Iconic Rock Band's Lead Singer Slapped With Lawsuit After Onstage Fight

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Jane's Addiction has filed a lawsuit against one of its members, claiming that an onstage scuffle led to the band losing out on millions and millions of dollars in potential earnings.

As first reported by TMZ, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against frontman Perry Farrell for assault and battery.

What's more, the band claims that Farrell's actions during a September 2024 concert in Boston not only led to the band breaking up, but losing out on at least $10 million in potential earnings.

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The lawsuit claims that the band was forced to end their North American reunion tour and an album the band planned to drop after they finished touring. In the lead up to the tour and during, the band dropped several tracks in anticipation of releasing more new songs as the tour continued.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 03: Guitarist Dave Navarro (L) and singer Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction perform at Red Hat Amphitheater on September 03, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images)

Jeff Hahne/Getty Images

But those plans all went out the window, the band claims, after Farrell was seen onstage shoving and punching Navarro while in the middle of their set. The band is also suing for intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract.

The fight, the band claims, forced them to cancel 15 shows. Their album also had to be put on hold.Rolling Stonealso reports, citing the lawsuit, that Jane's Addiction alleges 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 states.

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What's more, the band claims 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 band claims that the fight spilled backstage, where Farrell allegedly struck Navarro on the left side of his face.

Due to the altercation, 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.”

A rep for Farrell did not respond to TMZ's request for comment.

Iconic Rock Band's Lead Singer Slapped With Lawsuit After Onstage Fight first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 16, 2025