Mötley Crüe shared last week they were working on new music. Now, it’s been confirmed the band is back in a recording studio with longtime producer Bob Rock.
Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and touring guitarist John 5 all shared posts to social media about working with Rock again. Sixx captioned a series of photos on Twitter, “In the studio with Bob Rock.” Meanwhile, Lee shared a photo via Instagram with the caption, “Hit that mother f-cking record button Mr. Rock!!! Go!” Finally, John 5 wrote on Instagram, “Let’s do this @motleycrue #bobrock.”
In the studio with Bob Rock. pic.twitter.com/75C8myGFFm
— (@NikkiSixx) April 18, 2023
Rock, of course, has worked with the Crüe for decades dating back to producing the band’s 1989 hit album Dr. Feelgood.
News of Mötley Crüe working on new music comes on the heels of a lawsuit brought on by founding guitarist Mick Mars. He filed a lawsuit against Mötley Crüe alleging his percentage of band profits was cut from 25 percent to 5 percent. This cut came following Mars’ retirement from touring with the band in October 2022. Mars stepped away from touring due to health issues stemming from the spinal disease Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S.). Despite no longer touring with the band, Mars still remained a member of Mötley Crüe.
Mars claimed in his lawsuit the band held a meeting to “unilaterally” remove him from Mötley Crüe. He was also allegedly removed from many of the band’s various corporations and LLCs. Additionally, Mars claims bassist Nikki Sixx repeatedly “gaslighted” the guitarist. Sixx told Mars he consistently forgot chords and fans were complaining about his playing. (Mars claimed in the lawsuit Sixx “did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour” and accused him of using backing tracks and pantomiming.)
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This led to Mötley Crüe issuing a statement in response to Mars’ lawsuit calling it “unfortunate and completely off-base.” The band said, in part, “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).’ After the last tour, Mick publicly resigned from Mötley Crüe. Despite the fact that the band did not owe Mick anything — and with Mick owing the band millions in advances that he did not pay back — the band offered Mick a generous compensation package to honor his career with the band.”
Futhermore, Mötley Crüe insisted they always perform live without backing tracks and stood by the claim Mars’ playing was declining. Mars then told Variety in an interview following news of the lawsuit, “Those guys have been hammering on me since ’87, trying to replace me. He added, ” … It’s just frustrating for me. I’m pretty upset that they’re even pulling this crap, when I carried these bastards for years.”
This led to Crüe manager Allen Kovac to speak at length to Variety. Kov referred to Mars’ entire legal strategy as “a smear campaign … misrepresenting the facts to the fans.” He further noted, “What’s upsetting to me is not Mick, but his representatives, who have guided Mick to say and do harmful things to the brand he cares about so much, Mötley Crüe. He has a degenerative disease and people are taking advantage of him. It’s called elder abuse.”
Variety reached out to Mars’ attorney Edwin F. McPherson for comment on Kovac’s numerous statements. McPherson said of the lawsuit, “This is all Mick. He is tired of being bullied. This is nobody driving the train here but Mick.”