Motley Crue manager claims “everything is live” except loops and backing vocals

MOTLEY Crue have doubled down in response to Mick Mars’ accusations that he was the only one playing live on the band’s tour last year.

The 71-year-old guitarist is involved in a legal stoush with his bandmates who say his retirement from touring means he is no longer part of their business.

Mars does not want to leave the band as commercial entity.

Band manager Allan Kovac has responded to the accusations of Mars – and others – that singer Vince Neil, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee rely heavily on backing tracks.

“Everything is live with Nikki’s bass playing and Tommy’s drum playing,” Kovac told Variety in a new interview.

“When they’ve used loops, they’re still playing. There are augmented vocals, which were (recorded) in the studio and are backgrounds behind the two ladies who are singing and (other background vocals by) John 5 and Nikki Sixx, and before that Mick and Nikki.

“You multi-track and you do gang vocals with, like, 20 people, just like all the other bands do with background vocals. They’ve got background vocals in the mix. That’s the truth.

“But Nikki played his bass and always has. Vince was singing better than he was before (on the latest tour). That was in reviews.”

Mars’ attorney, Edwin F McPherson, is also quoted in the story giving the more details about the case.

It is contended that since Motley have sold all their publishing, there isn’t much more to their business than touring.

But it’s estimated Mars is turning down around US$8 million by rejecting the band’s offer to him of 7.5 percent of touring revenue as a kid of severance package.