10 Musicians Who Suffered Horrendous Injuries – But Carried On Gigging

Here are 10 musicians who’ve been mummy’s special little soldiers and gone on with the show.

1
Ryan Jarman’s bleeding lip

Ryan Jarman's bleeding lip

Ryan Jarman’s bleeding lip:
Back in the mid-late 2000s, you’d be hard pressed to find a Cribs show that didn’t look like a particularly indie vampire movie. After splitting his lip at an early show, singer Ryan Jarman’s oral injury would invariably burst again within a couple of songs of all-guns-blazing, mic-smashing energy. Robert Pattinson, eat your heart out.

2
Florence’s broken foot

Florence's broken foot

Florence’s broken foot :
Luckily for Flo (and the Eavis’), the singer’s recent broken foot was sustained a good few months before Glastonbury, meaning that we didn’t have a double cancellation on our hands. But if Dave needs some tips for how to gig with only one working leg, then his replacement headliner might be able to offer them up. Main conclusion: a stool is your friend.

3
Julian Casablancas’ dodgy knee

Julian Casablancas’ dodgy knee:
Just when The Strokes were pretty much taking over the universe with debut ‘Is This It’, Julian Casablancas’ dodgy knee almost scuppered their live victories when he was forced to sit down on a chair during their shows. The reason? Some over-active wrestling, apparently.

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4
Killer Mike’s shoulder

Killer Mike’s shoulder:
During a gig at SXSW earlier this year, Killer Mike was left with a damaged shoulder after he gallantly protected fellow Run The Jewels rapper El-P from an onstage attacker. Mike was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and advised to stop the tour, but, like a trouper, declared “Doctor, I’m not leaving the road”. What a guy.

5
Noel Gallagher’s broken ribs

Noel Gallagher’s broken ribs:
Another onstage attack (a worrying theme) left Noel Gallagher injured during an Oasis show in 2008. Noel returned to the stage to finish the gig after a brief pause, but was then sent to hospital with suspected broken ribs.

6
Damon Albarn’s speaker stack incident

Damon Albarn's speaker stack incident

Damon Albarn’s speaker stack incident:
Headlining Glastonbury’s NME stage in 1992, Damon Albarn succumbed to a nasty incident during set-closer ‘Day Upon Day’. Bouncing around the stage, a huge speaker fell directly on the singer’s foot, but Albarn admirably carried hobbling along until the song, and set, finished.

7
Carl Barat’s broken collarbone

Carl Barat's broken collarbone

Carl Barat’s broken collarbone:
During Dirty Pretty Things’ 2006 tour, Carl Barat shattered his collarbone after a particularly heavy night following a festival show in Tapei. The Paddingtons’ Josh Hubbard was recruited to play guitar for the rest of the tour, but Barat still sang with his arm in a sling for much of it.

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8
Pete Doherty’s bloody chest

Pete Doherty's bloody chest

Pete Doherty’s bloody chest:
During a particularly highly-charged gig at London’s Brixton Academy in August 2004, Pete Doherty went offstage only to emerge again with his chest cut and covered in blood. He proceeded to carry on with, somewhat ironically, ‘The Good Old Days’, admitting, “Sorry about that, I had a bit of a strop”.

9
Alice Glass’s broken ankle

Alice Glass’s broken ankle:
Meanwhile, Crystal Castles headlined the 2011 Shockwaves NME Tour while singer Alice Glass had a broken ankle in a full walking brace. Waving a crutch around like a weapon, it would have taken a lot more to put the wild-eyed Canadian out of action.

10
Jamie Reynolds of Klaxons’ broken leg

Jamie Reynolds of Klaxons' broken leg

Jamie Reynolds of Klaxons’ broken leg:
After breaking his leg in France, Klaxons man Jamie Reynolds was forced to wear a cast for a good while after. The show must go on, however, and after a few cancelled dates, the singer gamely got back on stage, cast and all, to get back on the job.

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