According to Rolling Stone, JANE’S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins have filed a lawsuit against lead singer Perry Farrell, claiming an onstage altercation between Farrell and Navarro last September resulted in the cancelation of both their North American tour and a planned album. Navarro is also suing Farrell for assault and battery related to the incident.
The complaint, filed on Wednesday (July 16) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that the group lost over $10 million as a result of the tour’s cancelation.
“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,” the complaint says. “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.”
The JANE’S ADDICTION members also allege in the lawsuit that Farrell was often unable to deliver on stage as a result of his alcohol consumption.
“Plaintiffs (and others in attendance) had observed during the Tour that Perry regularly appeared onstage in an advanced state of intoxication,” reads the complaint. “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.”
Christopher Frost, the attorney representing the band, said in a statement to Rolling Stone: “Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins had high hopes that they could capture the pure spirit of the band’s early days and build on it. Initially they did, in the studio and onstage. But … they did so with a fourth bandmate who was by turns unwilling or unable to perform to a reasonable standard and who repeatedly threatened to derail the tour.”
The attorney added that Farrell “abruptly and unilaterally ended all the plans for a JANE’S ADDICTION revival” following the aforementioned incident and “left his bandmates holding the bag for an unfulfilled tour and record deal… Dave, Eric, and Stephen never wanted it to come to this. But they have been wronged, want the accurate story told, and they deserve a resolution.”
JANE’S ADDICTION‘s September 13, 2024 concert at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston came to a sudden end after Farrell bumped Navarro‘s shoulder with his own before seemingly yelling at the guitarist. Navarro then placed a hand between himself and Perry before Farrell appeared to throw a punch at him. Another man then jumped between them, breaking up the fight. A couple of days later, JANE’S ADDICTION announced that it was scrapping the rest of its tour dates following the incident. The band said it “made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group,” therefore scrapping the rest of the dates of their tour. A short time later, Navarro, along with drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery, posted a joint statement to their respective Instagram accounts in which they said the cancelation of the tour is a result of a “continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell.”
“Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs,” the statement read.
Navarro, Perkins and Avery expressed “regret” for the cancelation but added that they “can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis.”
“Our hearts are broken,” the statement concluded.
Later that same day, Farrell wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram story that “this weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday’s show.”
His statement added: “Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”
A few days after the tour cancelation, JANE’S ADDICTION released a new single, “True Love”. The track, which was performed live for the first time in 2023 and had been played at a few other shows since, was the second new single from the band’s classic lineup of Farrell, Navarro, Perkins and Avery, following “Imminent Redemption”, which arrived in July 2024.
“True Love” was written by Farrell, Navarro, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
“Imminent Redemption” was tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California.
Prior to “Imminent Redemption”‘s arrival, Avery‘s last time in the studio with JANE’S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album “Ritual De Lo Habitual”.
“Imminent Redemption” was first performed live when JANE’S ADDICTION‘s classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23, 2024 at London, United Kingdom’s Bush Hall.
Navarro sat out JANE’S ADDICTION‘s 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at that year’s gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE‘s Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.
The fall 2022 “Spirit On Fire” tour marked the first JANE’S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.
