Motley Crue lost one of its founding members after Mick Mars' retirement announcement.
Fans of Motley Crue finally received good news after several postponements of the band's tours because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rockers took over the Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium show which served as the final stop of their scheduled stadium tour this year.
But little did they know, it also became Mars' last performance with Motley Crew.
The September 9 concert did not spark any exit rumors since Mars looked happy while performing with his co-founders.
Motley Crue started the night in Sin City with "Wild Side." The show continued with fans hearing the band play "Shout at the Devil," "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)," and "Too Fast for Love."
Mars then played the final song that night, "Kickstart My Heart" before embracing the bandmates at the center stage.
At that moment, no one knew he would leave the touring spotlight.
Mick Mars Announces Retirement
Seven weeks after the final tour, a representative for Mars issued an exclusive statement to Variety confirming his retirement from touring with the band. It clarified, though, that he would still be part of Motley Crue.
It revealed that his current health issues made him decide to focus on recuperating instead.
"Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigors of the road. A.S. is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine," it said.
According to Versus Arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis affects a person's back by causing inflammation in the spine. As a result, the body releases extra calcium around the bones, leading the back and neck to feel stiffer.
The website reveals that the condition can start in people who are in their late teens and 20s.
For Mars' part, he penned in the band's 2001 biography "The Dirt" that he has struggled with it since his late teens. He noted that his hips began to hurt so bad whenever he tried turning his body.
Unfortunately, he did not have money to consult a doctor, so he just wished he could do things despite the condition. But the disease got worse over the years.
He also opened up about it in an interview with Metal Sludge, revealing that it caused him to stop playing guitar for nearly two years.
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