Three members of Jane’s Addiction — Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins — have sued singer Perry Farrell following a fight that occurred onstage during one of the band’s concerts on Sept. 13, 2024.
At that show, Navarro and Farrell got into an altercation in front of the audience, and Farrell could be seen pushing and then punching Navarro. The concert was cut short, and the band issued a statement not long afterward.
“We want to extend a heartfelt apology to our fans for the events that unfolded last night,” it said. “As a result, we will be cancelling tomorrow night’s show in Bridgeport.” The rest of the band’s 2024 tour was also canceled.
Now, a suit has been filed against Farrell that accuses him of a litany of offenses, including assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. Additionally, it claims that the band lost over $10 million due to the tour cancellation and requests that Farrell pay for all outstanding bills related to the tour cancellation.
“The Band can no longer function as a result of the Defendant’s conduct, including his sudden, violent outbursts and demonstrated inability to serve as the Band’s frontman and vocalist,” reads part of the suit (per Rolling Stone). “The physical, emotional and financial harms Defendant has wrought have deeply impacted the Plaintiffs, their families and their loved ones, and it is time for Defendant to face the consequences of his actions and be held accountable.”
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The suit notes that in agreeing to tour with Jane’s Addiction, Navarro was forced to give up a $25,000 per month disability insurance policy — he had been receiving the payments due to a case of long COVID-19 that took him off the road. It also says that Jane’s Addiction had previously agreed to make tour-related decisions with a simple, majority-rules approach, which Farrell made difficult.
“Perry had an egregious habit of overruling decisions of the Band, and selfishly making everything about himself and [his wife] Etty,” it says.
Another portion on the suit claims that Farrell’s drinking was affecting his ability to perform during the tour: “He would often drink wine onstage and slur his speech. Perry frequently went on long, rambling discursions between songs for no apparent purpose other than for his own amusement. The problems with Perry’s performance would often worsen as the night wore on and he became more intoxicated.”
While much of Navarro and Farrell’s dispute was caught on camera, the suit says the altercation continued backstage: “Nobody could calm Perry down backstage. When Navarro confronted Perry about his violent outburst, Perry threw another unexpected punch at him, striking him on the left side of the face. Navarro was hurt.”
The suit also addresses the fact that not only did the members of Jane’s Addiction lose out on income because of the tour cancellation, they also had plans to finish eight instrumental tracks after the tour ended — tracks that the band “will potentially be on the hook personally for” with Warner Music Group.
What Does Perry Farrell’s Legal Team Have to Say About the New Lawsuit?
In response to the new lawsuit, Farrell’s legal team issued a statement noting, “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.”
Back in May, Navarro made clear that while he cannot speak for his bandmates, Jane’s Addiction would not ever move forward with Farrell.
“I have to speak in broad strokes here, because there are other individuals involved, and it’s still very tender and unresolved,” he said to Guitar Player. “There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio, and picking up and leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness — it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band’s life. And there’s no chance for the band to ever play together again.”
Jane’s Addiction Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide
Perry Farrell’s group has endured a steady stream of changes over the years.
Gallery Credit: UCR Staff
