Mick Mars, Motley Crue’s guitarist of 41 years, has filed legal papers bringing deep divisions between him and the other three members of the band out into the open.
The suit only demands that the group hand over relevant documents about their businesses in advance of arbitration. But the wealth of details in Mars’ filing offers a look at the apparent tension between him and the others, in what he says has been a pattern of “gaslighting” in an attempt to kick him out of the group.
The paperwork was filed in Los Angeles County’s Superior Court Thursday filed through Mars’ attorney, Edwin F. McPherson, and says the band has deliberately withheld information about the various Motley Crue businesses that he has a 25% ownership share in. Mars says the band has demanded he sign a severance agreement that would divest him of those and other future interests, in return for a 5% stake in the group’s 2023 tour, which is going on without him.
The suit gives insight into what Mars alleges was happening behind the scenes when he and other band members issued conflicting statements last October.
At the time, Mars issued a statement saying he was giving up his touring duties as a result of worsening health issues, but otherwise would remain a member of the group. The following day, the other members issued their own statement, saying that Mars had “retired” completely from the band, without qualification.
Mars’ lawsuit alleges that the group — particularly Nikki Sixx, a leader of the band in business matters — had a pattern of belittling him for years, telling him he had cognitive issues and insulting him about alleged poor playing on tour, including the stadium outing he completed with the band in 2022. In return, Mars alleges that the other members of the group engaged in partial or complete miming on that tour, saying that he was the only one performing completely live from the top to bottom of each show.
Motley Crue responded to Mars’ lawsuit, with…
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