Jane’s Addiction members file lawsuit against Perry Farrell over on stage fight, frontman retaliates with his own lawsuit

Jul 17, 2025 - 09:42
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Jane’s Addiction members file lawsuit against Perry Farrell over on stage fight, frontman retaliates with his own lawsuit

Jane’s Addiction have filed a lawsuit against its frontman Perry Farrell over their on stage fight last year – now, he’s hit back with his own suit.

Yesterday (July 16), band members Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins filed a complaint against Farrell for “assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract” (as per Rolling Stone).

Their lawsuit concerns an on stage fight caused by Farrell at a show in Boston last September, where Farrell unexpectedly punched Navarro in the face. The scuffle caused the immediate cancellation of the tour and the band’s hiatus.

“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,” their complaint reads. “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.”

However, Perry Farrell has now retaliated with his own lawsuit, accusing the remaining members of “a years-long bullying campaign” against him. Farrell claimed the band would harass him onstage by playing their instruments at such a “high volume” that Farrell couldn’t hear himself sing – unless he began “blasting his own in-ear monitors at an unsafe level”.

In a separate statement, Farrell’s attorney Miles Cooley claims Farrell was used as a “scapegoat”, alleging he was “blindsided” by the tour’s cancellation. Cooley went on to accuse Navarro of “intentionally and publicly” blaming Perry for the tour’s end, “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,” Coolley added. “He is actively exploring ways to address the situation and ensure accountability.”

NME have reached out to the band for comment.

In the original complaint against Farrell, Jane’s Addiction allege Farrell lost them over $10million (£7.4million) thanks to the tour’s cancellation, along with axing plans for their first album by the original-lineup since 1990. It also claims that Navarro terminated his “$25,000 a month” health insurance, which he had obtained since long COVID forced him to refrain from touring in 2022.

The suit goes on to allege that Perry’s attack on Navarro was “especially painful”, as Perry apparently was aware of Navarro’s continued battle with long Covid. The attack, the suit adds, also triggered Navarro’s memories of his mother’s murder in 1983. It goes on to claim that Farrell punched Navarro again backstage after being confronted by his actions on stage, leaving Navarro “hurt”.

After the fight, all three members agreed they did not want to continue touring, with the suit saying: “Plaintiffs were rightfully afraid and uncomfortable to perform with him again. It was also abundantly clear that Perry was in no condition to continue the tour on which he had struggled to perform.”

Following the fight, Farrell apologised to his fans and bandmates, “especially Dave Navarro”. He added: “Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behaviour, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.” Farrell’s wife Etty has also said he was taking time to “reflect and to heal”, and would be seeking help from an otolaryngologist and a neurologist.

The post Jane’s Addiction members file lawsuit against Perry Farrell over on stage fight, frontman retaliates with his own lawsuit appeared first on NME.

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