An "instrument holding Milli Vanilli." Ouch. That one hurt.

LA Guns was underrated! Always loved their music and vibe.

Phil Lewis is actually a great singer. Saw LA Guns last year. And Phil was a full on professional.

During their heyday everyone was enamored with flashier guitarists and Mick caught some shade for his more blues based orientated style, but looking back on it now he really played what the song needed and stayed true to himself. He was a big part of their sound (better or worse) and I commend him for knowing his limits with health these days. It’s sad that it had to end this way, much respect to Mick!!

Mick reminds me of Ace Frehley, both are highly underrated, but are great players. Neither one is a shredder, and neither one is a flashy player, but they are both true rock guitarists when it comes down to the way they play their riffs. Mick and Ace both put their hearts and souls into their music and are true to themselves.

Phil Lewis is a great singer and L.A. Guns were criminally underrated. I was not a fan of what came out of LA but Cocked & loaded is better than 95% of what came out of that town. Go Phil!🤘

This is why L.A. Guns still actually rocks!

I love La guns and I love how straight Phil and Tracii are. He’s a thousand % right…

Phil is dead on with this. I do NOT understand people paying big dollars to see Axl sing Welcome to the Jungle for the millionth time no new music in like 20 years. Then you have the frauds that are Motley Crue. People are sheep. Meanwhile, bands like L.A. Guns are still pumping out QUALITY music album after album and RIPPING it the FUCK UP live. Saw them recently. Still full on live and tearing it up. Love Phil. Always have. Spent some time with LA Guns backstage at a meet and greet 2 years ago in Colorado Springs. Really cool laid-back guys ALL of them. Ace von Johnson, Johnny Martin, and of course Tracii. None of the rockstar attitude bullshit. I'd pay to see LA Guns 100 times before tossing a quarter at Motley Crue or GNR.

That's brutal and true. I saw Motley 5 times in their prime. Mick Mars was insane, these riffs are stamped in my brain. The rest of the band are clowns.

I know Phil personally and I've had some great times with him on tour. He's an old school guy who takes his craft far more seriously than most from that era. It's even more impressive that he has stuck to his guns all these years regardless of the pay, exposure or glory. The path he took reminds me of Lemmy.

Phil can absolutely someone who can walk his talk. Truly. His voice is amazing and when you hear Guns perform live it doesn't sound like a tribute band. I agree with him on the social skills as well. Tommy is a f**king child and I'm embarrassed for him. I have always been a huge Nikki guy but that started to fade after their "final tour" only to come back again, and again and then this Mick stuff really turned me off of Motley. LA GUNS has always been a favorite. If you haven't seen Phil and Traci live, you're missing out.

Phil Lewis hit the nail on the head lol

Mick is a fabulous guitarist. He may not be a Shred King, but he is a Master of tone and song writing.

Mötley Crüe is currently making Journey’s situation look pretty damn near decent! 😂

Phil lewis is actually pretty damn good.

You know John 5 signed a plethora of non-disclosure agreements to keep their secrets safe.. 😂🤣

I wonder if Nikki was playing bass when I saw the Crüe on the Dr Feelgood tour? He definitely wasn't really drinking Jack Daniels from the bottle onstage, even when Tommy definitely was drinking from the same bottle. Their chorus vocals were obviously taped. Mick was playing live, he even threw in extra licks. Tommy was playing. Vince was missing words even back then. In my opinion they should retire. Vince sounds awful, Nikki is a poser, Mick is gone, and it's time to stop. Also I believe John 5 made a big mistake joining those clowns. I hope he's getting a fat payday, and not Mick's money.

I Love Phil Lewis. Wasn't an opening band for LA guns twice. Not on tour with them just for those nights. Got to meet him, he's cool as shit. Also, isn't it refreshing to hear somebody speak the truth? Lol. Mad respect for Tracii guns Phill Lewis and the band.

