Lineup changes are evident in a band. The same happened with Motley Crue over the course of their 4-decade long career. Motley Crue experienced several short term lineup changes in the 90s and 2000s that included vocalist John Corabi. John was Vince Neil replacement for almost 5 years in the mid-’90s. Motley Crue’s core members have always been Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and Mick Mars. Interestingly there were talks of guitar legend Jake E. Lee replacing Mick Mars which is quite surprising since Mick is one of the most important songwriter of the band. What do you think would’ve happened to Motley Crue had Jake replaced Mick? Let us know in the comments.
In a new interview with Tone-Talk, guitarist Jake E. Lee talked about the guitarist Mick Mars. said that Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee wanted him to replace Mick Mars in MÖTLEY CRÜE.
He said:
“I quit RATT. I had nothing going on. I was going to MÖTLEY‘s f*c*ing gigs… Nikki and Tommy wanted me in the band. They actually wanted me to replace Mick — which you can understand that. [I was] f*c*ing better looking and f*c*ing better playing.
Interestingly, Jake mentioned Nikki and Tommy wanting to replace Mick with Jake E Lee. I am wondering how that would’ve turned out.
Jake further added, saying:
“They wanted me to replace Mick. Mick‘s in-law or whatever was funding the band, so that didn’t happen. And there was [talk of MÖTLEY CRÜE] maybe [having] two guitar players, which even then, I was, like, ‘MÖTLEY CRÜE. Two guitar players. I don’t know about that.’ So, anyway, it kind of started with that. ‘Cause there was that thing going. Whether somebody denies it or not, that’s what started the rift between me and Mick.”
Jake recalled an incident when Motley Crue were on tour with Ozzy.
He said:
“I’m not saying I had a big deal to do with it, but I remember Sharon [Osbourne] saying, ‘This MÖTLEY CRÜE. What do you think about [them] opening?’”
Jake responded by saying:
“F*c*ing MÖTLEY CRÜE. I think they’re gonna be the next big deal.’ So MÖTLEY CRÜE is opening for us now. At one point, I’m out partying with… I think it was Tommy… It might have been Vince[Neil]. Who knows? Whoever Mick‘s roommate was. We go back to the room, and Mick‘s in his pajamas and he’s very upset with us.
“It was with RATT too — I remember Robbin [Crosby] was there, Stephen [Pearcy] was there. Mick, being the old man, as everybody joked about [him], he made a complaint. I’m not sure what I said.
Things quickly went out of control when Jake called Mick ‘an old man’ which escalated further.
Jake recalls, saying:
“I think just called him ‘the old man’ and [told him to] shut up. And he did look over at me and said, ‘At least I’m not a slant-eyed Japanese b*st*rd.’ And I did not like that — did not like it. I hadn’t heard it, actually, since I was in grade school — the whole ‘slant-eyed Japanese’ thing.
“And it pissed me off. I walked over. I was gonna beat the f*c* out of him. And it was Robbin Crosby, who was six-five, he came up to me, picked me and said, ‘C’mon, Jake. None of that sh*t matters.’ And he carried me out of the room.”
4 comments
Something doesnt seem right..the story smells of Lee’s regret and longing for something that isnt going to happen.
They literally have MIck using the N word on youtube. He toured with a rebel flag on his back and Mick;s X wife took him to the cleaners in the divorce. It all adds up. Jakes mother was Japanese also.
I love Jake… but I would prefer that instead of interviews, he got some music released. We miss him.
Loads of bands do worldwide club tours… he should quit changing singers… get some stability in the RDC line-up and make the best of, let’s face it, one last opportunity… the fans won’t fail to be there!
This is old news… Jake had a lot of great opportunities and he’s not even that great a guitar player he doesn’t know music theory or how to read music he just plays by ear… He doesn’t like playing with other guitarists because of that and he’s not really a great lead guitarist his soloing was terrible when he was with Ozzy…I think his best work was with Badlands and I think he owes a lot of that to Ray Gillen’s powerful vocals…