In response to the ugly Mick Mars lawsuit Motley Crue

Mötley Crüe | Mick Mars | Nikki Sixx: After Mick Mars filed a "ugly public lawsuit" against them, Motley Crue retaliated.

The 71-year-old guitarist claimed he intended to stay with the band and accused his bandmates of "gaslighting" him and undermining his musicianship in a lawsuit filed on Thursday (06.04.23) in Los Angeles County's Superior Court. He claimed the band was trying to force him out after he had to stop touring due to health issues.

Mick filed the lawsuit to "badmouth the band," according to Motley Crue's attorney Sasha Frid, who said: "After the last tour, Mick officially withdrew from Motley Crue. The band provided Mick a significant compensation package to recognise his career with the band even though they had no debt to Mick and Mick owed the band millions in advances that he did not repay. Mick declined and instead to initiate this unsightly public lawsuit after being coerced by his manager and attorney.

Mars announced his intentions to stop touring last year in a statement that stated he would still be a member of the band. Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), which is referred to as "a chronic, inflammatory form of arthritis."

The guitarist "retired" from the band, according to a later announcement by Motley Crue.

"Retiring from touring is resigning from the band," continued Frid. The band's main activities are its concerts and tours. A shareholder who resigns is not entitled to any payment from tours, which is what Mick wants. Mick has no right to any more compensation, that much is obvious.

Together with Tommy Lee, 60, and Nikki Sixx, 64, Mars helped create the band in 1980. Later, they added Vince Neil, 62, as the group's main singer.

The bassist "constantly 'gaslighted' Mars by telling him that he (Mars) had some sort of cognitive dysfunction, and that his guitar playing was subpar, claiming that Mars forgot chords, and sometimes started playing the wrong songs," according to the guitarist's lawsuit against the musician.

In response, Frid insisted that the bandmates did their best to "protect" Mars and maintain the secrecy of these matters. The band did all possible to protect him, the attorney continued, and they made an effort to keep these issues quiet in order to respect Mick's legacy and act morally upright. Unfortunately, Mick decided to sue to discredit the band.  The band sympathises with Mick, wishes him well, and hopes that he can receive better advice from his opportunistic advisors.