Mick Mars 3: Bob’s Deal With The Crue

Let’s start this post off by saying right out of the gate: We love Mick Mars. You may even hear us suggest that Mick is THE sound of Motley and the most important member. Ever hear another guitar player play a Crue song? Just doesn’t sound right. Why does Motley stuff not sound like the rest of the Hair Metal music of the ‘80s? Because at the helm was an older, wiser, more seasoned and complex musician named Robert Deal. 

Harry Clay was a former member of Whitehorse (and, briefly, "Mottley Croo") alongside Bob Deal from roughly 1973-1977. Harry was recently interviewed for the podcast ‘Heavy Metal War Stories’ and reveals an amazing amount of candid and crucial Crue/Mick Mars history that sheds much light on those elusive early Motley years. The interview is over an hour long but worth every second to any Crue head. We thank the host for this essential interview.

Harry Clay Interviewed by Heavy Metal War Stories:

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. . . uploaded to YouTube, 2019

So Mick Mars is responsible for:

1. The band name, Motley Crue.

2. Tommy Lee’s rotating drum set idea (see more about that HERE).

3. The connection to the Coffmans which got the Crue up and running.

4. Himself! Mick Mars (stage name from former band mate Micki Marz) and his taste, experience, and powerful guitar work.  

(Mick Mars’ former band mate, Micki Marz)

It’s obvious Bob Deal was at the end of his rope when he invented the Mick Mars character and I don’t begrudge him for such a desperate move. I’m glad that Mick is more than the cliché hard rock guitarist type from the ‘80s scene. He’s just another element that made this group special. 

There are demos floating around the internet from Mick’s Whitehorse days and what makes them interesting is that he reused ideas and you can hear bits of Motley solos in these old tunes. In "It’s Only Money" Mick starts his solo with a piece that would later pop up in "Take Me To the Top" on Too Fast For Love. 

****Images without watermark are from Harry Clay’s Myspace page and are not part of my collection.