Mötley Crüe say they have emerged fully vindicated from their legal battle with former guitarist Mick Mars, announcing what they call "a decisive victory" following a final arbitration award that rejected every claim Mars brought against the band.
According to a press release issued by the band's attorney Sasha Frid of Miller Barondess, LLP, the ruling not only settles the financial dispute but also cuts down the public narrative Mars promoted in a series of high-profile interviews.
"The arbitrator's ruling not only vindicates the band contractually and financially," Frid said, "but also dismantles the public narrative Mars promoted in interviews with major outlets."
Mars announced his retirement from touring with Mötley Crüe in October 2022, citing worsening health issues related to ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the spine. At the time, he said he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 stepping in as his touring replacement.
Six months later, Mars filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that the remaining members attempted to strip him of his status as a significant stakeholder in the band's corporation and business interests following his decision to stop touring. However, the matter ultimately went to arbitration — and the outcome landed squarely in the band's favor.
The arbitrator, The Honorable Patrick Walsh (Ret.), ruled entirely for Mötley Crüe, confirming that Mars forfeited his right to touring revenue when he chose to stop touring — a provision that was reportedly written into the band's governing agreement in 2008 at Mars's own insistence.
That amendment explicitly states that any member who ceases touring no longer shares in touring income. Despite this, Mars later demanded to continue receiving 25% of touring revenue in perpetuity while no longer performing. The arbitrator rejected that claim outright.
The ruling also upheld the band's decision to terminate Mars as an officer and director for legal cause and ordered him to repay more than $750,000 in unrecouped tour advances. After factoring in the value of Mars's shares, the final award resulted in a net judgment in favor of Mötley Crüe.
Beyond finances, the case carried wider implications for the band's reputation. While arbitration was ongoing, Mars publicly accused Mötley Crüe of not playing live — claims he repeated under oath — alleging that Nikki Sixx's bass and Tommy Lee's drums were pre-recorded. Those allegations unraveled under scrutiny.
Presented with extensive live performance recordings and testimony from Mars's own retained expert, a New York University professor specializing in music technology – Mars was forced to admit under oath that his statements were false. His expert confirmed the band performed live, and Mars formally recanted his claims during sworn testimony.
"This dispute was about protecting the integrity and legacy of one of the most successful bands in rock history," Frid said. "With the arbitrator rejecting every claim and enforcing the parties' agreements as written, the band has been fully vindicated — legally, financially, and factually."
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times last September, Nikki Sixx addressed Mars's departure and subsequent lawsuit. "[Mick] came to us and said, health-wise, he couldn't fulfill his contract, and we let him out of the deal," Sixx said. "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 also pushed back on claims that Mars was the only member playing live on the band's 2022 Stadium Tour. "Anything we enhance the shows with, we actually played," Sixx said. "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 later described Mars's accusations as a "crazy betrayal," adding: "Saying he played in a band that didn't play, it's a betrayal to the band who saved his life."
Mars — born Robert Alan Deal — served as Mötley Crüe's lead guitarist from the band's formation in 1981. While Sixx wrote the bulk of the band's catalog, Mars co-wrote classics including "Girls, Girls, Girls," "Dr. Feelgood" and "Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)", and contributed the instrumental "God Bless the Children of the Beast" to Shout at the Devil.
