Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Shamanic street preacher

"Every generation gets the Jim Morrison it deserves: Gen X got Perry Farrell." I must confess that I'd never made the connection between The Doors and Janes's Addiction until Jeff Weiss pointed it out in this recent interview feature, but it's certainly an apt parallel to draw. Both were pioneering LA bands who didn't fit with what was around them, fronted by flamboyant and charismatic showmen whose cod mysticism was excused by their sheer stage magnetism.

With Jane's Addiction, Farrell steered a course somewhere between metal, grunge, punk and funk rock. Ritual De Lo Habitual is an incredible album, and Nothing's Shocking isn't far behind. Just as well, really, so Farrell can be forgiven for saying stuff like this: "I feel a tremendous responsibility to carry on the great shamanic spirit of Los Angeles. I want to show that we speak truth, we are courageous, we are fearless and we are heavy. We dive deep into the inter-dimensions of our own hearts to try to extract the truth and then put it out into the world." Don't ever change, Perry.

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