You may find it shocking to learn that Jane’s Addiction and P*rno for Pyros frontman Perry Farrell celebrates his 65th birthday on March 29, 2024. Farrell is best-known for his work with alt-rock veterans Jane’s, as well for being the co-founder of the hugely popular Lollapalooza Festival.
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Farrell’s music career, which now spans more than 40 years, is packed with interesting highlights that encompass a wide range of projects. Here’s a look at five fascinating facts about Farrell and his musical endeavors:
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Farrell’s Musical Journey Began 3,000 Miles from L.A.
While Jane’s Addition emerged from the Los Angeles music scene, Farrell grew up on the East Coast. The singer was born Peretz Bernstein in Queens, New York, and spent his grade school years in the Long Island, New York, suburb of Hempstead. When he was a teenager, his family relocated to North Miami Beach, Florida.
When he was in his late teens, Farrell hopped on a bus to L.A., looking for more adventure in his life. While there, he surfed, smoked pot, and began taking an interest in music, leading to him joining his first band.
Farrell Was in a Goth Rock Group Before Forming Jane’s Addiction
In the early 1980s, Farrell became the frontman for a post-punk, goth-rock band called Psi Com. The group, which was influenced by such bands as Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees, recorded a three-song demo and a five-track EP before breaking up. Around this time, the singer took on the stage name of Perry Farrell, a play on the word “peripheral.”
Farrell’s Bands Have Had Four No. 1 Billboard Modern Rock Chart Hits
Farrell formed Jane’s Addiction in 1985 with guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins, and bassist Eric Avery. The alt-rockers had their breakout hit 1988 with “Jane Says,” from their 1988 debut studio album Nothing’s Shocking.
Jane’s Addiction has scored three No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart—“Stop!” and “Been Caught Stealing,” both from the band’s 1990 sophomore studio album Ritual de lo Habitual; and “Just Because,” from its 2003 third studio effort Strays.
[REPLACED: Josh Klinghoffer to Replace Dave Navarro on Jane’s Addiction 2023 Tour]
After Jane’s Addiction broke up for the first time in 1992, Farrell formed P*rno for Pyros. That grouped also scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks tally with “Pets,” from the band’s 1993 self-titled debut.
Lollapalooza Was Conceived as a Jane’s Addiction Farewell Tour
With Jane’s Addiction planning to break up in the early 1990s, Farrell helped organize a multi-act touring festival that would serve as his group’s farewell trek.
The inaugural Lollapalooza Festival took place in 1991 and ran from mid-July to late August, visiting 20 cities. The touring version of the festival ran through 1997, then was revived for one year in 2003. In 2005, Lollapalooza became an annual multi-day event held at Grant Park in Chicago.
Lollapalooza has expanded internationally to include festivals in Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Berlin, Paris, and Stockholm.
Farrell Is Touring with Both P*rno for Pyros and Jane’s Addiction in 2024
Both Jane’s Addiction and P*rno for Pyros have reunited over the years, with Jane’s being Farrell’s main gig for most of his career.
P*rno for Pyros broke up in 1998, but reunited for a handful of gigs in 2020, 2022, and 2023. This year, the band launched a 17-date farewell tour that ran from February 13 to March 10.
Jane’s Addiction, meanwhile, is gearing up for a European tour that kicks off May 23 at the Bearded Theory Festival in Catton, U.K., and is mapped out through a July 4 performance at the Rock Werchter fest in Belgium.
The band also has one confirmed U.S. gig, on September 28 at the Evolution Festival in St. Louis.
Tickets for Jane’s Addiction shows are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
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