Mick Mars, lead guitarist of Motley Crue for 41 years, is suing the Grammy Award-nominated heavy metal band for trying to “gaslight” and oust him from the business.
Legal documents were filed Thursday in Los Angeles County’s Superior Court by Mars’ attorney alleging band members withheld information about businesses in which he has a 25% ownership share.
In the lawsuit, Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal – says Motley Crue ordered him to sign a severance agreement that would strip him of his sizable stake, in exchange for a 5% stake in a 2023 tour he’s not performing in, Variety reported.
The documents, filed by Mars’ lawyer Edwin F. McPherson, stated that his former bandmates held an emergency shareholders’ meeting to throw him out of the band and strip him of his shares in the corporation that manages Motley Crue’s business interests. “When he did not go away quietly, they purported to fire him from six additional band corporations and LLCs.”
“During much of the band’s recent tenure, Sixx continually ‘gaslighted’ Mars by telling him that he (Mars) had some sort of cognitive dysfunction, and that his guitar playing was sub-par, claiming that Mars forgot chords, and sometimes started playing the wrong songs,” the lawsuit also stated.
The 71-year-old musician’s case also brings clarity to the confusion surrounding conflicting “retirement” statements last October.
Mars revealed that he was giving up his touring duties due to worsening health issues, but would remain a member of the group. He cited crippling pain from ankylosing spondylitis, an ailment he’s had since age 27.
Motley Crue, however, issued their own statement the next day, that Mars “retired” completely from the band.
Mars said their action was part of a continuing effort to get him to leave the group.
Motley Crue has been mostly made up of bassist Nikki Sixx, lead singer Vince Neil, drummer Tommy Lee and Mars since forming in 1981.
With a lengthy list of hits including “Dr. Feelgood,” “Without You” and “Girls, Girls, Girls,” the Los Angeles band has ranked among MTV’s list of “Top 10 Heavy Metal Bands of All-Time” and “VH1′s All Time Top Ten Metal Bands.”
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