After three decades as Hatebreed’s founding bassist, Chris Beattie has launched a lawsuit against his former bandmates, claiming he was abruptly — and wrongfully — ousted from a group he co-built from the ground up.
Filed in Connecticut Superior Court and first reported by Billboard and Law360, the lawsuit outlines Beattie’s allegations against Hatebreed and particularly frontman Jamey Jasta (legal name: James Shanahan). According to court documents obtained by Blabbermouth, Beattie claims he was the “driving force behind [Hatebreed‘s] sound and identity until his sudden and baseless expulsion” last November.
The lawsuit paints a picture of internal dysfunction, alleging that Jasta had become “increasingly erratic” in the months leading up to Beattie’s firing, “culminating in a unilateral decision to cut Beattie off from his career, fans, touring, and substantial expected revenue.”
At the core of Beattie’s complaint is a decades-long working relationship he says was built on a handshake deal of equal ownership. He contends that he “contributed significant labor, musical talent, recording and management duties, promotion, and financial resources, without which Hatebreed would not and could not have achieved its current level of recognition and profitability.”
He goes on to say that “the band functioned pursuant to a longstanding, implied agreement and understanding that Shanahan and Beattie were equal co-owners in the band and entitled to their designated share of profits, royalties, and intellectual property rights.”
This informal arrangement was apparently formalized somewhat in 2015, when Shanahan, Beattie, and drummer Matthew Byrne agreed to a breakdown of merchandise revenue: “Beattie, Byrne, and Shanahan agreed they were each entitled to 25% of the sales and revenue from merchandise while the other two members of the band received 12.5%, accounting for the remaining 25% of sales.” The lawsuit specifies that “Shanahan and/or band manager Steve Ross maintained a specific Hatebreed bank account and managed the band’s income and distributions to other members, including Beattie.”
However, Beattie alleges that despite this setup, transparency around finances was virtually nonexistent: “He and other band members had no insight into how the money was managed, and most often received payment via wire transfers. Those transfers often came with no explanation or breakdown of the amount being transferred.”
As time went on, Beattie claims Jasta became more insular and less collaborative. “Hatebreed continued to operate in accordance with the longstanding implied agreement and understanding that the primary members, including Shanahan, Beattie, and Byrne, were co-equal owners in the band.” He adds that the trio, alongside Ross, routinely made decisions regarding “how much other band members were paid for certain shows, booking and scheduling, distribution, and the band’s public image and branding.”
That informal governance structure, Beattie claims, began to fray in recent years: “At some point Shanahan became more secretive with respect to decision-making and the band’s finances.”
Delays in payment, particularly from merchandise sales, prompted Beattie to ask for detailed financial statements in 2023 and 2024. According to the suit, “despite his repeated requests… Beattie never received any financial information confirming that the portion of the proceeds he received constituted 25% of sales as promised.”
Then came the blow that triggered the legal action. In November 2024, just before a show at the Toyota Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Connecticut, Beattie was told he was being let go from the band. The reason? An alleged incident involving a Live Nation security guard who accused Beattie of harassment — a charge he flatly denies.
“Beattie never harassed any Live Nation employee and more likely, she mistook him for someone else,” the filing states. “Despite Beattie‘s denying the incident, Shanahan abruptly terminated Beattie from Hatebreed, despite his thirty-year tenure in the band and the implied agreement that he would remain part of Hatebreed.”
Beattie argues the entire situation was orchestrated: “Shanahan had no justified reason for Beattie‘s termination. Shanahan had structured a false narrative about Beattie — not supported by any evidence — to other band members… in an effort to discredit Beattie‘s reputation and persuade the other band members to justify Shanahan‘s desire to kick Beattie out of the band.”
He says the aftermath has been personally and professionally devastating: “The fallout from his termination has had a significant negative impact on his career, reputation, and health and well-being.”
To add insult to injury, Beattie claims Hatebreed continues to profit from his image. “Hatebreed and Shanahan also continue to promote the band using Beattie‘s likeness. For example, as of the date of this filing Beattie is still featured prominently on Hatebreed‘s profile picture for its Instagram account, and Beattie appears on Hatebreed‘s website and social media pages.”
Now, Beattie is seeking compensatory damages, as well as additional compensation for emotional distress. The suit also alleges that being cut off from touring and band revenues has caused him to lose lucrative brand partnerships.
While Hatebreed has not made any public statement in response to the lawsuit, the case brings into focus the complicated nature of long-term creative partnerships — and how quickly decades of shared work can unravel when trust and transparency disappear.
