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. 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. After factoring in the value of Mars's shares, the final award resulted in a net judgment in favor of Mötley Crüe. 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. Sixx also pushed back on claims that Mars was the only member playing live on the band's 2022 Stadium Tour.