MÖTLEY CRÜE Guitarist: 'Even Though I'm An Old Geezer, It Doesn't Mean I Can't Still Learn'

Radio Metal recently conducted an interview with MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's recent statement that it no longer makes sense for bands to release full-length albums:

Mars: "I would say it's back to the way it was in the Sixties, singles, EPs and things like that. When you go on iTunes or whatever, you can see what's downloaded. A lot of bands ruin the other stuff… You would have to buy a whole record just to have one song. It's so much better and so much easier the way it was back in the Sixties: you hear something like THE KINKS' 'You Really Got Me', you would go out and just buy that, you know? Without having to have all the rest of the stuff."

On his activities outside of MÖTLEY CRÜE:

Mars: "I've been working with a lot of people, like CRASHDÏET and James Durbin, of course, with Twiggy [Ramirez, MARILYN MANSON's bassist]. Lots of different people. Terry Bozzio as well. That takes us back a little bit! [laughs] That sort of things. Trying to play a lot of different things with a lot of different people, in a lot of different styles, approaches of their music not to break away, but to expand on what I already know. I know how to play guitar, but I want to know even more different styles. I've been playing weird stuff, like flamenco or Hispanic music, on guitar solos, when I had to do that, like finger picking or gypsy kind of style. I'm trying to expand on that. Even though I'm an old geezer, it doesn't mean I can't still learn! [laughs]"

On his appearance on former "American Idol" contestant James Durbin's album:

Mars: "I think he has a very good chance of making it, like big time. But he has to persist and to keep listening to what's going on. I think he's pretty hip to what's going on, as far as current music and stuff like that goes. Actually, I think his next album will be harder that this one."

On how working in studio compares to how it was when MÖTLEY CRÜE first started out:

Mars: "Recording in the '80s was a lot different, 'cause we were recording to tape. So we had to cut the tape for the best drums track, as we'd go through the songs several times. We'd cut the tape up in sections for the best drums track. Then we would go back, and I would record my guitar parts. Maybe Nikki [Sixx, bass] would record the bass part first, or I would do the guitar parts until we got it right. We didn't cut the tape on me, I just had to keep playing it again and again, until it was the way that I was happy with it, the way the producer was happy with it. Today, with Pro Tools, we kind of pass the hard drive around. If I was to go to DJ Ashba's place, he's got some stuff that we've written, so we can go there and just put in on hard drive then send it to James [Michael] and Nikki, and they're like, 'Yeah, that's cool, but could you try this?' We just play around with different ideas, and it's so much faster and easier.”

On his upcoming solo album, which will include a plethora of guest musicians:

Mars: "I still got to talk to my lawyer and to the people themselves [to get clearance for them to appear on the CD]. I know who I want to get involved with, but I don't want to say who it is, because if I do, that would be a rumor, wouldn't it? I don't want to start a rumor thing. But I've pretty much picked out who I want to play with. And I'm sure they'll want to play with me, I'm positive."

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