Synopsis
An oral history of the ground-breaking psych-punk-metal band Jane's Addiction, WHORES recounts the rise and fall of the outfit that perhaps best symbolized the decadence of early-1990s Los Angeles. Formed in the mid-'80s in the ashes of L.A.'s
glam and punk scene, the band blended an affinity for Led Zeppelin with elements of British '80s acts Bauhaus and Joy Division. They were also an inspiration for the Seattle grunge scene that spawned bands like Mother Love Bone and Soundgarden. As evidenced by WHORES' many contributors, Jane's Addiction combined their musical influences with an astonishing variety of chemical stimuli, with at first spectacular and then chaotic results. But though albums like their 1988 major-label debut, NOTHING'S SHOCKING, and 1990's RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL ensured the band's status as pioneers of '90s alternative rock, feuds--particularly between mercurial singer Perry Farrell and the band's equally volatile guitarist, Dave Navarro--over publishing royalties, as well as spiraling drug habits, guaranteed its downfall. With testimony from band associates, girlfriends, fellow drug addicts, and music scene figures (author Brendan Mullen was a high-profile L.A. club owner), WHORES is an illuminating history both of an influential band and of the L.A. music scene that nurtured it.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2005-04-06 |
| Size | | Length: | 324 pages | | Height: | 9.0 in | | Width: | 6.0 in | | Thickness: | 1.0 in | | Weight: | 20.0 oz |
Publisher's Note
The first biography of Jane's Addiction who became Godfathers of the Alternative Nation, originated the Lollapalooza festival, and captured the spirit of Los Angeles at its most decadent.Jane's Addiction's 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-windtunnel 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 the 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, and 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. Along the way, providing a candid, sometimes disturbing glimpse into the dynamic alternative rock scene of Los Angeles in the '80s and '90s.
Industry Reviews
"Mullen...assembles an unflinching portrait of the band that brought metallic punk rock to the mainstream, opened the door for grunge and helped spawn the traveling rock freak show, Lollapalooza."
Publishers Weekly (03/14/2005)
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