This is the absolute truth. Nikki is in his 60's and acting like he is in his 30's. Socially stunted because everyone has kissed his ass his whole life. Told him what he Wanted to hear instead of what he needed. Must be a sad existence to not have good enough of a friend around to tell him the hard truth and stop him from his constant verbal diarrhea.

I feel for Mick. Dude was the sound of that band and now being tossed out like trash.. He ought to be taken care of by the band but evidently greed is still crowned the king..

Dude ain’t wrong. Motley’s (and KISS) best days are in the breeze. I love all 3 bands. But of the 3, only LA Guns still brings it. 🤙🏼

Mick Mars made that band a headliner. Mick is underrated and it's a shame. He deserves all he has coming and so much more. Rock on Mick.

Mick was the only person in MC actually playing live during the Summer Stadium Tour. And obviously Vince singing. No one could sing that bad with a backing track.

Phil Lewis is correct, and at 66 years old, still sound amazing live.

The audacity of Nikki to have a tv show called my favorite riff

Mick is the only member that isn’t a POS Human. I was ready to walk out of the stadium tour when they started “The Dirt”. Vince sounded AMAZING, and I looked right at my wife and said we’re leaving. It was obviously fake. Only reason we stayed cause my 15yo son wanted to. Nikki is the only person alive that can give Gene Simmons a run for his money when it comes to inflated egos.

He's fucking spot on🎯

Phil has always called it out and Called it how it is good bad or ugly he has always kept it real no BS even when him and Tracii we’re fighting he called out all the BS !!!

LA Guns kicks some serious ass ! Love Phil and Traccii !

For 50 mil? All I gotta do is mime and wiggle my ass? Sure sign me up too 😂😂😂

Mick Mars is Motley Crue. It's his sound and his tone that gave them a career

Phil and the Guns play live.. I watched them play a set recently. And they are still writing new stuff. I love and respect that band. If you look at the lyrics to say ... Magdalene for example ... Its a beautiful poem set to kick ass music. Very underrated band, They've always been real ones. Never get the credit they deserve and are hugely overlooked. Cocked and Loaded baby! x

I took a leak with Phil in 87’ ! 😂 He was literally doing his sound check and walked into the bathroom at the U of Iowa basketball stadium while I was at the urinal. Kept singing right through his 💦! I volunteered for security through our frat. I also got to meet every Def Leopard member as they were sitting right next to me watching the sound check. (Guns opened for them.) It was a crazy night and I had meet n greet/ front row view for free! 🤟

Nailed it when he said John 5 doesn't fit. He really doesn't.

I love what Phil said about John 5 being the trendy choice. And MC is even late on that one. 😂

John 5 is a pro and at that level they need it.

Love LA. Guns 🇺🇸

They should have quit when they signed that "We're quitting forever" contract & swore they were done. Probably none of this sad end would have happened. It reminds me of bank robbers who get away with it for years & decide to do one last heist & then everything falls apart.

Phil ain't never lied! We all know L.A. Guns is an insanely talented band and Phil is Marvin Gaye for people who wear black eyeliner, but he's also one of the realest people you can ever hope to meet. Perhaps it's because Phil is so real that he never became an industry darling, but for those of us acolytes of rock n roll, we're so glad that Phil always remained the people's voice!

THANK YOU, PHIL! SO MUCH.

An Instrument holding Milli Vinnili 😂that's the best comment ever

I always thought when Tracii left LAG for Brides, he was thinking if and when Motley reunites, and if Mick can't do it, he'd be the guy to step in. That was the only reasonable explanation I thought for him leaving his own band. Wasn;t till I interviewed him years later that I got more details about the move and there was more to it.... But still think that was in the back of his mind. Lewis is correct, he'd be a perfect fit.

Is it fair to compare Motley Crue to Milli Vanilli? "Girl you know it's true.."

Anyone who's been around the scene since London at the Starwood knows that . I feel good to be able to live long enough to see karma served to Frankie. Nigel Benjamin is laughing his ass off somewhere.

I always liked that guy.

