Members of the rock band Jane’s Addiction are suing one another after an onstage physical altercation led to the cancellation of the remainder of last year’s reunion tour.
Jane’s Addiction, which formed in 1985 and is perhaps best known for the MTV hit “Been Caught Stealing,” was performing in Boston when the singer Perry Farrell confronted the guitarist Dave Navarro. A video showed Mr. Farrell slamming his shoulder into Mr. Navarro and appearing to throw a punch before he was physically restrained.
The encounter in September abruptly ended the first tour by the band’s original members in 14 years. The fallout continued on Wednesday when they filed dueling lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins — the band’s bassist and drummer — joined Mr. Navarro in a lawsuit accusing Mr. Farrell of assault, battery, emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. Mr. Farrell and his wife, Etty Lau Farrell, responded with a complaint against the men that alleges assault, emotional distress and breach of contract.
Christopher Frost, a lawyer for Mr. Navarro, Mr. Avery and Mr. Perkins, said in a statement that Mr. Farrell’s actions left the rest of the band on the hook for an unfulfilled tour and record deal. “They have been wronged, want the accurate story told and they deserve a resolution,” he said.
Mr. Perry’s legal team said in a statement that the band’s lawsuit was a clear example of its desire to isolate and bully him. “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,” the statement said.
The lawsuit led by Mr. Navarro said the band had suffered a “swift and painful death at the hands of Farrell’s unprovoked anger and complete lack of self-control.” It also claimed that Mr. Perry’s behavior failed to meet the band’s standards.
“Perry forgot lyrics, lost his place in songs he had sung since the 1980s and mumbled rants as he drank from a wine bottle onstage,” the lawsuit said.
After the onstage fight last year, the band canceled the 15 remaining dates of its North American tour. Mr. Navarro said on social media that “the mental health difficulties of our singer” were to blame, while Mr. Farrell apologized to his bandmates, saying that his “breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior.”
Mr. Farrell offered more details in his lawsuit, saying that his bandmates had participated in a yearslong “bullying campaign” against him that included harassing him onstage.
During performances, the lawsuit said, his bandmates would try to undermine him by playing their instruments so loudly that he could not hear himself sing.
Derrick Bryson Taylor is a Times reporter covering breaking news in culture and the arts.
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