Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx recently addressed fan comments regarding the band’s lineup and shared an update on their current tour in a series of posts on X.
Sixx first shared an update about the remaining dates of the band’s tour and his plans to return home.
“3 shows left,” Sixx wrote. “Nothing on the books but a festival in Oslo next summer sometime. Been a great tour but I’m ready to go home to my family.”
Following his post, a Mötley Crüe fan commented on the band’s current state without founding guitarist Mick Mars, who retired from touring due to health issues. The fan noted, “I’ve been a Crüe Head since the mid 80s, but without Mick Mars, it seems like they are not the same.”
Sixx responded directly to the fan’s comment, questioning whether the band should have stopped performing altogether.
“Should we have quit because he can’t tour health wise?” Sixx asked.
The exchange touches on a lineup change that dates back to late 2022, when Mars stepped away from the road and the band moved forward with a new guitarist. That transition has since been followed by both a legal battle and a settled touring era, giving context to the question Sixx answered publicly this week.
Mars announced in October 2022 that he was stepping away from touring because of worsening health issues tied to ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the spine. The band then confirmed that John 5 would replace him on the road.
John 5 was already known for a long career as a session and touring guitarist before joining Mötley Crüe, including work with David Lee Roth, Lita Ford and Rob Zombie. He had been close to the band through his work with Nikki Sixx in L.A. Rats before taking Mars’ place.
John 5 described joining Mötley Crüe in fall 2022 as a new chapter after Mars’ retirement from touring. The band later moved into its current touring era with John 5 as its live guitarist.
Mars filed a lawsuit in April 2023, and a ruling in January 2026 ended in Mötley Crüe’s favor after a lengthy legal fight. The case centered on claims tied to his status in the band after he stopped touring.
The guitarist was later welcomed as a full-fledged member in 2023 after the band’s successful touring run with Def Leppard. That helped cement the lineup Sixx is defending as Mötley Crüe moves through its current tour schedule.
