Re: Runs in Hoses

[Jennifer Sperandeo]

Title: Re: Runs in Hoses

I'll abide by most of your chronology, but you have to remember that Jane's Addiction's hometown support from radio in LA was not mirrored across the whole country (college radio notwithstanding).  The Chili Peppers were probably the biggest draw nationally for Lollapalooza but yes - the whole alternative lifestyle marketing trend that Farrell tapped into with that tour certainly provided a relevant social context that Nevermind slid into nicely .  I'm not denying that there was love for Jane's from the hard-rock camp that ultimately emraced Nirvana, I just don't think that they had the kind of impact on the masses that Guns & Roses did.  

xojns

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>From: "lance davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "passenger side" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: Runs in Hoses
>Date: Mon, Feb 15, 1999, 3:08 PM
>

>>None of the millions of Jarhead-Bubbas who liked Nirvana but never heard
>>Bleach did so because they'd been warmed up by Jane's Addiction.  It was
>>because of Guns and Roses, who hadn't put anything good out for quite a
>>while when Nevermind hit.  Personally I think Jane's Addiction is one of
>the
>>most over-rated bands ever.
>
>>Jennifer
>
>Jennifer, I think we're gonna have to take a trip in the way-back machine.
>Now, lemme see if I have the chronology correct: In 1988, Janes released
>Nothing's Shocking, which was pretty damn popular on college radio and in
>some limited bigger markets. I remember, in fact, KROQ and KNAC both playing
>this album in the LA area that year. In 1990, Jane's blew up with the
>admittedly overrated Ritual album. They went from playing concert venues to
>auditoriums, and I can say from experience that there were plenty of
>Jarhead-Bubbas. The Lollapalooza tour, which also began in '90, was one of
>the few concert tours that made money in that (financially)-depressed
>summer. Once again, the presence of Jarhead-Bubbas was ubiquitous (though,
>thankfully, not the majority).
>
>What Lollapalooza proved was that so-called alternative music (what used to
>be called college music) had a very sizable base of financial opportunity.
>So, when Nirvana REALLY blew up the following year, it was because of a
>combination of musical and cultural factors that, in retrospect, seem kinda
>obvious. One of those factors, though, was GnR's uber-anthemic Use Your
>Illusions 1 and 2, a pair of bloated wanna-be masterpieces which Cobain
>rendered impotent in only four chords time. And God bless em for that.
>
>As for your dismissal of Janes, part of me agrees with you (especially the
>Farrell as genius part). But, the part of me that vividly remembers the sway
>they held in metal, hard rock, punk, funk, and other crossover circles can't
>go with you there. Lollapalooza alone would justify theirs and Farrell's
>impact. Bad or not, and as much a product of their time as they may have,
>indeed, been, Janes Addiction was an historically-important band. Maybe
>they're no Michael Jackson, but they were pretty damn influential.
>
>Lance . . .
>