Some were released decades after they were first written
Like family, band members have different personalities, and some do clash. Being in a band is not just about creating and playing music together. While it can indeed be a fierce creative force—a group that stands together with a common purpose—a band is also about relationships, and sometimes things just don't work out. As Aerosmith's Joe Perry once famously said to Steven Tyler: "Just because we're in a band together doesn't mean we have to be friends." And he was probably right.
Click through the following gallery and get to know the bandmates who couldn't stand each other.
The late Liam Payne appeared on Logan Paul's podcast in May 2022 and revealed his true feelings about his ex-bandmate, Zayn Malik. Malik left One Direction in 2015, shortly before the group decided to go on hiatus and pursue solo careers. In 2022, Malik split from his longtime girlfriend Gigi Hadid after an altercation where he allegedly pushed her mother into a dresser. Payne told Logan that there are "many reasons why I dislike Zayn," adding, "I don't agree with any of his actions. I can't commend some of the things that he's done." However, Payne also expressed his support for the troubled singer, saying, "I'll always, always be on his side." He explained that Malik had a difficult upbringing and seemed to be struggling. "Your only hope is that at some point in their life, the person at the other end of the phone wants to receive the help that you're willing to give them," he finished.
Payne also revealed that an unnamed bandmate once instigated a physical confrontation backstage and threw him up against a wall. According to Payne, this wasn't the only occasion that the boys came close to a fistfight.
Sibling rivalry is real, but Liam and Noel Gallagher took things to a whole different level of animosity. They argued constantly, on and off stage, until they went their separate ways. But now, in an exciting turn of events, the Gallagher brothers have put their differences aside and are reuniting for a world tour.
From sacking its original drummer Steven Adler, to core member Izzy Stradlin leaving the band, GNR is no stranger to drama. But there's a particular feud that dictated the end: between Axl Rose and Slash.
The band became big in the late '80s and then huge in the '90s. And so did Axl's antics, such as showing up ridiculously late to shows. Tensions grew within the band and it was soon the end. Though against all odds, Guns N' Roses reunited in 2016.
The iconic English punk rock band reunited in 1996, almost two decades after Johnny Rotten decided to call it quits. But the previous animosity between bandmates continued. "We still hate each other with a vengeance, but we've found a common cause, and that's your money," he said in a press conference.
The Pistols' frontman didn't even spare the late band member Sid Vicious. "Sid was nothing more than an empty coat hanger to fill an empty spot on stage," he said.
The alternative rock band has had its fair share of drama, with the death of a keyboard player, overdoses, and band members leaving and coming back again.
But according to frontman Billy Corgan, the band's guitarist is to blame. "The truth of the matter is that guitarist James Iha broke up the Smashing Pumpkins. Not me, not drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, but James. Did it help that bassist D'arcy Wretzky was fired for being a mean-spirited drug addict, who refused to get help? No, that didn't help keep the band together, not at all."
Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, AKA the "Toxic Twins" have an amazing musical chemistry, but they're such polar opposite personalities that they've had a love/hate relationship over the years.
Siblings argue, and Ray and Dave Davies are no exception. "Ray sucks me dry of ideas, emotions, and creativity," said Dave.
Growing tensions between David Gilmour and Roger Waters dictated the end of the band (and the beginning of a couple of lawsuits too).
There were no such thing as "good vibrations" in the band, especially between Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
As bassist Peter Hook puts it: "Anyone watching it would think, 'Oh my god look at them, they've got everything. They've got success, they're feted, what a wonderful world' and yet really we hated each other."
Hook, who quit the band, went as far as taking the band to court over a money dispute.
The electric front men Pete Doherty and Carl Barât had a love/hate relationship. At one point Doherty even burgled his bandmate's apartment after he was kicked out of the band!
Frontman Steve Perry left, but Journey continued to struggle with the band's musical direction. In 2017, Perry was present when the band was inducted into the Hall of Fame, but they still performed without him. Ouch!
There was always tension between Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth. So much so, that even years later he accused the singer of being childish. "Roth's perception of himself is different than who he is in reality. We're not in our 20s anymore. We're in our 60s. Act like you're 60," the late guitarist said.
Original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss left the band in the '80s, due to clashes with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Many nasty words have been exchanged between them, with Stanley even accusing them of being racist.
Guitarist Tom DeLonge didn't seem to get along with Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus. He left in 2005 and returned in 2009, but their relationship was doomed. In 2015 the band continued without DeLonge. Their beef was apparently put aside in 2023, when the trio reunited for their World Tour 2023/2024. Truce, or marketing stunt?
Family and alcohol should only mix on special occasions. Make it a constant, in a band setting, and things start to deteriorate. Frontman Caleb Followill really ticked off his brothers and cousin with his habit.
They hung on for about 20 years until it all went pear-shaped real quick. Reportedly, Don showed up drunk to a show, and after screwing up the lyrics, Phil smashed a guitar on his head and walked off stage. They briefly reunited in the '80s, but they remained mostly estranged.
Two former Metallica members were alienated, and somehow ostracized, by the rest of the band. The first one being guitarist Dave Mustaine, who was sacked. He went on to form Megadeth, so maybe it was a good thing in the end.
And the second was Jason Newsted. After the tragic death of bassist Cliff Burton, Newsted had big shoes to fill. The band was grieving and he inadvertently paid for it.
Their famous song 'The KKK Took My Baby Away' is about guitarist Johnny Ramone stealing singer Joey Ramone's girlfriend. That says something about the relationship between the two, right?
Art Garfunkel still blames Paul Simon for breaking up the duo. The two couldn't even agree on the songs being released as part of the album 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.' Any subsequent reunions never really lasted long.
The influential alternative rock band had two band members in constant tension with each other: frontman Black Francis and bassist Kim Deal. They played together, and that was as far as their relationship went.
Frontman Zack de la Rocha left the band in 2000. He said the band's "decision-making process has completely failed," and that, "It is no longer meeting the aspirations of all four of us collectively as a band, and from my perspective, has undermined our artistic and political ideal."
RATM actually reunited for a world tour in 2022, but sadly they never made it out of the US because Zack de la Rocha injured his leg during a show in Chicago.
By the end of their career, the English rockers were struggling to find a musical direction, with each member pulling into a different genre. Mick Jones and Joe Strummer were barely talking by the time the band split.
The changing lineup proved how toxic things were in the band. In their final show, band members were actually threatening each other on mic.
If Sting comes across as a bit of a control freak, that's because he probably is. At least, according to his bandmates. The frontman eventually called it quits in 1984.
"It wasn't my intention to punish Stewart and Andy in any way. I was following my instincts," said Sting about him pulling the plug.
According to frontman Geoff Tate, the band told his wife she would no longer be managing them. "We went to do the show, Scott [Rockenfield] looks at me and he smirks and says, 'We just fired your whole family, and you're next.' I just lost it. I tried to punch him. I don't think I landed a punch before somebody grabbed me and hauled me to the side," he told Rolling Stone.
Though the band refutes Tate's account of events and and claims the frontman's attack was unprovoked.
Sources: (Rolling Stone) (Grunge) (Tone Deaf)
Bandmates who hated each other
Some of these musicians still can't stand each other
MUSIC Bands
Like family, band members have different personalities, and some do clash. Being in a band is not just about creating and playing music together. While it can indeed be a fierce creative force—a group that stands together with a common purpose—a band is also about relationships, and sometimes things just don't work out. As Aerosmith's Joe Perry once famously said to Steven Tyler: "Just because we're in a band together doesn't mean we have to be friends." And he was probably right.
Click through the following gallery and get to know the bandmates who couldn't stand each other.