Sometimes a band needs to break up. These bands are, at times, hanging on by a thread, and their music is suffering for it. Then, other times, it seems pointless that a band goes its separate ways. Below, find three rock musicians who either left their bands or were fired from them for decidedly crazy or wild reasons.
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Joe Perry – Aerosmith
Aerosmith did, quite literally, cry over spilled milk before Joe Perry decided to leave the band. Like many rock bands before them and after them, tension began to rise within the group both creatively and personally. By 1979, tensions had reached an all-time high. It didn’t take much to push them over the edge.
Reportedly, Perry decided to walk away from the band after a backstage argument between his wife, Elyssa, and Steven Tyler. She apparently threw milk around the dressing room, which all but got Perry fired. In the end, he left on his own terms and decided to put Aerosmith on hold for the time being. It seems a little silly from the outside looking in to let something so small end your run with a legendary rock group. However, it’s impossible to understand the kind of stress Perry was under at the time, which led to such a monumental decision.
[RELATED: How Keith Richards’ Clever Guitar Trick Helped Aerosmith Create This Iconic Guitar Riff]
Don Felder – Eagles
Next on our list of rock musicians who left bands is Don Felder. The music business is indeed a business. As much as bands would like to say they are only in it for the creativity of it, once you get accustomed to a particular lifestyle, it becomes paramount that you keep it up.
Money was the main issue with Felder and the rest of his Eagles bandmates during their reunion live album, Hell Freezes Over. Felder’s contract included less money than his counterparts. He spoke up about the slight and was ultimately let go when he refused to sign the agreement. Given his bandmates‘ success as solo artists, which led to their increased pay, many fans think Felder’s decision to hold out on his contract wasn’t a prudent one.
Richard Wright – Pink Floyd
While some band members inevitably receive more recognition than others, a sound is established by everyone on stage or in the studio. Remove one element, and the whole thing can be thrown off. That’s why some fans shudder at the decision to fire Richard Wright from Pink Floyd.
Pink Floyd was working on The Wall when Wright was let go by Roger Waters. The recording process was harrowing, with Waters being nitpicky about every note. According to Waters, Wright wasn’t putting in the work, and his playing wasn’t meeting his expectations. He got demoted to a salaried musician. While some Pink Floyd listeners agree with Waters’ decision, others believe the band’s sound faltered slightly without this key element. At whatever rate, it isn’t great for fans when our favorite bands can’t just get along for the sake of their craft.
(Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images)
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