JANE’S ADDICTION Vocalist PERRY FARRELL Sues His Former Bandmates Hours After They Sued Him

The long-simmering tensions within iconic alt-rock band Jane’s Addiction exploded into full public view this week as dueling lawsuits were filed between frontman Perry Farrell and his former bandmates Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins. The legal drama stems from a now-infamous onstage altercation during the band’s September 2024 performance in Boston, an incident that ultimately led to the abrupt cancellation of their reunion tour and apparent breakup of the legendary group.

According to Variety, Farrell filed a 30-page legal complaint against his former bandmates on July 16 – just hours after Navarro, Avery, and Perkins launched their own lawsuit against him.

Farrell‘s lawsuit alleges a multi-year campaign of harassment and bullying by the other members, claiming the trio intentionally sought to undermine him onstage by playing at dangerously high volumes, preventing him from hearing himself sing unless he blasted his in-ear monitors to unsafe levels. The complaint further details an escalation of this behavior into physical violence, naming both Navarro and Avery in alleged onstage and backstage assaults against Farrell and his wife, Etty Lau Farrell.

According to Farrell‘s lawsuit, the incident that unfolded during the Boston show on September 13, 2024, was not an isolated breakdown but the culmination of years of interpersonal strain.

“That Jane’s Addiction‘s bandmates have sometimes been antagonistic towards each other has been well-documented. But Navarro, Avery and Perkins apparently decided that Jane’s Addiction‘s decades of success should be jettisoned in pursuit of a years-long bullying campaign against Farrell involving harassing him onstage during performances, including, among other tactics, trying to undermine him by playing their instruments at a high volume so that he could not hear himself sing without blasting his own in-ear monitors at an unsafe level.

“This harassment escalated on September 13, 2024 to physical violence by Navarro and Avery against Farrell onstage during the Boston show and the assault of both Perry and Etty Lau Farrell backstage by Navarro. These altercations precipitated the decision by Navarro, Avery and Perkins to both call off the rest of the band’s North American tour. Without warning or consultation and using Perry Farrell, as a scapegoat, Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates — violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations — and apparently break up the band for good.”

Farrell further contends that the decision to cancel the remainder of the band’s North American tour was made without his knowledge or consent, branding the move a violation of contracts and a betrayal of their fanbase. He alleges that he was scapegoated by the other members and excluded from key decisions that ultimately led to the band’s disintegration, despite his role as the band’s founder and primary creative force.

Earlier the same day, Dave Navarro and the remaining members filed their own lawsuit against Farrell, seeking $10 million in damages for lost income due to the canceled tour and suspension of all band activities. Navarro is also suing Farrell for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence. His filing claims Farrell threw a punch during the Boston performance, leading to an onstage breakdown that required crew intervention and Farrell‘s removal from the stage.

In his statement to Variety, Farrell said, “As a founding member and creative force behind Jane’s Addiction, I have always prioritized the band’s legacy and its supporters. The events of September 13 in Boston and the resulting fallout were devastating. Without warning or consultation, 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.”

The singer also blasted the band’s public portrayal of him in the aftermath of the incident. After the Boston show, Navarro issued a statement on social media attributing the tour’s cancellation to Farrell‘s “continuing pattern of behavior” and “mental health difficulties.” Farrell‘s lawsuit alleges that these statements were part of a coordinated effort to shift blame and secure insurance coverage for the tour’s collapse. He accuses his former bandmates of making “malicious and defamatory public statements” to destroy his reputation.

The fallout also included a public apology from Farrell shortly after the tour’s cancellation was announced, in which he acknowledged “inexcusable behavior” but emphasized the emotional pressure that had built up. His wife, Etty Lau Farrell, echoed his sentiments on Instagram, describing her husband as “spinning out” and referring to his condition as the “most devastating mental health” she had witnessed during their long relationship.