Legendary rock band Mötley Crüe has been in the headlines once again as the ongoing legal battle between guitarist Mick Mars and the rest of the band continues. The latest controversy stems from bassist Nikki Sixx, who recently mocked Mars on social media in front of fans. This incident has added fuel to the fire in the already contentious lawsuit, where Mars has accused the band of financial mistreatment, gaslighting, and using pre-recorded tracks during their most recent tour.
Mars announced his retirement from touring with Mötley Crüe in October due to his struggle with ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis that affects the spine. On April 6th, he filed a lawsuit against the band, alleging that his bandmates held an emergency shareholders’ meeting to remove him from Mötley Crüe and strip him of his shares in the corporation managing the group’s business interests. He claims that his percentage of profits was cut from 25% to 5% then to 7% following his decision to step back from touring.
In his lawsuit, Mars has accused Nikki Sixx of gaslighting him about his guitar skills, despite Sixx allegedly not playing a single live note on bass during a recent tour. Mars alleges that all of Nikki’s parts were pre-recorded. To counter this claim, Mötley Crüe filed an arbitration case against Mars in February to prove that they had the right to fire him from the band.
Nikki Sixx’s recent social media posts have added to the tension in this legal battle. In response to Mars’ claims in the lawsuit, Sixx shared an Instagram story featuring a picture of himself playing the bass and added the note, ‘Here’s a photo of me not playing bass live.’ He then followed up with a tweet that read, “Can’t make this sh*t up, or can you? Have a killer weekend.” This sarcastic response has further fueled the controversy around the ongoing legal battle between Mars and Mötley Crüe.
As fans of Mötley Crüe eagerly await the outcome of this lawsuit, it remains to be seen whether the band members can resolve their issues and continue making music together or if this marks the end of an era for the iconic rock band. The band’s internal conflict has undoubtedly cast a shadow over their legacy, but time will tell if they can overcome their differences and continue to rock the world.
