Mötley Crüe Fakes Playing Guitar Live, Disgruntled Co-Founder Mick Mars Claims

Disgruntled Mötley Crüe co-founder Mick Mars is currently suing his former bandmates, along with making claims that they fake playing guitar live. The allegations come from documents in a profits participation lawsuit that the 71-year-old filed, wherein he states that he was pressured into taking a smaller cut of Mötley Crüe revenue than he believes he is owed. "Although Mars had indicated that the 12 U.S. stadium dates would be his last shows while touring, the 12 anticipated shows ultimately expanded to 36 shows, and Mars performed at every single one of them, in constant pain," the lawsuit reads in part, addressing Mars 2022 retirement from touring.

Mars goes on to accuse bassist Nikki Sixx of "gaslighting" which the guitarist's legal team says "came to a crescendo during the stadium tour, when he, knowing that this was Mars's last tour as a result of his increasingly painful and debilitating AS, and apparently already plotting to force him out of the band and take his shares, repeatedly told Mars that he was playing the wrong chords, and that fans were complaining about his playing." However, Mars argues — per Deadline —that it was not his performance that should have drawn concerns. "Astonishingly, Sixx made these claims about Mars's playing while he (Sixx) did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour. Ironically, 100% of Sixx's bass parts were nothing but recordings."

The lawsuit goes on to read: "Sixx was seen fist pumping in the air with his strumming hand, while the bass part was playing. In fact, a significant portion of Neil's vocals were also pre-recorded. Even some of Lee's drum parts were recordings. Some fans actually noticed that Lee was walking toward his drum set as they heard his drum part begin."

Sasha Frid, Mötley Crüe's attorney, has since responded to the situation, telling TMZ, "Mick's lawsuit is unfortunate and completely off-base. In 2008, Mick voted for and signed an agreement in which he and every other band member agreed that 'in no event shall any resigning shareholder be entitled to receive any monies attributable to live performances (i.e., tours).'" She claims that Mars willingly retired from touring and that the band "offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band. Manipulated by his manager and lawyer, Mick refused and chose to file this ugly public lawsuit." Frid added, "Unfortunately, Mick chose to file this lawsuit to badmouth the band. The band feels empathy for Mick, wishes him well and hopes that he can get better guidance from his advisors who are driven by greed."