Whores: An Oral Biography of Perry Farrell and Jane’s Addiction

The first biography of Jane’s Addiction who became Godfathers of the Alternative Nation, originated the Lollapalooza festival, and captured the spirit of America at its most decadent. Jane’s Addiction 1988 breakthrough album, Nothing’s Shocking , had a seismic impact on the music scene of the late ‘80s. With a bracing combination of metal, punk, and psychedelica, coupled with lead singer Perry Farrell’s banshee-in-a-wind tunnel vocals, the arrival of Jane’s Addiction put what would soon be co-opted as 'alternative’ on the map. Rising from the depths of Venice Beach’s junkie-surfer demonade, Jane’s Addiction freely mixed the decadent with the innocent, and paved the way for the mainstream success of bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana. After Nothing’s Shocking , Jane’s Addiction released another classic album, Ritual de Lo Habitual (featuring the hit Been Caught Stealing ), founded the Lollapalooza festival, an openly celebrated a bacchanalian lifestyle that blurred all lines of gender and sexuality. Drawn from original interviews with the band (including Farrell and guitarist Dave Navarro), their friends and musical colleagues, Whores will take readers through the early days of the band to their drug-addled breakup and eventual triumphant reunion with the 2003 release of their album Strays .