20 Times Rockstars Had Feuds Onstage

Every time people work together, like making music or doing other stuff, sometimes there’s drama. But when fights happen in front of a bunch of people watching, it gets even crazier. Imagine you’re on a stage, trying to perform, and suddenly the people you’re working with start arguing or fighting. That’s what happened with these 20 music groups and singers. It’s like the excitement of making music turns into a big, messy fight right there on the stage.

Check out these stories to see how things can get super intense when artists don’t get along onstage during their performances.

1. Van Halen (1984):
Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth were in a big fight during their 1984 tour. Eddie played the guitar, and David sang. They usually fought backstage, but sometimes their fights spilled onto the stage. Eddie would make his guitar solos extra long to annoy David. They argued a lot, and it made their concerts tense.

2. The Kinks (1965):
There was a big problem in 1965 when The Kinks played in Cardiff, there was a big problem. Two band members, Dave Davies and Mick Avory, fought after a drunk night out. Onstage, Dave insulted Mick, and Mick attacked him with a cymbal. Dave got hurt, but they still played together for many years after that.

3. The Who (1966):
In May 1966, The Who had a big fight on stage. Two band members, Keith Moon and John Entwistle, were late because they partied with friends. The other members started playing without them. When Keith and John joined, the anger grew. The gig became a mess, and during a song, Keith broke his drum kit. Pete Townshend’s guitar hit Keith’s head, and he had a black eye. The band was mad, and Keith almost left The Who.

4. Cream (1965):
The members of Cream, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, didn’t get along well. They argued a lot about volume and music styles. Once, during a show, Jack had a knife because he was afraid of Ginger. Ginger threw drumsticks at Jack, and it became a big fight. Their issues continued, and eventually, Cream broke up.

5. The Doors (1967):
The Doors had a wild frontman, Jim Morrison, who did crazy things. Once, before a show, Jim drank a lot and grabbed the guitarist, Robby Krieger, in a sensitive place. Robby got angry and hit Jim with his guitar. It was a crazy moment during their performance.

6. Everly Brothers (1973):
The Everly Brothers were in a bad state in 1973. Don Everly was not okay because of fighting and drugs. During a show, he was drunk and forgot the words. The audience booed, and Phil Everly got mad. Phil stopped playing, smashed his guitar, and Don lashed out at the crowd. After that, they didn’t play together for ten years.

7. Kiss (1979):
Kiss had a big fight during a show in 1979. The guitarist, Paul Stanley, signaled to the drummer, Peter Criss, to slow down, but Peter felt insulted. They started shouting at each other in front of the fans. Two nights later, Peter threw his drumsticks at Gene Simmons’ head, and backstage, he attacked Gene with a broken champagne bottle. It was a crazy time for Kiss.

8. Iron Maiden (1982):
Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris had problems during Iron Maiden’s 1982 tour. Bruce wanted to stand at the front when he sang, but Steve also wanted to be in the front. They argued a lot about it. During a show, they bumped into each other and pushed each other like two animals. It was a tough night for Iron Maiden.

9. Van Halen (2004):
Van Halen had a reunion in 2004 with Sammy Hagar, but things went really bad. Eddie Van Halen had problems with drugs, and it made the band suffer. Sammy wanted to quit in the middle of the tour, but he couldn’t. In a show in Tucson, Eddie was not okay, and it was the worst show they ever played. Eddie got so frustrated that he smashed his guitar and told the crowd about his struggles. This made Sammy stop talking to the Van Halen brothers for a long time.

10. Kiss (1984):
Kiss had a guitarist named Vinnie Vincent in 1984. Vinnie played long solos, and it annoyed the other band members. One night, he played so long that Paul Stanley had to stop him. Vinnie got upset and argued with Paul. It didn’t become a big fight, but soon after that, Vinnie left the band.

11. Guns N’ Roses (1989):
In 1989, Guns N’ Roses had a famous show where the lead singer, Axl Rose, spoke about his bandmates’ drug use. He told the audience that unless they stopped, it would be the last show. This caused a big problem in the band. Slash and Duff, the other members, felt embarrassed. Axl’s public talk about their drug issues made the band’s relationship worse.

12. Motorhead (2011):
In 2011, members of Motorhead engaged in a heated onstage dispute over whether to proceed with their performance. Frontman Lemmy Kilmister, feeling “sick as a dog” and barely able to speak, was in a foul mood, according to drummer Mickey Dee. Dee urged the band to cancel their headlining gig at the Bloodstock festival, but Kilmister adamantly opposed the idea. The situation escalated during the performance, with Kilmister berating Dee for playing too fast.

13. Eagles (1980):
Eagles had a big fight in 1980 that led to a long break. During a show, Glenn Frey and Don Felder argued because of a comment Felder made to a senator. They threatened each other on stage and sang their songs angrily. After the concert, they didn’t play together for more than a decade.

14. Kiss (2000):
Peter Criss, the drummer of Kiss, had another fight in 2000. He found out he was paid less than the guitarist, Ace Frehley. Peter started playing songs at the wrong speed to make a point. At the last show of the tour, he smashed his drums and caused chaos. It was a crazy end to the tour.

15. Poison (2006):
In 2006, Poison had a big fight during a concert in Atlanta. After a song, Bret Michaels and Bobby Dall started shouting at each other. Bobby hit Bret with his bass, and they had to be separated by the drummer and roadies. It was a rough night for Poison, but they continued the show after some shoves between Bobby and Bret.

16. Oasis (2002):
The Gallagher brothers, Noel and Liam, fought during a show in Japan in 2002. Liam complained about technical problems, and Noel thought he was being a diva. Noel got angry and asked Liam to stop complaining. Liam left the stage, leaving Noel to finish the show alone. This argument was nothing compared to their fights outside the stage, leading to the band breaking up.

17. The Go-Go’s (1995):
In the mid-’90s, during a Go-Go’s reunion, Belinda Carlisle was on drugs and had a bad night. During a show in London, she cursed at her bandmates on stage because of ego and money issues. It caused a big problem, and Belinda said the Go-Go’s were done forever.

18. Soundgarden (1997):
In 1997, Soundgarden had a bad night in Honolulu. The bassist, Ben Shepherd, was angry and frustrated. During the show, he threw his bass into the crowd. The band was shocked, and later, they officially broke up because of this incident.

19. Marilyn Manson (2003):
At the 2003 Rock Am Ring festival, Marilyn Manson and his guitarist, John 5, had a big fight. Manson was dealing with personal problems and sleep issues. During the show, Manson pushed John 5 and tried to fight him. It was a rough time for the band, and they had to sort out their issues after the festival.

20. Thin Lizzy (1973):
Thin Lizzy’s journey to fame came with its share of rock pitfalls, especially heavy drinking and drug use. Guitarist Eric Bell, amidst the wild times, wanted to clean up but found it hard when everyone else was partying. On New Year’s Eve 1973, Bell entered the dressing room to find loads of alcohol.

Getting extremely drunk, he went on stage and lost control during the fourth song. Realizing he needed a change, he threw his guitar in the air, smashing it, and stormed offstage, quitting on the spot. Although coerced into finishing the set, Bell’s dramatic exit highlighted the challenges of a rock lifestyle.