Megadeth's Dave Mustaine has agreed to pay his manager Cory Brennan $1.4 million.
Brennan and his agency, 5B Artist Management, sued Mustaine in June last year, accusing him of “unexpectedly terminating [il contratto] without providing any reason for the termination.” 5B and Mustaine had been collaborating since 2014. The indictment hypothesizes that Mustaine made this choice so that his son could take control of his management.
In the lawsuit, the company claims that Mustaine owed them commissions for 10 Megadeth tour dates and 34 others that 5B had worked on before the firing, as well as merchandising fees. The lawsuit also claims that part of the sum includes $5,336.63 for Kentucky Derby tickets that 5B purchased for Mustaine and his wife. Mustaine thus agreed to pay 1.4 million dollars to 5B, of which 35 thousand to Brennan. Megadeth Inc. will also pay 5B $1,365,000, and various Mustaine-associated companies with names like Thrashville and Megadeth Swag will pay $1 to settle the lawsuit.
“Dave Mustaine has ended his relationship with 5B Artist Management after nine years of the agency resurrecting his flagging career,” attorney Howard King told Rolling Stone. «Ignoring the success that 5B helped him achieve, including a campaign to help him win his first Grammy, the release of two hit albums and the upgrading of his tours from small clubs to arenas and amphitheatres, Dave simply refused to pay the fees owed and forced 5B to file a lawsuit. While disappointed to have to sue an artist, 5B is gratified that Dave has now agreed to pay $1.4 million in fees.”
Despite the plea agreement for this amount, Mustaine still filed a counter-suit against 5B. In fact, last October the frontman filed a complaint against 5B accusing it, among other things, of breach of contract and fiduciary duty and negligence. The complaint alleges that when Megadeth opened for Slipknot on tour, 5B refused to move Slipknot's production so that Megadeth's drum kit would not be so close to Mustaine; the frontman stated that he had been suffering from tinnitus ever since. The lawsuit also alleges that 5B failed to satisfactorily handle a beer sponsorship, Megadeth royalty sales and contracts related to the artwork for Megadeth's latest album. «[La 5B] continued to act to the detriment of Megadeth by approving donations from merchandise sales to Covid relief organizations without Mustaine's knowledge or approval.” we read in the complaint.
Translation from Rolling Stone US.
