Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars retires from touring

completemusicupdate.com:

Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars has announced that he is retiring from touring due to his ongoing diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis – a form of arthritis that typically causes inflammation in the spine.In a statement, a rep for the musician told Variety: “Mick Mars, co-founder and lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe for the past 41 years, has announced today that, due to his ongoing painful struggle with ankylosing spondylitis, he will no longer be able to tour with the band.

Mick will continue as a member of the band, but can no longer handle the rigours of the road. AS is an extremely painful and crippling degenerative disease, which affects the spine”.Subsequently, the other members of the band put out their own statement, saying: “While change is never easy, we accept Mick’s decision to retire from the band due to the challenges with his health.

We have watched Mick manage his ankylosing spondylitis for decades and he has always managed it with utmost courage and grace”.“To say ‘enough is enough’ is the ultimate act of courage”, they went on. “Mick’s sound helped define Mötley Crüe from the minute he plugged in his guitar at our very first rehearsal together.