Dan Cleary, the guitar and bass tech for Jane’s Addiction, recently shared his perspective on the onstage altercation between Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro during the band’s last show. Cleary’s comments were made during an interview on Appetite for Distortion.
When asked about the incident and whether it was traumatic, Cleary reflected on the emotional impact of the event and his long-standing relationship with the band.
“I’m glad you asked because no one has actually asked if it was traumatic yet, but the answer is yeah,” Cleary said. “I was with that band for 17 years. That was more my family than my real-life family. I’ve been all over the world with those guys. We’ve been through everything. I love them. They’ve given me a life that I couldn’t have otherwise.”
Cleary described the crew as a close-knit group and expressed the shock he felt when the altercation occurred.
“We had the best crew. Like the number one best crew in the business. There were no big egos. Everybody was pulling in the same direction every day. We supported each other. We went to bat for each other. So when that happened, when Perry kind of went after Dave on stage in Boston, it was traumatic. I tell people it felt like losing somebody in a car accident because it was so abrupt and out of nowhere. None of us still know exactly what happened.”
Cleary also recounted his immediate reaction to the fight and the moment he intervened.
“As soon as it happened, as soon as the kind of punch and the scuffle happened, in my mind, I knew this is over. This is done. I know a lot of the fan base was like, you know, they’ll work it out. They’re grown men. This stuff happens. But I was like, ‘No, this is—we’re going home, and we’re not going to do this again.’ It was really sad. It really was really, really sad.”
Members of Jane’s Addiction have recently released a joint statement clarifying the events that led to the cancellation of their tour in September 2024. The statement, shared via Instagram, acknowledged that the band made inaccurate public comments about Perry Farrell’s mental health following an onstage incident at their Boston show, for which they expressed regret.
“We would like to clarify the events surrounding the cancellation of the tour after the show in Boston in September 2024,” the band expressed. “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.”
“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,” they added. “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. You, the fans, are our lifeblood, and we will always appreciate you.”
Cleary’s account sheds light on the emotional toll the incident took on the band and crew. It marked a significant moment in Jane’s Addiction’s history. Further updates on the band’s future remain uncertain.
