According to Hollywood gossip site TMZ, Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars is suing his former bandmates, claiming they kicked him out of the band and ripping him off financially.
The band’s lead guitarist announced last fall he wouldn’t be joining the band on the road, because of suffering from his ankylosing spondylitis — but in his lawsuit he says he made it clear he could still record with the band or do limited performances … he just couldn’t handle a full tour with his condition.
According to documents, obtained by TMZ, Mars says the band cut his percentage of profits from 25 percent to 5 percent … after he announced he was stepping back from touring. Furthermore, he claims the band’s lawyers made him feel like he should be grateful for even that small cut, because they didn’t feel they owed him anything at all.
Mick claims there was a full band meeting and they decided to “unilaterally” remove him from Mötley Crüe.
In the suit — filed by his attorney Ed McPherson— the guitarist repeatedly accused bassist Nikki Sixx of “gaslighting” him about his guitar skills diminishing.
He says that’s rich coming from Sixx, because he claims the bassist didn’t “play a single note on bass” during a recent tour — and instead, his parts were all pre-recorded.
He is suing in order to get Mötley Crüe to hand over all the financial books, so he can see if he’s getting shafted out of what he feels he deserves.
As of a 1:20 PM PT update — Mötley Crüe attorney, Sasha Frid, told TMZ, “Mick’s lawsuit is unfortunate and completely off-base. In 2008, Mick voted for and signed an agreement in which he and every other band member agreed that “in no event shall any resigning shareholder be entitled to receive any monies attributable to live performances (i.e., tours).”
Frid says that Mars resigned from the band after the tour, yet the band still, “offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band. Manipulated by his manager and lawyer, he refused and chose to file this ugly public lawsuit.”
Frid also defends the band’s performances, saying the group always plays live — yet accuses Mars of struggling to remember chords.
Finally, Frid says, “Unfortunately, Mick chose to file this lawsuit to badmouth the band. The band feels empathy for Mick, wishes him well and hopes that he can get better guidance from his advisors who are driven by greed.”
8 Responses
I’ve got a great idea for Mick Mars: Go on Ed Trunk’s show and threaten Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee that he will reveal all their dark secrets that he’s documented in a 150-page manuscript if he doesn’t get the money he thinks he’s owed within 7 days. Then a week later, he should come back on Ed’s show and claim that he’s got un-Photoshopped Verizon and AT&T phone records that can prove that Nikki called him and told him to “f**k off,” but that he’s going to take the high road and not follow through on his dopey threats.
Pure Novelty/Joke band
R I P Motley Crue