Jane's Addiction

One of the finest, and most idiosyncratic, bands of the last twenty years, and the first 'alternative' rock band, Jane’s Addiction formed in Los Angeles in 1986 and initially released a live album (recorded at the Roxy in LA) in 1987 as 'XXX', or 'Jane's Addiction', before signing to Warner Brothers and releasing two studio albums : 'Nothings Shocking'(1988), and 'Ritual De Lo Habitual'(1990).

The original lineup was :
Perry Farrell, an eccentric local singer/artist, Dave Navarro, a guitarist fresh from the gothy side of the punk/metal scene, Eric Avery, a bass player harking from the reggae/dub contingent of the California punk world and the very young, very keen Steven Perkins on drums and percussion. Farrell is reputed to have worked closely with the young drummer, pointing him in the direction of the Santarian tribal rhythms that were to become his, and the bands trademark, as he competed with Jimmy Chamberlin from the 'Pumpkins, to lift the crown of 'the best rock drummer in the world' from the place where Stewart Copeland had dropped it. Together with Dave Navarro's cathartic soaring lead/delicately textured/ultra heavy guitar playing and Eric Avery's superb use of space, counterpoint, rhythm and melody for his bass parts, they formed the backdrop to Perry's multi layered technicolour vocal that switched from the most ethereal of breaths to the blare of a klaxxon. Jane's Addiction managed to create a jammed out musical chemistry that was, and is still, unsurpassed.

Live, they were legendary, a journey and also an unstoppable force of nature. Always outsiders feeling more alienated by the minute by the conservative US entertainment industry, and by their own label, their anger built up, as did their drug use,and the spirit of fun and irreverance that threaded through their earlier shows made way for the intense power, rage and beauty of the 'Ritual..' live shows. The adrenaline rush of this death or glory phase was always going to have an end, and eventually Jane's Addiction burned out and imploded, splitting in 1992 after protracted infighting, including a notorious onstage punch-up between Farrell and Navarro during the first Lollapalooza Festival Tour.

Perry Farrell, after creating the Lollapalooza touring Festival/Fair/Circus in the first place (with the aid of Jane's Addiction's tour manager,Ted Gardner) went on to be it's creative director for a number of years and, with Steven Perkins (who also featured on Nine Inch Nails 'Downward Spiral') formed Porno For Pyros in 1992, with Peter Stefano and Martyn LeNoble from Thelonius Monster. PFP released two studio albums, 'Porno for Pyros(1993), and 'Good God's Urge'(1996).Both bore more than a passing resemblance to the 'lighter' side of Jane's Addiction. PFP headlined the Reading Festival in 1993.
Dave Navarro and Eric Avery went on to form 'Deconstruction', releasing a self titled solo album in 1994, before Navarro went on to join The Red Hot Chili Peppers, recording one album with them ,'One Hot Minute', and playing on Alanis Morissette's hit album, 'Jagged Little Pill', with Flea (who had previously guested, with Angelo Moore from Fishbone as the horn section on 'Nothing's Shocking'.
In 1997 there was a brief reformation tour, featuring Farrell, Navarro and Perkins, and Flea on bass, with Warner Brothers simultaneously releasing a live/outtakes album, 'Kettlewhistle'

Jane's Addiction recently reformed and did some gigs, including a show in the UK. The current line up features original members Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins and new bass player Chris Chaney (formerly with Alanis Morissette and Rob Zombie). A new album is due on 22nd July 2003 to be titled 'Strays, released on Capitol, followed by touring.