[kj] A Different Sort of "Gathering" (OT)

[TB]

"Schofield, David" wrote:

> Is there really any difference between Van Halen and
> Jane's Addiction? What's the one thing one has that
> the other doesn't? Dreadlocks. That's it. Jane's
> Addiction were LA Glam rock with dreads.

Never seen (or want to) Van Halen, but was unlucky enough to pay good
money to see Jane's Addiction on the reunion tour a couple of years ago.
It was probably the most disappointing concert I have ever been to. I
also saw Porno for Pyros at some festival or other and they were crap.

Did Perry Farrell lose it overnight in 1992 or so, or was he just
overhyped from the start?

+++++

I can easily see how some people can't stand Perry Farrell (or David Lee 
Roth for that matter). The guy's voice can be really grating and his 
hippy-dippy mannerisms especially onstage can make even a diehard fan wanna 
puke. Still, Jane's Addiction, especially back in the 80's through '91 with 
their original lineup could be an awesome band live. Even their "Relapse" 
tour with the Red Hot Chili Pepper's bassist Flea in the lineup in '97 were 
usually excellent. I will say their shows during 2001 - 2003 could be wildly 
erratic although I was lucky enough to catch a very good performance on New 
Years Eve in Los Angeles just before their last album was released.

Van Halen between 1979 - 1981 live at their peak with Roth put on some of 
the best shows I've seen in almost 30 years of concert-going. In fact, Van 
Halen was the first band I ever saw back in 1977 in a club about a year 
before they released their first album. I've been lucky enough to see both 
Jane's and Van Halen from their club days all the way through their 
respective highs and lows right up to the present and it's pretty sad how 
both bands, especially Van Halen (over the past 10 years especially) have 
completely gone down the toilet.

T.B.