Mick Mars released his debut solo album, The Other Side Of Mars, on Friday, February 23, via his own label 1313, LLC, in partnership with MRI. In the latest On The Record interview from Ultimate Guitar, Mick talks about the record, why he'd like to have Robbie Williams sing for him, and how a dedication to music got him through early nights sleeping on cockroach infested floors. He also shares why — as a true rock star — it's sometimes important to "break stuff."
UG: There's a lot to be proud of on this record. So I'm curious — is there a riff, or a solo, or a song that you're most proud of or most excited for fans to hear on this record?
Mick: "There's a couple, which is 'Killing Breed' and 'Undone.' Those two songs are more in the area that I slowly want to move. I mean, it's a pretty diverse album. I know that fans from the Mötley days kind of expected either to hear a blues record or something closely relating to the last band that I was in, right? But I'm trying to move into another direction, but slowly, step by step. And I'm working on a second album now because that one took so long. You know, I've got four really solid ideas, and it's hopefully going to come out faster than waiting two years for this one."
UG: Will it be mostly the same band you'll be working with on the next album? The band sounds amazing on this first record.
Mick: "Actually, I'll probably be working with Paul (Taylor) more than likely. Paul and I work well together. I don't really know or plan on who I'm going to hire to do whatever song I'm working on. So, I mean, I'll get to the point."
"The record isn't a real band. It's a bunch of friends and friends of friends that came in and played parts. Some of them, I met through various people. I mean, Ray Luzier, you know, I have to hang on to that guy. He's so good. But it's like playing around, so I can't really say that there will be the same people, but Paul and I, yes. Ray, yes. Chris Collier, yes. The rest, I don't know. I guess I'm just trying to be different, and experiment, and do something. I think all musicians want to do that. But now that I'm more of a solo artist, I can do that. I can do whatever I want. I can put a blues band together. I can put a female singer on a song. I've always thought about - this goes way back - putting Robbie Williams on a song. You know who that is? The crazy bastard."
"But yeah, I mean, just something a little different, you know, I don’t want to repeat myself again. The next level is where the album will go for sure. I can say that for sure, but playing-wise, I don't know."
When Mick Mars stepped back from touring with Mötley Crüe – the band he co-founded more than 40 years ago – following their massive summer 2022 Stadium Tour, it seemed like the end of an era. Really, it was the beginning of a new one.
The legendary guitarist, whose riffs, solos and overall devastatingly heavy sound powered the L.A. icons through four decades of world-conquering, multi-platinum sonic mayhem is, as he demonstrates on his debut solo effort, still a serious force to be reckoned with. Only now, listeners are reckoning with more Mars than ever before. “When it comes to my playing, there’s the Mötley side and the Mars side,” the guitarist says. “Either way, I always have a very clear vision of what I want to do.”
On the aptly-titled The Other Side Of Mars, fans get that vision in its full, multifarious glory. To be sure, there are plenty of characteristically riff-tastic, tough-as-nails hard-rock anthems. The album also presents the guitarist heading into new and uncharted territory, tearing through caustic, modern metal, conjuring gothic-tinged soundscapes, and digging into anguished, slow-burning power balladry alongside unspooling bluesy, cinematic instrumental workouts. The music throughout the collection is otherwise studded with slide guitars, violins, violas, keyboards, glitchy freak-outs and all manner of sonic surprises.
“There’s a lot of ideas that I have that, I don't want to call them ‘left,’ but they are, you know what I mean?” Mars says. Regarding those stylistic turns, he continues, “My feeling has always been, I might gain some fans, I might lose some fans. But what they’re hearing, it’s all me.”
The guitarist enlisted a crack team of musicians to help him along the way. A key contributor to the project was Winger and former Alice Cooper keyboardist (and, like Mars, Nashville resident) Paul Taylor, who, in addition to performing on the record and assisting Mars in co-writing many of the tracks, introduced the guitarist to powerhouse vocalist Jacob Bunton. “Jacob came into the studio and it was like, bam!” Mars recalls. “And I just said, ‘Yeah, he’s the guy.’ And most of his vocals were one take.”
The supporting band was rounded out by Korn drummer Ray Luzier, bassist Chris Collier and singer Brion Gamboa, who contributed lead vocals to two songs. Mars reflects, “Those required a little bit more of an angsty, desperation kind of thing. And Brion really came to the table with that.” Alongside playing bass on all songs recorded, Collier mixed and mastered the debut solo album.
But while Mars surrounded himself with a new cast of players for the sessions, there was one figure who represented a significant link to his storied past: Michael Wagener. The much-lauded German producer and engineer worked behind the boards on Mötley Crüe’s 1981 debut, Too Fast For Love, and his relationship with Mars stretches even further back. “I had known him for a long time, and I actually brought him to Mötley,” Mars says. Working with Wagener this time, the guitarist continues, “He had such an understanding of where I wanted to go with the material. And he never said ‘Hey, do this,’ or tried to change my mind or anything like that. He was just really adamant about recording what I wanted to record, and making sure we recorded it right.”
The result is a record unlike anything Mars has offered up in his more than 40-year career.
To that end, he says that even as he unleashes The Other Side Of Mars on the world, he’s already working on a follow-up. He offers, “I'm trying to keep growing,” Mars says. “Because if you stop learning new things, if you stop playing new things, if you close your mind, you’re done. You have to keep moving and creating. Next!”
Orders for The Other Side Of Mars can be placed at this location. Available configurations include a 180G LP and CD, signed and unsigned.
Tracklist:
"Loyal To The Lie"
"Broken On The Inside"
"Alone"
"Killing Breed"
"Memories"
"Right Side Of Wrong"
"Ready To Roll"
"Undone"
"Ain't Going Back"
"LA Noir"
"Undone" video:
"Right Side Of Wrong" video:
"Loyal To The Lie" video:
