Well folks, buckle up for some rock ‘n’ roll drama. According to Rolling Stone, the JANE’S ADDICTION crew—Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins—are dragging frontman Perry Farrell to court over an onstage scuffle last September that killed their North American tour *and* a new album. Oh, and Navarro’s also suing for assault. Because what’s a band breakup without a little legal spice?
The lawsuit, filed July 16 in L.A., claims the whole kerfuffle cost ‘em over *$10 million*. Yikes. The band’s lawyer threw shade, saying Farrell’s “violent outbursts” and “inability to serve as frontman” basically blew up the reunion. Fun fact: This is the same lineup that gave us the chaos-anthem Ritual De Lo Habitual back in 1990—guess some habits die hard.
Apparently, Farrell’s onstage antics included slurring through songs after knocking back wine mid-concert (rockstar cliché, much?) and rambling like a stand-up comedian bombing at open mic night. The complaint goes full roast mode: “The problems with Perry’s performance worsened as he got more lit. Surprise!”
Attorney Christopher Frost didn’t hold back: “Dave, Eric, and Stephen tried to recapture the magic, but Perry kept threatening to derail everything. He ghosted the band, left ‘em with a torched tour and a dead record deal.” Savage. But hey, at least they dropped two new singles before imploding: “True Love” and “Imminent Redemption” (tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios, because Hollywood).
The drama peaked at their September 13, 2024 Boston show when Farrell shoulder-checked Navarro, yelled something *real nice*, and allegedly threw a punch. Security had to play referee. Days later, the tour got axed. Fun fact: Navarro had just returned after sitting out 2022/2023 gigs thanks to long COVID—replaced by Josh Klinghoffer (ex-RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS) and Troy Van Leeuwen (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE). Guess the reunion tour was cursed from the start.
The band’s *very* Instagrammable breakup statement called out Farrell’s “pattern of behavior” and “mental health difficulties,” adding, “We can’t promise a safe stage or a good show… our hearts are broken.” Farrell later apologized on his Insta story: “I messed up, sorry y’all.” Too late, buddy.
Let’s not forget: Their “classic lineup” played their first show in *14 years* on May 23, 2024 in London, debuted “Imminent Redemption”, and even did a fall 2022 “Spirit On Fire” tour—Avery’s first full run since his 2010 exit. But hey, who needs stability when you’ve got lawsuits?
