Bands can break up in a myriad of ways, but few are more dramatic and thrilling than doing it on stage in front of a live audience. Several bands have chosen to take this route over the years. Find three memorable on-stage band bust-ups, below.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Sex Pistols
Some people just know when to call it quits. Sex Pistols‘ John Lydon certainly had that notion when he covertly announced that the iconic punk rockers would be defunct while performing on stage in the U.S.
Living the life of a punk rocker is no joke. Even the most thoroughbred punks have trouble hacking it. By the time the Sex Pistols finished their U.S. tour in 1978, drug addiction and other nasty habits caused the band to falter. Following a rather confused performance, Lydon muttered a line about being cheated, which would later go on to be known as his breakup decree.
2. The Everly Brothers
With how in sync The Everly Brothers seemed on every song they recorded, it seems impossible that they would be at odds behind the scenes. Nevertheless, the band did come to a dramatic end, fueled by Don Everly’s drunkenness.
As the story goes, Don showed up to a concert hammered. Phil Everly found Don’s lackluster, inebriated performance to be too much for him to look past. With a smash of his guitar, Phil effectively called the heyday of The Everly Brothers over.
3. The Eagles
The qualms of every Eagles member have been well-documented over the decades. The band had so much tension that they made an entire documentary about their various tiffs. That being said, one of the band’s most famous quarrels happened on stage at a benefit concert.
The concert was in support of Senator Alan Cranston. As Glenn Frey remembered it, Don Felder made a passing snide comment to the senator. Frey couldn’t let it go unpunished. In the clip below, you can hear both bandmates passing insults back and forth. The riff would eventually prompt a larger, more official band breakup. It’s not hard to figure why after hearing the tension in Frey and Felder’s voices.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.