Mick Mars

The original guitarist who co-founded Mötley Crüe in 1980 and shaped its heavy metal legacy for forty-three years.

Robert Alan Deal, known professionally as Mick Mars, is an American musician best recognized as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. Born on May 4, 1951, in Terre Haute, Indiana, he realized his desire to become a musician at age three after seeing country singer Skeeter Bonn perform. Mars joined the band in April 1980 after placing an ad in The Recycler describing himself as "a loud, rude and aggressive guitar player." He played with Mötley Crüe until 2023, contributing aggressive, melodic solos and bluesy riffs that defined their sound for over four decades.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Robert Alan Deal

Born

4 May 1951

Birthplace

Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.

Occupation

Musician, songwriter

Instrument

Guitar

Genre

Heavy metal
hard rock
glam metal
blues rock

Years active

1965–present

Past member of

Mötley Crüe

Lore & Background

Mars's journey began long before the band formed, starting with his first guitar at age 12 and a relentless practice routine. By his early 20s, he worked in an industrial laundromat while playing bass in The Jades and lead guitar in various blues-based rock bands throughout the 1970s. He famously used aliases like Zorky Charlemagne to avoid police arrests for unpaid child support. In 1980, reinventing himself by shaving his mustache and dyeing his hair jet black, he responded to Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee's call. Bassist Harry Clay noted Mars could copy parts "note for note," while drummer Jack Valentine claimed Mars and Eddie Van Halen were the "two hottest guitar players in LA." The name Mötley Crüe originated from a comment made during his time with White Horse, where someone called them a "motley looking crew." Despite the band's notorious reputation for partying, Mars warned his bandmates against heroin use, stating, "You can't make music when you're falling down," though he later developed a serious drinking problem.

Reader's Guide

Fans should know Mars's recording debut occurred in 1978 with Video Nu-R's single "Gypsy Woman/You Drive Me Crazy." His first solo album, The Other Side of Mars, released on February 23, 2024, followed plans discussed since 2014. Beyond Mötley Crüe, he co-wrote two songs for Crashdïet's 2007 album The Unattractive Revolution and played guitar on Hinder's "Take It to the Limit" in 2008. He also contributed solos to Papa Roach's "Into the Light" (2009) and Dilana's "The Question." In 2010, he co-wrote a song for Escape the Fate that was withheld from their self-titled album. Mars has maintained distance from his bandmates offstage; Nikki Sixx visited him only two or three times, Tommy Lee once, and Vince Neil once despite living nearby in Venice Beach. The lawsuit resolution in January 2026 marked a definitive end to his official involvement with the group's business operations.

Did You Know?

His guitar sound was so loud during Dr. Feelgood sessions that it leaked into Aerosmith's Pump recordings next door.
He decided to become a musician at age three after seeing Skeeter Bonn wear a bright-orange outfit with rhinestones and a white Stetson hat.
In January 2026, Mars was forced to pay back $750,000 in touring advances after admitting his lawsuit claims were false under oath.
Mars co-wrote songs for Crashdïet's The Unattractive Revolution and contributed a solo to Papa Roach's Metamorphosis.