Guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery, and drummer Stephen Perkins are suing Perry Farrell over the onstage fight that led to the cancellation of Jane’s Addiction’s reunion tour. The incident occurred in September during a show in Boston, and it essentially led to the band’s dissolution.
According to TMZ and Rolling Stone, Navarro, Avery, and Perkins are suing Farrell for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract. They also claim that they lost over $10 million in potential earnings due to canceled shows and the inability to make a new album, which would have been the first from the classic Jane’s Addiction lineup since 1990.
According to Rolling Stone, the former Jane’s Addiction members allege in the lawsuit that Farrell was often intoxicated on tour and during shows. “The problems with Perry’s performance would often worsen as the night wore on and he became more intoxicated,” the lawsuit reportedly reads.
The musicians and their attorney, Christopher Frost, reportedly allege in the complaint that “Perry’s repeated and unprovoked attack on Navarro was especially painful because Perry knew that Navarro was still weak and suffering from the effects of long COVID-19.” The attack apparently continued backstage, too, with Farrell throwing “another unexpected punch at [Navarro], striking him on the left side of the face.”
After the incident, Frost told Rolling Stone, Farrell “abruptly and unilaterally ended all the plans for a Jane’s Addiction revival” and “left his bandmates holding the bag for an unfulfilled tour and record deal.”
Jane’s Addiction began their comeback when they shared the new song “Imminent Redemption” in June 2024. A second new song, “True Love,” arrived just days after the Boston incident. According to the lawsuit, they had eight more tracks they were going to finish after the tour.
Pitchfork has reached out to Christopher Frost and representatives for Jane’s Addiction and Perry Farrell for comment and more information.