Mötley Crüe members embroiled in a legal battle with guitarist Mick Mars

Mick Mars, the guitarist for heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, has filed a lawsuit against the other band members alleging they are trying to push him out of the group unfairly. He claims the other band members formed a campaign to kick him out of the group and remove him from his ownership in the band’s company.

Mars, who suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis, an inflammatory form of arthritis, informed the other members of Mötley Crüe last year that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

In his lawsuit, Mars claims that the band is attempting to completely force him out of the group and dramatically reduce his 25% share of profits from touring and merchandise. 3

However, Mötley Crüe maintains that Mars gave up his rights to any future earnings from tours after he quit. Sasha Frid, litigation counsel for Mötley Crüe, told CNN in a statement that Mars’s lawsuit is “unfortunate and completely off-base” and that Mars, and the other members of Mötley Crüe, signed a 2008 agreement that “in no event shall any resigning shareholder be entitled to receive any monies attributable to live performances (i.e., tours).”

Moreover, Mars’s lawsuit seeks to get the other members to divulge documents related to their various businesses and LLCs. The different members also have competing versions of events. Mars’s attorney Edwin McPherson filed the lawsuit on behalf of the guitarist in Los Angeles County’s Superior Court on Thursday, requesting that seven corporate entities associated with Mötley Crüe hand over records related to their business dealings after he notified the band that he would be retiring from touring due to a medical condition.

Mars alleges in the lawsuit that he was the only band member to play 100% live on their most recent tour, claiming bassist Nikki Sixx “did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour.” Mick claims all of Nikki’s parts were pre-recorded.

Mick also repeatedly accused bassist Nikki Sixx of “gaslighting” him about his guitar skills diminishing, even though Sixx didn’t “play a single note on bass” during a recent tour, according to the guitarist.

Sixx appears to be alleging the opposite with his remark about “propping [Mars] up” for years.

Frid’s statement continued to say that after Mars publicly resigned from Mötley Crüe, “the band offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band” despite “the fact that the band did not owe Mick anything.”

The back-and-forth between Mars and Mötley Crüe began in October. Fans became confused due to differing statements. Marks announced that he was retiring from the tour due to arthritis, while the band claimed he was completely retiring from music. Mötley Crüe was formed in 1981 by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee. Mick Mars and singer Vince Neil later joined the two. Few heavy metal acts were as notorious in the 1980s onstage, as well as off, as Mötley Crüe, whose songs include “Looks That Kill,” “Shout at the Devil” and “Girls, Girls, Girls.”

Fueled by drugs and booze, their stage show included excessive pyrotechnics and chain-sawing a mannequin’s head filled with blood.