is currently clean and sober.