Bun E Carlos has put his legal fight with his Cheap Trick bandmates down to “a musical uncoupling.”
And he’s explained he was asked to end his career as their drummer in 2010 – but to let them use his kit.
The split led to an exchange of lawsuits, although a settlement was reached out of court earlier this year.
Carlos tells Classic Rock Revisited: “It’s kind of a musical uncoupling type of thing. In 2010 I was told, basically, to not show up for the next gig. One guy doesn’t want me there and other guys were fine with that.
“They asked if they could use my drums. I said, ‘Yeah, go ahead then send them back to me.’ That’s basically what happened.”
He says the legal action was all about business, adding: “There are ways to run a business and they weren’t being done correctly, in my opinion. I had to enforce my rights.”
Carlos is re-established as 25% of the Cheap Trick company and takes part in the organisation’s decision-making. Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx remains as the band’s drummer.
Asked to detail where relations broke down, he says: “I must have pissed somebody off – after 40 years everybody’s not always on the same page.
“You know what happens with bands. Usually it’s a woman or something, sex, drugs or money. When the lawsuits got filed it ended up to be money.”
He reflects: “It is settled.” But he adds: “I get asked around town if I still talk to these guys and if I’m still good friends with them. I just go, ‘Well, you know – good friends don’t have to sue their friends in federal court.’”