I completely agree that John 5 does not fit in Motley Crue, and Guns would have been perfect. However, I'm glad that didn't happen. I'd rather have new L. A. Guns material than Motley. Also, of all the 80s bands I still listen to on a regular basis for the last 40 years, and this is no exaggeration, I maybe listen to a couple of Motley Crue songs a year. However, Dokken, Ratt, Great White, L. A. Guns, and quite a few others have always been in regular rotation. It is what it is.

Definitely agree Phil Lewis a really good singer and interacts with his crowd. Traci Guns is a beast on guitar and is so underrated. LA Guns as a band were underrated and have put out some goods tunes, even still to this very day. 😊

That interview was priceless!😂 ... LOVE THE GUNS! ❤

Without Mick, Motley Crue would have been long forgotten.

Phil’s 100% right!!!!!

Phil is right. The reason Motley Crue got John 5 is because he's played in bands that are considered to be more modern and relevant than Motley's 80s contemporaries. He's basically their salesperson to the modern rock audience. It's just another move to stay current like they did when they hired John Corabi. They could have picked up Traci Guns or George Lynch and this whole thing might have been a little easier for the fans to digest. And even if Mick is having a hard time playing guitar they keep Vince in the band even though he can't sing live. They'll always keep Vince because if they ever hire someone else to sing for them Vince will outdraw them with his solo band, that's some crazy shit.

Tracy and Phil trash talked Motley Crue from the stage when they played in San Diego last week.

Brutal honesty...if it's the truth but hey What do I know

Phil is a bad ass you rock man

Phil is a stand up guy. I'm a sound engineer and I worked with LA on a tour with Wasp. Wasp screwed them, Ratt and Metal Church on that tour. I was doing monitors at a show in Detroit, and Phil thanked me for giving the the band what I could because Wasp said they could only have the side fills and one front monitor. What a-holes! Peace Phil!

Mick's guitar work is fucking sick. I love the blues-infused metal sound (or at least I did when I was young)

I’ve always heard how “Nikki writes the songs” for years, but have never seen actual evidence of this. What real world, tangible examples exist of Nikki Vanilli writing which songs? Because I tell ya….the current evidence of today-their backing track usage & being apparently unable to play simple things live-paints a different picture totally of Nikki being this songwriting genius musician.

L.A Guns I thought was always better than Motley Crue

Their first album is absolutely their best, I loved the rawness of it! Shout at the Devil was okay and then after that they kept sucking ass and declining in my opinion!

Unrelated,. I saw LA Guns in Fort Lauderdale back in 1988 or 89. I think the name of the bar/venue was The Button South. A band named Hurricane Alice opened the show.

Hilarious and he's point on

Adding vocal tracks is one thing, but faking instruments is an insult to music

I knew people who were on tbe inside of crew who have said for years that nikki couldn't play and was never even really an addict. Was all just an image he created

La gunns one of my favorites.

respect to Phil to ripping that fraud Nikki Sixx and Motley Fraud

I saw them & yes they use backing tracks & Vince can't sing. But Mick was not the only musician in the band. Tommy Lee is a really good drummer too.

Phil is awesome! One helluva singer and frontman.

Phil didn’t lie.

Don't care one way or the other, but Phil isn't wrong here.

It's too bad Five has to dumb himself down to play with the other three buffoons.

This is an example of bad karma. They made such a spectacle of their retirement and cessation of touring agreement, etc. All the merchandising money they scammed off their fans with the final tour tchotchkes and then the Staples shows where they were selling final show t-shirts for $75-$100 bucks. They completely ripped off their fans with that scam, money grab. Now it’s coming back to screw them because Mick was the only real musician in that band with any cred. He’s completely outed them for being total frauds and complete hucksters. They could’ve retired and went out with a shred of decency. Now they’re a joke.

I mean…people REALLY thought Motley Crue COULD play?!???

The more musicians that seem to chime in on this whole issue from the inner circle of the traditional heavy metal scene seem to be truthfully speaking in my eyes with Motley Crue just doing this whole tour just for the money. But then again who wouldn't. Everybody knows they use backing tracks and I think people who go to these concerts know. I still can't believe how people supported this tour they are on when they swore the supposed "Farewell Tour" was the last. Just shameful as the book! I will still listen to both of these bands. Business sucks!

