Not everyone likes their co-workers. And the same can be said for band members. It may seem like being in a band is just traveling the world and jamming out with your buddies. But what happens if the band members hate each other? It suddenly becomes a nightmare.
There are many groups whose members simply can’t stand each other. Some of the most successful groups in history stayed together for decades, regardless of how the musicians actually felt about one another as people. Today we look at the history behind these feuds, examining the top bands that hate each other.
Pixies
Pixies are one of the most influential bands of all time, influencing numerous artists including Nirvana, David Bowie, Radiohead, The Strokes, and U2, to name a few. However, frontman Black Francis and bassist Kim Deal (also of the Breeders) spent over a decade not speaking together. Contention between the two was a driving factor to the bands dismemberment in 1993, though they regrouped in 2004. Deal officially left the band in 2015 and has been replaced by Paz Lenchantin.
Why didn’t they get along? According to Francis a lot of it had to do with a power struggle for creative control. Deal was at a point where she was used to calling the shots for the Breeders. As Francis stated in a 2016 interview with Q (via NME) “It must have been hard for her to be in a band where some other guy was always pulling at the reins.”
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd was one of the biggest bands of the 70s, but sadly, they officially broke up in 1985. This was after years of tension between members David Gilmour and Roger Waters. When Waters left the band he even tried to prevent the other members from using the name “Pink Floyd” or using his memorable inflatable pig. This landed everyone in court, with the court ultimately siding with Gilmour and the rest of the band.
So what caused all the animosity? Most sources cite creative differences and unchecked egos.
Waters reportedly took complete charge for many albums including Wish You Were Here (1975). He decided which tracks would appear and essentially dictated the album’s conceptual themes, which included alienation, a critique of the music industry and a tribute to former bandmate Syd Barrett, who had left the band in 1968 due to mental health struggles. In the album’s process, Waters ended up cutting the songs, “Raving and Drooling” and “Gotta Be Crazy” against the wishes of guitarist and co-vocalist David Gilmour.
By the time the band began recording The Wall in 1979, the damage was already done and the band soon broke up. Pink Floyd definitely deserves it’s place as one of the top bands that hate each other.
Oasis
They say not to mix business with family. And there has never been a greater example of that than with Oasis. The feud between Liam and Noel Gallagher was legendary from the start, and eventually led to their breakup in 2009. In fact, only minutes before the band was set to take the stage at the Rock en Seine festival near Paris, the two siblings engaged in a violent backstage fight that reportedly involved Liam smashing his older brother’s guitar. It was the second reported violent incident surrounding the brothers (years earlier Liam supposedly hit Noel over the head with a tambourine). Noel drove off and the band’s manager went on stage and canceled the show, saying Oasis “does not exist anymore.” Two hours later a message from Noel appeared on the band’s website reading, “I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.” The two haven’t seen each other since.
Guns N’ Roses
They were one of the biggest bands of the 80s, coming right out the gate with one of the best debut albums of all time, but that all came crumbling down. Why you ask? It seems frontman Axl Rose is incredibly difficult to work with. In fact, the legendary singer has somehow managed to go through 20 different musicians over his 30-year career.
One of the lowest moments came from a 2009 Spinner interview, when he bashed former, and equally iconic bandmate, Slash. “I consider Slash a cancer and better removed, avoided,” Rose stated. Those words didn’t sit well with any of the former bandmates, making reconciliation all the more unlikely. They are certainly one of the top bands that hate each other.
The Beach Boys
This California group is known for two things: their iconic harmonies and band drama. Rocked by legal feuds surrounding songwriting credits, royalties and usage of the band’s name, this group spent as much time in court as on stage.
Nowhere did the contention run deeper than between cousins Mike Love and Brian Wilson. In 2012, Love unexpectedly fired Wilson and fellow original members Al Jardine and David Marks after a surprising reunion. “I’m disappointed and can’t understand why [Love] doesn’t want to tour with Al, David and me,” Wilson told CNN when asked about the firing. “We are out here having so much fun. After all, we are the real Beach Boys.” Love continues to tour under the Beach Boys name with a substitute band.
Kings Of Leon
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from compiling this list, it’s this: rock bands composed of brothers are a recipe for a well-publicized feud. From the earliest days of the band’s career, brothers and band members Nathan and Caleb Followill constantly fought. Nathan even once broke Caleb’s arm during a brawl in a recording studio, and there are even rumors that they’ve even tried to stab each other in the past. It’s a wonder the band is still together…for now.
The Kinks
The Kinks are regarded as one of the most influential rock acts of the 1960s. So why are they one of the top bands that hate each other? Because they are equally known for their internal drama.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies have become notorious for their epic blows; However, fighting wasn’t just among the brothers. In 1965, Dave started a fight onstage with drummer Mick Avory, who responded by knocking him out using a cymbal stand. That, and similar episodes, contributed to a four-year ban from playing in the U.S. – and those four years, the era of the British Invasion, were pivotal years. It blew a hole in the Kinks’ career that took decades to repair.
Finally in 1996, Ray reportedly ruined his younger brother’s 50th birthday party by jumping on top of the cake to declare his own genius. Dave has publicly declared his brother “an asshole” and has compared him to toxic poison. They haven’t performed together since the cake incident; however, there are rumors of a reunion in the works.
Ramones
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Sometimes band members just can’t get over personal differences – other times it’s a dispute over a woman. With the Ramones, it was both. Tension between frontman Joey and guitarist Johnny colored much of the Ramones’ career. Joey not only resented Johnny’s staunch Republican beliefs, but was heartbroken when Johnny stole Joey’s girlfriend. He even wrote the song “The KKK Took My Baby Away” in response.
Dee Dee‘s bipolar disorder and repeated relapses into drug addiction also caused significant strains. In 1996, after a tour with the Lollapalooza music festival, they played a farewell concert in Los Angeles and disbanded.
Sadly all of the original members of the Ramones have passed away. It’s a wonder what other amazing music they might have produced had they not been one of the bands that hate each other so much.
