The ongoing feud between Mick Mars and his former bandmates in Mötley Crüe shows no signs of cooling off. In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, bassist Nikki Sixx pushed back hard against Mars’s lawsuit, calling the guitarist’s accusations a “crazy betrayal” while defending the Crüe’s live performances.
Background: Mick Mars Retires, Then Sues
In October 2022, Mick Mars shocked fans when he announced his retirement from touring due to worsening health issues related to ankylosing spondylitis, a painful and degenerative spinal disease. At the time, he clarified that while he was stepping off the road, he would remain a member of Mötley Crüe, with guitarist John 5 taking his place on tour.
However, just six months later, Mars filed a lawsuit against the band in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming that after his retirement announcement, the Crüe attempted to oust him as a significant stakeholder in the band’s corporate and financial holdings.
The lawsuit quickly turned ugly, with Mars alleging shady internal dealings and even going so far as to claim that he was the only member performing fully live during Mötley Crüe’s 2022 Stadium Tour.
Nikki Sixx Responds: “If You Can’t Tour, You Can’t Tour”
In his interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sixx addressed the situation directly:
“[Mick] came to us and said, health-wise, he couldn’t fulfill his contract, and we let him out of the deal. Then he sued us because he just said that he can’t tour. We were like, ‘Well, if you can’t tour, you can’t tour.’ I will probably come to that too someday.”
Sixx suggested that the lawsuit blindsided the band after they had accommodated Mars’s health issues.
The “100 Percent Live” Controversy
One of the most explosive claims in Mars’s lawsuit is that he was the only member performing completely live on the 2022 tour, alleging that Sixx “did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. run.”
Sixx flatly denied the accusation, explaining:
“Anything we enhance the shows with, we actually played. If there are background vocals with my background vocals, and we have background singers to make it sound more like the record. That does not mean we’re not singing.”
He argued that using background vocals or supplementary tracks doesn’t negate the live performance aspect, insisting that Mötley Crüe has always played live.
Legal Pushback From the Crüe
The band’s attorney, Sasha Frid, also spoke to the Los Angeles Times, dismissing Mars’s claims:
“The fact of the matter is that Mötley always plays live. Even Mars’s expert witness in the litigation, who Mars hired and who reviewed hours of footage, agreed and said that the band played live while performing. He disputed Mars’s own claims.”
This statement bolstered Sixx’s defense, framing Mars’s accusations as inconsistent—even with his own witnesses.
Nikki Sixx: “A Crazy Betrayal”
Sixx didn’t mince words when it came to how he personally views Mars’s lawsuit.
“Saying he played in a band that didn’t play, it’s a betrayal to the band who saved his life. People say things like, ‘Well, if you guys are really playing, then I need isolated tracks from band rehearsal.’ … It’s ludicrous.”
Calling the legal move a “crazy betrayal,” Sixx implied that Mars had turned his back on the group that had carried him through decades of career and health struggles.
What’s Next in the Legal Battle?
The lawsuit remains active in Los Angeles Superior Court, with both sides lobbing accusations through legal filings and the press. Mars has maintained that the band unfairly tried to squeeze him out of their corporation, while the Crüe continues to paint his claims as unfounded.
For now, John 5 remains on guitar duty for Mötley Crüe, while Mars’s future musical plans are uncertain. What’s clear is that the legal drama has created one of the most public and bitter rifts in the band’s history—a striking twist for a group already notorious for its internal chaos.
