Tommy Lee Opens Up on Hurtful Mick Mars Split: ‘I Got Nothing But Love for That Guy’

The drummer addressed the lawsuit, Mars’ worsening condition, and John 5’s arrival on Billy Corgan’s podcast.

Tommy Lee spoke candidly about Motley Crue’s painful split with guitarist Mick Mars during an appearance on The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan, reflecting on the legal fallout that followed Mars’ 2022 retirement from touring, the physical toll of Mars’ ankylosing spondylitis, and the revitalizing effect John 5 has had on the band since stepping into the guitarist’s role.

Lee Calls the Fallout ‘Awkward and Really Hurtful’

With the lawsuit between Mars and his former bandmates now settled, Corgan gave Lee an opening to address it directly. Lee didn’t hold back on how the public dispute affected him personally. “For me, that whole thing was awkward and really hurtful, to the point where people were saying untrue things,” Lee told Corgan. “I was like, ‘God this sucks.’ I’m not into that kind of stuff.”

The legal battle had been a long one. After Mars retired from touring in 2022, he sued the remaining members of Motley Crue, alleging financial misconduct and claiming the band had colluded to remove him. He also accused the group of faking their live performances. The band countered that Mars had demanded 25 percent of touring revenue despite no longer performing, which they said violated a prior agreement. An independent arbitrator ruled in Motley Crue’s favor in early 2026, ordering Mars to pay more than $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances. Mars’ attorney described the decision as “awful” and said “the band has never been fair to Mick.”

Lee on Mars’ Ankylosing Spondylitis and the Onstage Struggles

Lee was careful to separate his frustration with the legal proceedings from his genuine affection for Mars as a musician and a person. “There is only one Mick and he’s an insane player,” he said. “It saddens me, just on a personal level for him, that this insane spine disease [ankylosing spondylitis] slowly started dementing his shape.”

He described watching Mars deteriorate over years on the road, noting that Mars himself eventually told the band he no longer felt he could keep touring. The onstage consequences became increasingly hard to manage. Lee recalled counting off “Live Wire” only to have Mars launch into “Wild Side” instead. “He started to not know where he was,” Lee said. “I’ve had to stop songs, like, ‘Dude, we’ve got to restart this because he’s playing the wrong song and he doesn’t know it.'”

Despite those difficulties, Lee framed Mars’ situation with empathy rather than grievance. “I always try to put myself in Mick’s shoes and I got nothing but love for that guy,” he said. “I just wish it didn’t get so shitty. And unfortunately that’s just the way things go when people are threatened or hurt. They fight back. But it’s all good.”

John 5 Credited With Bringing New Energy to the Band

Lee was effusive about John 5, who joined Motley Crue after Mars stepped away. “I have to give props to John 5 because him coming in was the exact shot of adrenaline and life and energy and fire that we were missing,” Lee said. “Because it was really becoming a struggle.”

Lee also noted that John 5 came in as a genuine fan of the band’s catalog, which he said made a real difference. “John, like yourself, has been a fan for a long time. He knows all the music inside and out. Loves Mick,” Lee told Corgan. He added a broader point about character: “I don’t give a shit how talented you are. If you’re an asshole, I don’t have much respect for that. If you’re talented and you’re a sweetheart, you’re my favorite person.”

Motley Crue launched their Return of the Carnival of Sins tour earlier this month. The run continues through late September.

What we know

• Tommy Lee discussed the Mick Mars split on The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan podcast.
• Mick Mars retired from touring with Motley Crue in late 2022 and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the band.
• Mars alleged his former bandmates were ripping him off financially and colluded to remove him from the group; he also accused them of faking live performances.
• Motley Crue claimed Mars demanded 25% of touring revenue despite no longer performing, which they said contradicted a prior agreement.
• An independent arbitrator ruled in Motley Crue’s favor in early 2026, ordering Mars to pay more than $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances.
• Mars’ attorney called the arbitration decision “awful” and said “the band has never been fair to Mick.”
• Lee described an incident where he counted off “Live Wire” and Mars began playing “Wild Side” instead, and said he had to stop songs to correct the situation.
• Lee credited John 5 as “the exact shot of adrenaline and life and energy and fire” the band was missing.

The take

Tommy Lee’s comments land at an interesting moment for Motley Crue’s legacy. The band has spent the better part of three years navigating one of rock’s more public and acrimonious lineup disputes, and Lee’s tone here is notably measured given the circumstances. He threads a careful line: acknowledging real onstage dysfunction without diminishing what Mars contributed over four decades.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative spinal condition that Mars has spoken about publicly for years. The disease has visibly affected his posture and mobility since at least the 1990s, and the fact that it eventually compromised his ability to perform reliably is, as Lee frames it, a tragedy rather than a failing. That context matters when evaluating the split.

John 5’s arrival fits a pattern seen elsewhere in classic rock, where a technically precise, deeply knowledgeable hired gun stabilizes a legacy act that has lost a founding member. His background with Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson gave him experience playing high-energy catalog-driven sets night after night, which is exactly what Motley Crue’s touring operation requires. Lee’s praise for John 5’s character alongside his musicianship also signals something about how the band’s internal culture has shifted. For a group historically defined by chaos, that kind of stability may be exactly what keeps the Return of the Carnival of Sins tour running through September.

Why it matters

For Motley Crue fans, Lee’s interview offers the clearest window yet into how the band experienced Mars’ decline from the inside. The lawsuit dominated headlines for years and left a complicated public record. Lee’s account adds human texture to what had become a largely legal and financial story. It also reinforces John 5’s standing as a full creative partner rather than a placeholder, which matters for how the band’s current chapter is perceived by a fanbase that remains deeply loyal to the classic lineup.

What’s next

Motley Crue’s Return of the Carnival of Sins tour continues through late September. The full episode of The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan featuring Tommy Lee is available to watch now.

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