Phil isn't wrong!

How many days until Nikki says Phil is a washed up loser?

Where did you go??

I'd be curious to know who the ghost bassist was on Motley's Theatre Of Pain album.

I feel like backing tracks are okay if we're talking horns or other instruments that aren't played by the regular band. As dude from Falling In Reverse said, sure they could pay for a whole orchestra instead of using a recording of an orchestra, but that would be a waste of money. That said, if you're onstage with a bass in your hands and strapped over your shoulder in front of a crowd, you ought to actually be playing it at least SOME of the time, ideally from start to finish. If I could see the Crue for free then I wouldn't care as much about how much was live vs. recorded. If I could see them cheap then I wouldn't care as much. But when we're talking expensive tickets, no thanks, I don't want to pay $60 or whatever to see pyro and shit while listening to recordings. Not when I can listen to the original recordings for free, although your mileage may vary.

Phil’s 100% correct

Everything about this interview was very well said. And unfortunately in my opinion... very true. I wish it was different. But it's not. 💔

Lol😂 mime and wiggle my ass!!😂

1:30 & specially wen he turn 25 wen meant or/join the band

I went to the stadium tour to see mick mars. I think they gave him about 1% of screen time but because I’m fair I’ll settle for 20% of my ticket monies back.

Nikki didn't know the difference between a bass and a guitar. I love John 5. You're right. John is like Mick, too good for them. Have you heard of John 5 going to rehab? That's because he's never fell into the drug scene. Mick only went because pain pills is what was prescribed for his AS.

That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard a rock musician say, and it’s all true! I don’t mean to piss anybody off, but I never ever understood why people thought Mötley Crüe was so good. They are very basic, musically. Although Tommy is a beast on the drums…

I sincerely mean no disrespect but why would the bass have to be prerecorded?? Couldn’t anyone play these songs on bass almost effortlessly? Or am I missing something?

Just watch Mötley’s performance at the U.S. Festival… probably what they’d still sound like without taped tracks!

Yes, the music was built around Mick’s riffs and solos. Without him they would’ve never made. Just like Poison rode CC Deville’s coat tails because from the beginning CC was a lot more talented so they relied on him while they grew and developed their skills.

Amen Brother Tracii!!

Phil is the man, respect

God ,he sums up dikii suxx so perfectly

I've spoken to Traci a couple of times and he is a really good dude. I honestly think he's end up beating Nikki's ass after a few shows.

Come to think about it, nobody’s ever heard an actual Nikki Sixx bass solo…

Yeah, what Phil said. 100% right.

I've been a Sixx hater forever. I especially dislike him for the heroin lies. We have a serious opioid crisis in this country with tons of people dying or suffering and Nikki used it to develop this pitiful rich rock star druggie mystique about himself. Nikki never went a day in his life without brushing his teeth and poofing his hair up, more less suffer a Heroin addiction. It just pisses me off.

I was there at one of the shows. There were guitar backing tracks, behind the solos too, so......I don't think Mick can say much.

It came very close to being Tracii back in 2005.

I mean nobody could call Motley Crue a complete Milli Vanilli Sham . They have played their instruments on most to their Work for Decades . But they are in their 60s and can't maintain the Young Motley Crue Level of Playing their songs anymore Live . Might as well call Kiss a Fraud too . Kiss brought in Ghost / Shadow Session Guitar or Drum Players to play on some of their Best Albums . They Bob Kulick on a Couple and had Vinnie Vincent writing some of their songs in the 80s when he wasn't even a part of Kiss . Nikki Sixx isn't a Virtuoso Bass Player , but he is such a Great Song writer for Motley Crue to make up for his Bass Playing Deficiencies . So it's kind of a Catch 22 dealing with his Importance to the Band . Without his Song Writing personality , and Leadership , they aren't the same Band .

Phil Lewis is FN awesome