Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars filed a lawsuit against his bandmates on Thursday, accusing them of forcing him out of the 41-year-old hair metal band and keeping him from all future profits. The alleged cut-off occurred after Mars announced he’d be retiring from touring due to a chronic inflammatory disease.
The lawsuit, obtained by the New York Times, claims the rest of the band (Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil) called an emergency shareholders’ meeting in which they schemed to fire Mars from the band’s corporations and entities.
“It is beyond sad that, after 41 years together, a band would try to throw out a member who is unable to tour anymore because he has a debilitating disease,” Edwin F. McPherson, Mars’ lawyer, told The Times. “Mick has been pushed around for far too long in this band, and we are not going to let that continue.”
McPherson did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The band’s legal representation told The Times the group had agreed some 15 years ago that they would cut off any of the members from earnings from performances should they step down.
Mötley Crüe co-founder, bassist and primary songwriter, Nikki Sixx, tweeted the band’s response to the lawsuit. “Sad day for us and we don’t deserve this considering how many years we’ve been propping him up,” Sixx wrote. “We still wish him the best and hope he find’s lawyers and managers who aren’t damaging him. We love you Mick.”
Mars announced last October he would be retiring due to the pain caused by his ankylosing spondylitis, a disease that can cause the spine to seize up and freeze. Mars, 71, was first diagnosed with the disease when he was 27, according to The Times.
In the lawsuit, Mars claims Sixx gaslighted him by telling him he was a bad guitar player who played the wrong chords while on stage. Mars did not deny he would occasionally play the wrong chords, but that was only because of a defective in-ear monitor.
Mars last performed with the band in September 2022, in Las Vegas. Mars said in the suit he would still perform with Mötley Crüe in residency situations, and would still record with the band, according to The Times.
