On Sept. 13th, Perry Farrell, the lead singer of Jane’s Addiction attacked his bandmate Dave Navarro on stage at a Boston concert. In my opinion, attacking your unsuspecting bandmate in front of a crowd is certainly uncalled for. Farrell body blocked Navarro in the middle of performing a song, and then threw a punch that hardly connected with Navarro’s chest. He was then held back, and dragged to the back of the stage. Navarro appeared confused and shocked during the encounter. A clip of the altercation has gone viral online, resulting in the band going on hiatus, and canceling the remainder of their tour. It’s definitely a shame to see such a legendary band drop performances because of on-stage violence.
According to multiple sources, including Farrell’s wife and interviews with bandmates, Farrell has been struggling with his mental health for some time now. During the tour’s previous shows, he had also been angry due to stage volume drowning out his vocals. No matter the reason, it is obvious that Farrell acted in an inexcusable way, and deserves to be held accountable. I understand that art requires passion and that sometimes passion leads us to do some questionable things. However, altercations on stage are not one of those things. I cannot imagine how embarrassing the fight was for not just Farrell, but for Navarro and the rest of the band as well.
There are also claims from Jane’s Addiction members that the physical confrontation continued backstage, where Farrell threw another punch at Navarro– this time connecting with the guitarist’s face. Another detail that’s been revealed is that Farrell claimed he would quit the band before the tour’s first show. Apparently he quickly changed his mind before the debut performance. It’s clear that Farrell has been on the outs with the band recently, and that his eruption on stage didn’t completely happen out of nowhere, although it was still unwarranted.
Something many people failed to realize is that during the fracas on stage, Farrell was brutally punched by the band’s bassist, Eric Avery. I didn’t know this until I read a post made on Instagram by Farrell’s wife. She claims that Avery took the opportunity to punch Farrell multiple times in the stomach while he was being held up by stagehands pulling him away. Of course, I had to go check for myself, and it’s true. While Farrell had shamefully tried to punch Navarro, he was defenseless at the moment Avery attacked him.
Farrell attacking people onstage, causing drama for the band and taking a cheap shot at Navarro is completely in the wrong. I hope he is looking to better himself. That being said, Avery, who was taking advantage of the situation to assault a person with mental illness during an episode, is also completely in the wrong here, and not enough people are realizing this. It is extremely sad to see the band in this position, especially after all the time it took for Jane’s Addiction to reunite.
Jane’s Addiction will always be considered legendary for their impact on alternative music, and for their unforgettable tunes. I’m sure this drama won’t be what anyone remembers them by, and hopefully, we see a second reunion in the future after the band members get the help they need. As of now, not much has been said of Avery, and Farrell has been checked into a mental facility. Fans, including myself, wish him a healthy recovery.
