Mick Mars has responded through his lawyer after Motley Crue’s significant victory in their long-running legal battle. “The decision is awful,” attorney Ed McPherson states. “It’s not fair. This band has never been fair to Mick.”
The ailing guitarist sued Motley Crue after Mars left the road in 2022 amid his struggle with ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative bone disease. Mars initially indicated he would remain a member, but his former bandmates apparently had different ideas.
“When Mick said, ‘I can’t tour anymore because of a hideous disease, but I can still write, perform one-offs or residencies and record,’ they said, ‘Sorry Mick. It’s been 43 years, but you’re out. Goodbye, and we don’t want to pay you anymore,'” McPherson told Rolling Stone. “This arbitrator said it’s fine.”
Why Did Mick Mars Sue Motley Crue?
Mars claimed to have been unilaterally dismissed after his percentage of band profits had been reduced from 25% to 5%. A retired judge who was brought in as an arbitrator ruled this week that Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil were within their rights to remove the guitarist as an officer and director of Motley Crue Inc. when he could not continue to tour.
Motley Crue’s lawyer celebrated their courtroom victory. “This dispute was about protecting the integrity and legacy of one of the most successful bands in rock history,” Sasha Frid stated in an official announcement. “With the arbitrator rejecting every claim and enforcing the parties’ agreements as written, the band has been fully vindicated — legally, financially, and factually.”
A classic-era photo of guitarist Mick Mars, right, with Motley Crue (Gary Leonard / Corbis via Getty Images)
Adding insult to injury, Mars was also ordered to repay $750,030 from an advance since he missed numerous concerts. He was directed to sell his ownership stake in the company to his bandmates for approximately $506,000, leaving about $244,000 in debts.
“We need to figure out if we’re going to challenge” the decision, Mars’ attorney added. “It’s ridiculous. It’s just a question of whether he wants to keep pursuing this. Basically, he’s over Motley Crue.”
READ MORE: Top 50 Motley Crue Songs
At one point, Mars’ relationship with Motley Crue became so strained that they began exchanging public insults. He even accused the band of miming onstage. In a news release, Motley Crue’s lawyers stated that the guitarist “was forced to admit under oath that his statements were false. His expert confirmed that the band performed live, and Mars formally recanted his prior claims during sworn testimony.”
They had previously claimed Mars was being manipulated, even accusing his management of “elder abuse.” Mars, 74, was the oldest member of Motley Crue. He has been replaced by John 5. Mars subsequently released a solo album, 2024’s The Other Side of Mars, and mentioned plans for more new music.
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Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
