MICK MARS: 'No One Can Ever Duplicate' EDDIE VAN HALEN

In a new interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern", MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars spoke about the early days of the Sunset Strip and running in the same circles as some of the other legendary guitarists from the era.

"Randy [Rhoads] and I didn't know each other, but I went to see him a few times at Starwood when he was with QUIET RIOT — right before Ozzy [Osbourne] stole Rudy [Sarzo] and Randy," Mars said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I saw him a couple of times, and I went, 'That kid's really, really a good player.' So I went to see him a couple of times. And I wasn't surprised that he got there with Ozzy, but it was cool to see that. But Eddie Van Halen was running around at that time too. And Ed and I go way, way back, when he was, like, 19 years old. Ed and I were, like, not close pals or anything, but we knew each other. We'd goof around and tell jokes, and that kind of stuff, and that was a blast. So, yeah, [they were] a few of the guys that I fully respect during that time."

Mars was also asked about other guitarists playing Eddie Van Halen's licks, particularly as it relates to the upcoming 2024 tour featuring Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Jason Bonham that will focus largely on the music of VAN HALEN. He said: "No one can ever duplicate [Eddie]. No one. I mean, look how many people are trying to imitate Jimi [Hendrix] after all these years. It doesn't work. You can hit the notes, but you know what? The hands, your feel, the way that you connect with your guitar, or whatever instrument that it is you're playing, is different."

He continued: "When you get somebody as good as Satriani that goes, like, 'I can't play this lick,' an Eddie lick…. He's Eddie Van Halen. Or he's Randy Rhoads, dude. You'll never copy it. You can mimic it, but not copy it. So that's the way I feel. If you can stand behind a curtain, you can certainly tell who's who."

Mick's solo album, "The Other Side Of Mars", will be released on February 23, 2024. The effort will be made available via Mick's own label 1313, LLC, in partnership with MRI.

Birmingham, Alabama rocker Jacob Bunton collaborated extensively with Mars on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Bunton had previously worked with former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler and CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer, and has songwriting credits with Mariah Carey, Steven Tyler and Smokey Robinson, among others.

Bunton sings lead on all but two of the 12 songs on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Other guests on the LP include WINGER/ALICE COOPER keyboardist Paul Taylor, KORN drummer Ray Luzier, and Brion Gamboa, who handled lead vocals on the songs "Undone" and "Killing Breed".

Bunton previously fronted the Alabama bands MARS ELECTRIC and LYNAM.

In October, Mars shared "Loyal To The Lie", the lead single from "The Other Side Of Mars", along with a music video featuring imagery from classic horror films and pictures of infamous serial killers.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.