House
Net First
Are you able to hear me on the market? Jane’s Dependancy…
Legislation in Common Tradition
Are you able to hear me on the market? Jane’s Dependancy lawsuits allege erratic conduct and loud devices
By Anna Stolley Persky
July 24, 2025, 9:56 am CDT
Jane’s Dependancy members Dave Navarro, left, and Perry Farrell, proper, performing in Dublin final 12 months. (Photograph by Kieran Frost/Redferns through Getty Photos)
Intercourse. Medication. Rock ‘n’ roll. Litigation. All fairly run-of-the-mill with some bands. However what’s much less frequent, leisure legal professionals say, is a rock band dispute spiraling into an onstage bodily altercation that’s captured on digital camera and circulated on social media. That’s what occurred final 12 months, when Jane’s Dependancy lead singer Perry Farrell punched guitarist Dave Navarro throughout a live performance at Boston’s Chief Financial institution Pavilion.
The battle ended the band’s reunion tour and in the end resulted in a litigation scuffle.
“It’s fairly uncommon for band members to be suing one another over an assault that happened on stage,” says Toby Butterfield, a companion within the New York workplace of Moses Singer with over 30 years working towards leisure and copyright legislation. “Clearly, it’s indicative of a band relationship that’s breaking down or has already damaged down.”
Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery filed a criticism towards Farrell on July 16, alleging the frontman’s conduct compelled the termination of the present, tour and a file deal.
Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court docket, the lawsuit alleges that Farrell had been behaving erratically all through the reunion tour and seeks $10 million in damages.
“As if the ache and humiliation of the onstage assault weren’t sufficient, Farrell continued his unhinged barrage of punches backstage,” the lawsuit alleges.
Farrell apologized after the incident in an announcement that stated, partly, “Sadly my breaking level resulted in inexcusable conduct, and I take full accountability for a way I selected to deal with the state of affairs.”
Later, about an hour after the lawsuit was filed towards Farrell, he filed his personal motion towards Navarro, Perkins and Avery, Selection experiences. The Los Angeles County Superior Court docket criticism alleges that Farrell’s bandmates engaged in a bullying marketing campaign, and their actions included taking part in devices at a excessive quantity so Farrell couldn’t hear himself sing, in line with the criticism.
Farrell’s authorized group stated in an announcement that the lawsuit towards Farrell was a “clear try to regulate the narrative and current themselves because the so-called good guys.”
Christopher Frost, lawyer for Navarro, Perkins and Avery, stated in an announcement that, “if there’s a query about what to imagine, you possibly can imagine the video we’ve all watched.”
Jordan Bromley leads Manatt Leisure from the Los Angeles workplace of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. He says bands that “exist collectively for longer than a decade” can have “animosities that construct up, simmer after which explode.”
Additionally, in line with Bromley, submitting a lawsuit might be a part of a media technique and a method get a soar on the narrative within the public. He provides that litigation between band members tends to settle, partly due to the expense of litigation and partly due to media technique.
“A jury trial of band member towards band member is comparatively uncommon,” Bromley says.
Alexis Robinson, a companion within the New York Metropolis workplace of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, is the chief of the agency’s leisure, know-how and media observe group in addition to co-leader of the agency’s music trade group. She says that the litigation highlights how Jane’s Dependancy and different profitable musical ensembles have contractual commitments that may be impacted when there’s a breakdown within the band’s relationships.
“They’re not a bunch of fellows in a storage not getting alongside anymore and never exhibiting up for his or her gig at a neighborhood bar,” Robinson says.
“It’s extra difficult,” and there’s more cash at stake, she provides. Within the lawsuit, Navarro states that he continues to battle “long-term COVID-19 problems,” and terminated his $25,000 per 30 days in incapacity insurance coverage funds to return on tour.
Band-related contracts often have arbitration clauses partly in order that “you don’t have the airing of embarrassing particulars or allegations” in publicly filed courtroom paperwork, in line with Robinson. Arbitrations are confidential.
One other frequent dispute band members usually grapple over—who will get to make use of the band identify going ahead and in what method, in line with Jason Karlov. He’s a companion within the Los Angeles workplace of Barnes & Thornburg.
“There are even some bands who now not preserve any authentic members … but the model is profitable, together with and particularly for touring and merchandise,” says Karlov, chair of the agency’s leisure, media and sports activities observe group.
Is there no hope that the unique Jane’s Dependancy band members can resolve their variations? In any case, legendary English rockers and continuously feuding brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher just lately reunited Oasis after practically 16 years for a reunion tour.
“I hope they will form of take a web page from Oasis’ guide and recover from it. However which may be a few years to return,” says Robinson, a Jane’s Dependancy fan.
Write a letter to the editor, share a narrative tip or replace, or report an error.
