Mötley Crüe just mercilessly rocked the courtroom with a legal victory over former bandmate Mick Mars…
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The 80s rock legends just hit a low note in their legal battle against founding guitarist Mars. According to Variety, an arbitrator ruled the band was within its rights to boot the 74-year-old as both an officer and a member after he stepped away from touring due to health issues. To top it off, Mars now owes his former bandmates hundreds of thousands.
According to the ruling from arbitrator Patrick J. Walsh, a retired federal judge, Mars owes his former bandmates approximately $750,000 for a tour advance he received before dropping out. However, the band owes Mars just over $500,000 for his 25% stake after he was fired. This leaves Mars with a balance of about $244,000 to pay the band.
Meanwhile, Walsh acknowledged that he was leaving sentimentality out of his decision.
“Mars proffered uncontroverted testimony that other rock bands, like Earth, Wind & Fire, and The Beach Boys, have provided for their founding/legacy members even after they stopped performing with the band,” Walsh explained, per Variety.
“I do not doubt that that is true and, had the parties agreed to such an arrangement, whether formally or informally, I certainly would have upheld it.”
“But they did not,” the judge added. “And I am not at liberty to simply create such an arrangement out of whole cloth. Mars argues that it is immoral for him to be cast aside after forming the backbone of this group for more than four decades, merely because his age and AS symptoms precluded him from performing. I am not unsympathetic to this argument, but it is not for me in the context of this arbitration to weigh in on the morality of the band’s decision.”
Mötley Crüe’s Beef with Mars Came to Light in 2023
The conflict and legal disputes became public in 2023, with both sides presenting arguments that delved into legal, financial, and personal issues, including allegations of miming to tracks during concerts. Mars argued that, despite retiring from touring due to health issues, he remained available for recording and residency work and deserved a full share of the band’s profits. The other three members contended that his decision to stop touring effectively meant leaving the band entirely, especially since they had no plans to record new albums and intended only to continue touring.
Mötley Crüe (…minus Mars) will kick off a 33-city tour in July, titled the “Return of the Carnival of Sins Tour.” The tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of their 2005-2006 “Carnival of Sins” tour and the band’s 45th anniversary.