Jane's Addiction was an American band, named in reference to Jane Bainter, a (now ex-) heroin addict who was a housemate of the band. The band formed in the late 1980s, dissolved in the early 1990s, and returned in the early 2000s. The band was influenced by punk, gothic rock, metal, funk, hard rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic styles; the lead singer once described the band as a cross between Duke Ellington and Bad Brains.
Formed out of the ashes of frontman Perry Farrell's previous band, Psi-com, Jane's Addiction are often compared to iconic '70s rockers Led Zeppelin. In the summer of 1985, Farrell was searching for a new bass player for the faltering Psi-com when he was introduced to Eric Avery. Although Farrell and Avery worked well together, Psi-com disbanded before they managed to play live with their new bassist. Later, Eric's sister introduced the duo to Stephen Perkins. Following this fortuitous introduction, Perkins suggested his friend (and Dizastre bandmate) Dave Navarro might be a suitable guitar player for the new band, dubbed "Jane's Addiction" in honor of Farrell's housemate, Jane Bainter. With this lineup, the band released three albums: Jane's Addiction, Nothing's Shocking, and Ritual de lo Habitual.
Though the band had only released two studio albums and one live (Jane's Addiction), their effect on the rock and alternative music scenes was enormous. They became the poster children for a new wave of artful and thoughtful rockers who were eschewing the confinements of commercial rock music and stretching to express themselves both musically and theatrically. In their hey-day, Farrell created Lollapalooza, the alternative rock festival that revolutionized the North American concert promotion world by bringing together an ecclectic mix of musicians, exhibitors, and attractions for a high energy weekend of music and alternative lifestyles.
