Recording artists who break up while still ascending are uncommon. The Police, Nirvana and Jane’s Addiction are examples of such acts who had yet to peak but splintered.
The latter was not only improving with each album. Jane’s Addiction is one of the bands who laid the groundwork during the late 1980s, along with The Pixies, Sonic Youth and The Jesus and Mary Chain, for the next wave of rock.
Rock is stereotypically a young man’s game, but Jane’s Addiction singer-songwriter and frontman Perry Farrell was pushing 30 – considered older) in those days – by the time his alt-rock band broke.
“I’m going to go deep here and say songs are a man’s take on life,” Farrell said while calling from his Los Angeles home. “You can write great songs when you have experience. It’s about having something to say. Life experiences give you a viewpoint. A love song written by one’s experience will top any love song written just for commerce.
“I had a lot of life experience by the time Jane’s formed. I came to L.A. as a runaway … I was living on instinct. I got the art (gene) from my mother, and then there were the experiences. I hung around with cats that were seedy and some amazing men, as well. I learned the human condition, and Jane’s songs followed.”
Farrell’s experiences inspired some of Jane’s finest songs, such as “No One’s Leaving,” which is a catchy tale of New York diversity, and the hedonistic epic “Three Days.” And there’s the band’s eponymous hit “Been Caught Stealing.”
Jane’s Addiction, who perform Aug. 9 at BleauLive at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, experienced a wild and at times turbulent initial run from 1986-1991.
However, the original lineup, Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, reunited in 2022 and will be performing live for the first time in 16 years.
Jane‘s Addiction recently released the melodic and powerful “Imminent Redemption,” the first new music from the original band since 1990.
“I hope we record more songs,” Farrell said. “It’s great working with three virtuosos.”
Farrell, 65, has always been one of the more physical frontmen and somehow keeps rolling despite his share of physical issues.
“I have two artificial discs in my neck and arthritis on top of that,” Farrell said. “It’s from all of the headbanging I’ve done in my career.
“Being a frontman in a rock band is similar to being a basketball player. You’re leaping around onstage and singing from your diaphragm. You can run yourself into the ground unless you take care of yourself. I can’t tell you how many bones I’ve broken and how many muscles I’ve torn.”
Farrell practices preventive maintenance. “I swim to loosen up my joints and do yoga,” When you’re 65, you have to take care of yourself.”
Jane‘s Addiction continues to tour despite all of the wear and tear. “We love what we do,” Farrell said. “As long as we continue to enjoy what we do, we’ll continue to do it.”
Love & Rockets is on the bill with Jane’s Addiction in their North American tour.
If You Go
8 p.m. Aug. 9; FontainebleauLasVegas.com
