After falling apart onstage in Boston last September when frontman Perry Farrell attacked guitarist Dave Navarro, Jane’s Addiction has announced its official breakup. The four members have also issued apologies to one another for the band’s unfortunate fate, which involved cancelling an in-progress tour, aborting new music, a host of social media finger-pointing and, eventually, lawsuits.
“After that show, without notice to Perry, we unilaterally determined it would be best to not continue the tour and made inaccurate statements about Perry’s mental health which we regret,” non-singing members Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery wrote on Instagram. “Today we are here to announce that we have come together one last time to resolve our differences, so that the legacy of Jane’s Addiction will remain the work the four of us created together. We now look forward to the future as we embark on our separate musical and creative endeavors. Jane’s Addiction will forever live in our hearts. We are proud of the music we created together.”
Farrell opened up in a separate post, writing, “I’d like to address what happened on stage last year. I’ve reflected on it and know I didn’t handle myself the way I should have. I apologize to our patrons and my bandmates for losing my temper and for disrupting the show. Jane’s Addiction has been at the center of my life for decades. The band, the songs, the patrons and the impact that we’ve had on music and culture mean more to me than any words I could ever possibly write down. My aim has always been to give our audience the best possible show — something real, honest and positive. In Boston, we fell short of that, and I’m truly sorry to everyone who was impacted. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued love and support.”
In mid-July, Navarro, Perkins and Avery sued Farrell for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. “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 read. “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.”
Hours later, Farrell countersued for assault and battery, intentional inflection of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract. His legal team called the band members’ filing “another clear example of the group uniting to isolate and bully” the singer and Lollapalooza co-founder. “It was filed only after they caught wind of legal action coming from our side. It’s a transparent attempt to control the narrative and present themselves as the so-called ‘good guys’ — a move that’s both typical and predictable. Just like when they released a defamatory and entirely unfounded statement about Perry’s mental health and unilaterally canceled the remaining tour dates without his input, they’re once again scrambling to get ahead of the truth in a desperate effort to save face.”
