Dave Mustaine agrees to $1.4 million settlement

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine agrees to pay $1.4 million to settle a lawsuit filed by his former manager, Cory Brennan, over unpaid commissions. This case highlights long-standing tensions, although Mustaine’s counter-complaint against Brennan is still pending.

A financial settlement after nine years of collaboration

According to documents obtained by BillboardDave Mustaine has agreed to pay the sum of $1.4 million to Cory Brennan, founder of 5B Artist Management, to settle the dispute over unpaid commissions. Brennan, who initiated proceedings in June 2023, claims that Mustaine abruptly fired him in April of the same year, without explanation, after nine years of collaboration. He also argued that the move was to allow Justis Mustaine, Dave’s son, to take over as manager.

According to the complaint, Brennan and 5B Artist Management were responsible for managing Mustaine’s career since 2014, handling the musician’s personal and professional aspects, including touring strategy and creative projects. Brennan says that under his management, Megadeth won their first Grammy in 2016 and experienced a resurgence in popularity. Despite these successes, Brennan claims that Mustaine refused to pay him commissions related to merchandise sales and tour revenue.

Also read: “Stay in your domain”? Tool’s Maynard James Keenan defends his versatility

A persistent counter-complaint from Mustaine

Although Mustaine agreed to this settlement, he maintains a counter-complaint against Brennan, claiming that the management of 5B Artist Management was marked by repeated errors and breaches of contractual obligations. In his accusations, Mustaine points out that these failures harmed Megadeth’s reputation and even his own physical health.

Among the incidents cited, Mustaine mentions a concert at Knotfest in Australia in 2023, where problems with the stage layout allegedly led to a deterioration in his hearing. According to the counter-complaint, Brennan refused to adjust the stage setup, leading Mustaine to suffer hearing damage requiring medical treatment. Mustaine also accuses 5B of failing to follow through on some important matters, such as his copyrights to Metallica songs, which he says harmed his financial interests.