Electricity was crackling from Perry Farrell’s eyelids but all the old Jane fans could muster was a foot tap.
Jane’s Addiction very kindly came to Brixton in 2014 and did their album Nothing’s Shocking back to back. It was packed with 40 somethings who stood around and nodded into their beers. Even better live, Nothing’s Shocking has big guitar moments, sweeping soundscapes and a frankness. Electricity was crackling from Perry Farrell’s eyelids but all the old Jane fans could muster was a foot tap. Jane fans are tired but Perry Farrell known for his shamen wizardry on stage became an eagle then a giraffe then a mouse with all the playfulness of a 10 year old boy. He creeps about the stage and discovers all the nooks and crannies with his screeching beak. Jane’s Addiction are Led Zeppelin through a dirty kaleidoscopic. An uplifting and disturbing sound. I can’t sing you a single song. They are hard to emulate. But I love their sound. I asked my mum to send me my Jane’s Addiction CDs when I moved to the UK and she foolishly had a listen to Nothing’s Shocking before sending. “Ben that’s the worst music I’ve ever heard” she said. Nothing’s Shocking hated by mums. Check.