Jane’s Addiction are suing their own lead singer, Perry Farrell, claiming an onstage brawl in 2024 brought a halt to their tour and a planned new album.
Guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking at least $10 million in damages.
Variety reported that Navarro is also suing Farrell for assault and battery over the incident, which occurred in Boston during a reunion gig. All subsequent dates on the tour were cancelled.
Several hours later, Farrell and his wife Etty Lau Farrell announced that they are also suing Navarro, Avery and Perkins for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract.
In response to the original lawsuit from the band, Farrell’s lawyers told The Independent in a statement: “This is yet another clear example of the group uniting to isolate and bully frontman Perry Farrell. The timing of this baseless lawsuit is no coincidence—it was filed only after they caught wind of legal action coming from our side.
“It’s a transparent attempt to control the narrative and present themselves as the so-called ‘good guys’—a move that’s both typical and predictable. Just like when they released a defamatory and entirely unfounded statement about Perry’s mental health and unilaterally canceled the remaining tour dates without his input, they’re once again scrambling to get ahead of the truth in a desperate effort to save face.”
Announcing their own legal action, Farrell’s lawyers said: “As a founding member and creative force behind Jane’s Addiction, Perry Farrell has always prioritized the band’s legacy and its supporters, which is why the events of September 13th, 2024 in Boston and the resulting fallout was so devastating.
“Without warning or consultation and using Perry as a scapegoat, Dave Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates—violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations. Perry was blindsided by not being allowed to vote and be heard, leaving him unable to plead his case to continue the tour for their fans.
“If that was not harmful enough, Dave Navarro then intentionally and publicly blamed Perry for the canceled tour dates effectively destroying Perry’s reputation and causing him irreparable harm. Despite this continued bullying perpetuated by Navarro, Perry’s dedication to Jane’s Addiction and the preservation of its positive impact on the music industry remains unshaken. He is actively exploring ways to address the situation and ensure accountability.”
The Independent has approached the band for comment.
The fight, which was caught on camera by fans, happened during a show at the Leader Bank Pavilion following two outdoor New York shows that received mixed reviews from attendees and critics.
Farrell reportedly shouted at Navarro during the ninth track of the set, “Mountain Song,” with tensions building further as the gig continued.
Then, as the band were performing their 1988 song “Ocean Size,” Perry appeared to bark at Navarro before walking over to him and aggressively shoving him with his shoulder.
As Navarro spoke to him and put his hand on Perry’s chest to try and keep him away, the singer then appeared to take a swing at him with his fist before being tackled by crew members and pushed off the stage.
The stage lights were swiftly turned down and the music stopped, as the audience began to boo and jeer.
In a brief subsequent statement, the band said: “The band have made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group. As such, they will be cancelling the remainder of the tour.”
There had been 15 dates left on the band’s Imminent Redemption tour.
In a separate statement to The Independent, Farrell said: “This weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday’s show.
“Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”
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