Top 10 Bands that Have Fired One or More of Their Members

It's not easy being in a band. There can be many disagreements among bandmates, drug habits can get out of hand, and creative differences can arise. Sometimes, these issues even lead to a band member getting fired!

Here are some famous rock and metal bands that have fired one or more of their musicians.

The Top Ten

  1. Black Sabbath

    Black Sabbath were a heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1968 by guitarist and songwriter Tony Iommi, singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. Their self-titled debut album received mixed reviews, but they quickly gained a strong following... read more

    Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath due to his serious drug addictions beginning to affect his singing.

  2. The Rolling Stones

    The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Their first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar and harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals and harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar), Bill Wyman (bass), and Charlie Watts (drums), while Ian Stewart continued working with the... read more

    Guitarist Brian Jones was fired in 1969 because of (again) drug use. He never kicked his drug habit and tragically died a month later.

  3. Van Halen

    Van Halen was an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. From 1974 until 1985, the band's lineup consisted of guitarist Eddie Van Halen, vocalist David Lee Roth, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.... read more

    Bassist Michael Anthony was fired for unknown reasons. He was replaced by Eddie Van Halen's then-16-year-old son Wolfgang.

  4. Slayer

    Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood and are considered one of the Big Four of thrash metal, along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax.... read more

    Drummer Dave Lombardo was kicked out of Slayer, much to the disappointment of fans, after it was rumored that he had started claiming the band's management was stealing money from the band.

  5. AC/DC

    AC/DC is an Australian hard rock band founded in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Bon Scott was the lead singer from 1974 until his death from acute alcohol poisoning in 1980. He was succeeded by Brian Johnson.... read more

    Yes, AC/DC had a lead singer before Bon Scott. His name was Dave Evans, and he was fired because the band thought he was "too glam."

  6. Metallica

    Metallica is an American heavy and thrash metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup included James Hetfield (vocals and rhythm guitar), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), and Ron McGovney (bass). They first gained mainstream fame with their 1991 self-titled album (The Black Album... read more

    A lot of Megadeth fans say they don't understand why Metallica is more popular. Honestly, I think it's surprising that Megadeth got as big as they did. Getting fired from a previous band doesn't sound like a very promising start.

    Infamously fired their original lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine (who later found fame with Megadeth), for being a drunk and having anger issues.

    Funny is that if they had never kicked out Dave, Megadeth wouldn't have existed.

  7. Guns N' Roses

    Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1985. The classic lineup, signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. In addition to hard rock, they are also... read more

    They fired (or kicked out) drummer Steven Adler because his heroin addiction was starting to interfere with his playing. Axl also kept firing his hired musicians during the recording of Chinese Democracy.

  8. Hawkwind

    Hawkwind are an English rock band and one of the earliest groups associated with the space rock genre. Formed in November 1969, the band has undergone many lineup changes throughout its history. They have incorporated a variety of styles into their music, including hard rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic... read more

    Before hitting it big with Motörhead, Lemmy Kilmister was the lead singer of a progressive rock band called Hawkwind. He was booted out after he was charged with possession of drugs.

  9. Iron Maiden

    Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Their most critically acclaimed period is widely considered to be from 1983 to 1989, during which they released landmark albums such as Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere... read more

  10. Slipknot

    Slipknot is an American metal band that formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1996. They're recognized as a key force in the New Wave of American Alternative Metal from the late 1990s through the 2000s. The band is also known for their black and red jumpsuits and horror-inspired masks... read more

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Breaking Benjamin

    Breaking Benjamin is an American alternative metal band formed in 1999. Vocalist Benjamin Burnley has remained the only constant member of the group. The band's former lineup included musicians such as Chad Szeliga on drums, Aaron Fink on guitar, and Mark Klepaski on bass.... read more

    Benjamin Burnley, the lead singer, fired all of the original members in 2011. Due to a lawsuit he filed, accusing them of releasing a remix of Blow Me Away with Valora for their greatest hits album - which Burnley didn't agree to and didn't appreciate - Breaking Benjamin demos and b-sides were released on that 2011 greatest hits album. The lawsuit was settled in 2013 when Benjamin won and maintained the rights to his band. New members were added in 2013 to replace the old ones.

    Benjamin was against the idea of a greatest hits album during the early 2010s and wanted a hiatus from the band at the time.

  12. ?

    Mushroomhead

    Mushroomhead is an American nu metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in the Cleveland Warehouse District, the band is known for their avant-garde sound, which combines heavy metal, art rock, and electro-industrial influences. They are also recognized for their elaborate masks, costumes, and... read more

    13. The Contenders

  13. Trivium

    Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. The band's most consistent members are frontman Matt Heafy, lead guitarist Corey Beaulieu, and bassist Paulo Gregoletto, all of whom have appeared on every album since joining... read more

  14. Disturbed

    Disturbed is an American alternative metal, nu-metal, and hard rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The band consists of vocalist David Draiman, bassist John Moyer, guitarist Dan Donegan, and drummer Mike Wengren... read more

  15. Mötley Crüe

    Mötley Crüe is an American metal band formed in Los Angeles, California on January 17, 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, along with lead vocalist Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars. They are known for their hedonistic lifestyle and iconic albums such as Dr... read more

    In the 90s, they fired their original lead singer Vince Neil and replaced him with John Corabi. Fans weren't too happy about it, and the band soon rehired Vince after only one album with Corabi.

  16. Styx

    Styx is an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972 and became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are known for their combination of hard rock guitar, acoustic guitar, synthesizers, and powerful ballads. Notable albums include The Grand Illusion and Pieces... read more

    Singer Dennis DeYoung was booted out due to health problems.

  17. Alice in Chains

    Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The band's most notable hits include "Man in the Box," "Down in a Hole," "Heaven Beside You," "No Excuses," "What the... read more

  18. Korn

    Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, along with Ray Luzier, who replaced original drummer David Silveria in 2007. Korn... read more

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