Mick Mars Files Lawsuit Against Motley Crue, Alleges the Band Is Attempting to ‘Gaslight’ and Fire Him

Mick Mars, Motley Crue’s guitarist of 41 years, has filed legal papers bringing deep and apparently hostile divisons 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 provocative look at the 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.

Beyond that, the suit immediately clears up what has confused fans since 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 is making clear now that the band’s statement was part of a campaign to oust him entirely against his will, and he does not intend to go quietly.

The filing further 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.

And in response to the band’s apparent position in their demand letters that he was being let go for cause, Mars’ attorney recounts a history of felony convictions on the part of the other members — such as Vince Neil’s manslaughter conviction — and alleged drug and alcohol use, saying that the guitarist has the least reasons of anyone in the group to be let go on the basis of their decades-old agreement that gave everyone a 25% share.

Mars’ action comes in the form of a “verified petition for writ of mandate to compel inspection and copying of books, records and documents” held by a half-dozen businesses that fall under the Motley Crue umbrella. He further says that the paperwork the group asked him to sign asked him to divest himself of associated businesses that he didn’t even know existed until now.

Motley Crue’s reps did not immediately respond to a request for comment. [UPDATE: Attorneys for the band did respond at length to PvNew Thursday afternoon — read that story here. Nikki Sixx further weighed in, tweeting his own response Thursday night while linking to one of PvNew’s stories, saying, “Sad day for us and we don’t deserve this considering how many years we’ve been propping him up. We still wish him the best and hope he finds lawyers and managers who aren’t damaging him. We love you Mick.]