MTV.com reports:

Remember how, back in September, there were all those news reports floating around the web about outspoken, Kid Rock-hating MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer TOMMY LEE, and how he had either resigned or been booted from the band? Yeah, well, so does Metal File.

At the time the news first broke - by way of a lawsuit the band had filed against its former manager, which stated, "Lee recently informed [bassist Nikki] Sixx and [guitarist Mick] Mars that he was resigning from the band, and his resignation was accepted" - the Crüe's representatives would neither confirm nor deny Lee's ouster. So ever since, like most of the band's fans, we'd simply assumed Lee was done with the Crüe - that, perhaps, spinning records as a celebrity DJ was more his speed.

Considering all this, Metal File must admit we were awfully confused by Lee's appearance with the band last week in Los Angeles, when the boys revealed their upcoming Crüe Fest tour, which makes its inaugural run this summer, starting July 1st in West Palm Beach, Florida. So when we had the opportunity to sit down with the band following the press conference, we just had to ask: What's the deal with Tommy?

Of course, the Crüe have been in the rock and roll game long enough (make that 27 years) to know how to dodge a few questions - which is precisely what they did.

"You know, it's so funny," started Sixx, whose side project SIXX:A.M. will also be on this summer's Crüe Fest. "[Saints of Los Angeles] is loosely based on the book 'The Dirt,' and originally, we were going to call it The Dirt. But this society, where it's at right now, is so ridiculous. It's all about gossip. Everything is gossip. It's demented to have people standing in line at the grocery store, reading something they know is a lie and buying it. And so, that's the thing with this band - we fit into that perfectly. Mick just told me a few minutes ago that he found out he's dead, on the Internet. That's the second time that's happened to him. I have one death, and he has two. I'm jealous."

And that was that. Lee, who was present for the interview, said nothing. While we may never know what really happened with Tommy and the band (perhaps that's a story they're saving for The Dirt, Part 2), it's at least good to know that the Crüe were able to overcome whatever problems they were having, so fans could have another LP from the world's most notorious rock band.

Read the full story at MTV.com.