Jane's Addiction
Alternative / Rock
Jane’s Addiction, the band who lit the fuse that started the rock n’ roll revolution of the 90s is back – just when they’re needed most. “STRAYS,” the first all-new Jane’s Addiction collection in more than a decade, is set for release in mid-2003, and it stands as perhaps the band’s most extraordinary expression to date. Rocket-fuelled, as ever, by Perry Farrell’s flamboyant lyricism and guitarist Dave Navarro’s flash virtuosity, and driven by the muscular and ingenious engine room of drummer Stephen Perkins and new kung fu bassist Chris Chaney, “STRAYS” is Jane’s Addiction at the peak of their artistic potency.
“It’s a logical progression from where we left off,” Navarro says. “but at the same time, I think that’s because our music is timeless. That’s always been a key to this band – everything that we do is both reminiscent and futuristic at the same time.”
“You can’t really put your finger on the energy and the sound of this music,” says Perkins of the band’s eternal power. “It’s relevant for yesterday, now, and tomorrow.”
“It’s been a process like making wine,” notes Farrell says of the band’s return. “As a team, we are stronger than ever. The objectives we have to work with are much greater. And there’s a necessity – the world is more desperate, so in a bizarre way, it’s more exciting, and much more challenging.”
Jane’s Addiction exploded onto an unsuspecting world in the mid-1980s, taking the music scene by storm with their larger-than-life amalgam of punk, metal, indie, prog, folk and anything else that struck their fancy. They released a self-titled live album in 1987, followed the next year by the still-influential “NOTHING’S SHOCKING.” 1990’s “RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL” was a full-fledged commercial triumph, striking RIAA platinum certification while spending numerous weeks in the upper reaches of the Billboard 200. What made the album’s success all the more remarkable was the fact that Jane’s Addiction had sacrificed none of their aggression and attitude in order to reach an ever-growing audience. The band called it a day in 1991, celebrating their farewell with an unprecedented North American festival tour – the one and only Lollapalooza.
With the epochal Lollapalooza, Jane’s Addiction left with a bang, not a whimper. And though the band had come to an end, the individual members most certainly did not go quietly into that good night. Rather, they struck a path onto a variety of new musical frontiers – including Farrell and Perkins’ Porno For Pyros, Navarro’s Deconstruction (with bassist Eric Avery), as well as Perkins’ Banyan project and Navarro’s 1993-1997 stint in Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Jane’s suffered a temporary relapse in 1996, when Navarro (and RHCP bassist Flea) joined his former mates in Porno For Pyros to record a song – the awesome “Hard Charger” – for the soundtrack to Howard Stern’s Private Parts. The collaboration proved so fulfilling that Jane’s Addiction officially reunited – with Flea on bass – in the fall of 1997, playing to SRO houses across North America on the “It’z My Party” tour. “KETTLE WHISTLE,” an odds and sods collection of demos, alternate takes, live recordings and two new songs was released in November that same year.
The members continued on with various individual projects – including Banyan’s acclaimed 1999 collection, “ANYTIME AT ALL,” as well as Farrell’s “SONG YET TO BE SUNG” and Navarro’s “TRUST NO ONE” (both released in 2001). In April 2001, Jane’s Addiction decided to reconvene – with Porno For Pyros’ Martyn LeNoble on bass – headlining the 2nd Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, followed in the fall by the Jubilee 2001 Tour of North America. It soon became clear to all involved that Jane’s Addiction V.2 was more than just a traveling greatest hits jukebox – it was an infinitely powerful musical force that demanded further exploration.
The experiences that each member enjoyed throughout their decade apart has enabled Jane’s Addiction to connect on a more personal level than they had ever before. After more than fifteen years, the members were inextricably linked as more than friends, more than bandmates, but as a family.
Truly united towards a common goal, Jane’s entered L.A.’s historic Jim Henson Studios in March 2002 and set about writing new material. Though they had some sense of the intended sound and vision, the band began working on a completely blank canvas.
The band’s not-so-secret weapon for the “STRAYS” sessions was legendary producer Bob Ezrin. Renowned for his work behind the board with such artists as Alice Cooper and Pink Floyd (among others), Ezrin – and his longtime engineer Brian “Gummo” Virtue – brought a wealth of experience and wisdom to the proceedings, enabling Jane’s Addiction to reach a heretofore untouched creative potential.
LeNoble opted out a few months into the sessions, but the bass position was soon filled by Chris Chaney, whom Navarro calls “perhaps the most intense musician I’ve ever worked with.” The bassist – whose resume includes stints alongside artists ranging from Alanis Morissette to Rob Zombie – was an instant fit, quickly becoming part of the band’s extremely collaborative songwriting process.
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