Entertainment

'Tension and animosity' led to Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro's onstage scuffle, wife says

The band posted a statement to its Instagram story following the incident, saying in part, "We want to extend a heartfelt apology to our fans for the events that unfolded last night."
Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro
Posted

A scuffle between members of the groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction came amid "tension and animosity" during their reunion tour, lead singer Perry Farrell's wife said Saturday.

The band is known for edgy, punk-inspired hits "Been Caught Stealing" and "Mountain Song" in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the alternative rock and grunge music movements were growing.

In videos posted on social media from Friday night's concert in Boston, Farrell, 65, is seen singing loudly into his mic and then lunging at guitarist Dave Navarro, bumping Navarro with his shoulder before taking a swing at Navarro with his right arm. Navarro is seen holding his right arm out to keep Farrell away before Farrell is dragged away by others on stage. The show ended shortly after.

RELATED STORY | Linkin Park reunite 7 years after Chester Bennington's death with new band members

"Perry's frustration had been mounting, night after night, he felt that the stage volume had been extremely loud and his voice was being drowned out by the band," Etty Lau Farrell wrote in an Instagram post Saturday morning.

She said her husband had been suffering from tinnitus and a sore throat and "by the end of the song, he wasn't singing, he was screaming just to be heard." She said her husband later broke down "and cried and cried."

The band posted a statement to its Instagram story following the incident, saying in part, "We want to extend a heartfelt apology to our fans for the events that unfolded last night."

The statement also said they'd be canceling Sunday night's show in Bridgeport and refunds would be issued."

RELATED STORY | Darius Rucker sentenced after pleading no contest in possession case

The band's "Imminent Redemption" tour started in early August and has 15 dates left, including a show in Connecticut on Sunday night.

The band has not yet made a statement about the future of the tour.