Music

Mötley Crüe are being sued for spraying opening act with pee

by Richard Howard

As anyone who’s been on tour knows, one of the rites of passage is non-stop hazing and pranks by the other band(s) you’re traveling with. When you’re the lesser-known opener, it’s pretty much a one-way street, and you can expect the headliners to make your life a living hell. Still, it’s all in good fun, usually, and most bands wear their shaved eyebrows and permanent marker body art as a badge of pride. The Raskins, however, feel a bit differently about the hazing they received at the hands of Mötley Crüe on their 2014 tour. Differently enough, actually, to level a $30 million lawsuit against the now-retired metal legends.

In the suit, The Raskins claim that their “once in a lifetime” opportunity to open for Crüe on their ludicrously long farewell tour was sabotaged by willful interference by the band’s management, and that they were generally treated like shit.

At first blush, you might think they’re being babies, but if true, their allegations are actually pretty fucked up. With respect to their actual gigs, the duo (consisting of siblings Logan and Roger Raskin) charges they would often be forced to go on stage before doors had opened, playing to nearly completely stadiums. They also claim the PA was turned off or interfered with during their shows, they were barred from selling merchandise, and weren’t given dressing rooms – all of which they say flies in the face of the contract they signed. Making headlines, though, is the “severely humiliating and, in some instances, physically harmful treatment” the brothers say they were subjected to.

According to them, this included being ‘struck with heavy equipment’ and having the headlining band’s crew members run onstage in monkey masks and use water guns to spray them with urine.

Jesus, dude. Here’s the reply The Raskins say they received when they complained to Mötley Crüe’s brand management company, 10th Street Entertainment:

“I am going to make your lives hell [and] no one on the tour is going to help you. If you get in anybody’s way on stage when they are setting up, they are going to run you over.”

Huh. Sounds like they kept their promise. Also, here’s a tidbit of information that might explain why The Raskins are extra pissed about the whole experience. Turns out they paid one million dollars in order to join the tour. While they might be gullible idiots for going the pay-to-play route, I’d be pretty mad too if I discovered I’d paid a million bucks to get pissed on by a bunch of rock grandpas. And to answer the question that really needs no answering: yes, The Raskins are ridiculous.

[h/t New York Post]