Los Angeles-based engineer Howard Scott King claimed he pitched a similar idea to Tommy Lee in 1991.

Tommy had been using a flying drum kit rig during the late 1980s, but King's design was for a rig that looked like a roller coaster.

Twenty years later, Tommy used a revamped, 360-degree roller coaster-looking drum stage rig as a centerpiece during Mötley Crüe gigs, as well as in commercials and other promotions.

In 2012, King felt he should see some money for what he considered to be use of his design and filed a lawsuit (pdf) demanding at least $400,000 in damages over allegations the Mötley Crüe drummer stole his idea. King described his concept as

"A track on which [Tommy Lee] would play his drums on a platform on wheels which follow the track until Lee was in an upside-down position playing the drums and he would continue playing the drums as the platform followed the track in a complete loop."

According to a report from TMZ, a judge has dismissed the lawsuit and ruled Scott never obtained exclusive rights to the concept and Tommy created his own version of the roller coaster drum set.

Although Tommy Lee is now legally allowed to play his roller coaster drum set on stage, it is of little use because he retired the set-up in May 2013, when Mötley Crüe wrapped a tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In related news on Tommy Lee: the drummer is featured as the devil in Fall Out Boy's latest meusic video Death Valley. Watch it here: