Legendary rock band Mötley Crüe have found themselves at the center of a legal dispute in which they recently accused, through the statement they issued as reported by Loudwire, guitarist Mick Mars of not paying his debt to the band.
The rift between Mars and the rest of Mötley Crüe has only intensified, as Mars asserted that he never officially resigned from the band. Last fall, he had announced that his debilitating arthritic disease made touring impossible, but he still considered himself a crucial part of the band’s legacy.
Unwilling to back down, Mars recently argued that if anyone should be removed from Mötley Crüe, it should be Neil and Lee due to their past legal troubles – Lee for spousal abuse and Neil for manslaughter. He also said that the severance package that he was offered, which increased his share of the 2023 tour from 5% to 7.5%, is nothing but an insult for the guitarist as he is one of the four that made Mötley Crüe what it is today.
According to Mötley Crüe, Mars left the band after a series of poor performances, allegedly struggling to remember chords and frequently making mistakes during their last tour, not to mention owing the band millions in advances that he did not pay back. Despite the contentious circumstances, the band still offered Mars a generous compensation package to honor his time with the band.
Mötley Crüe’s statement on the lawsuit read:
“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).’ After the last tour, Mick publicly resigned from Mötley Crüe.
Despite the fact that the band did not owe Mick anything — and with Mick owing the band millions in advances that he did not pay back — the band offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band. Manipulated by his manager and lawyer, Mick refused and chose to file this ugly public lawsuit.”
It continued:
“Equally unfortunate are his claims about the band’s live performances. Mötley Crüe always performs its songs live, but during the last tour, Mick struggled to remember chords, played the wrong songs, and made constant mistakes which led to his departure from the band.
There are multiple declarations from the band’s crew attesting to his decline, which are attached. The band did everything to protect him, tried to keep these matters private to honor Mick’s legacy and take the high road. 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.”
As the legal battle continues, fans of Mötley Crüe are left to ponder the future of the band and the legacy of Mick Mars. While it’s clear that there is no love lost between the parties, one can only hope that the situation will be resolved in a way that honors the history of this iconic rock band.
