Great piece, Kevin. Epic rock! I love this album. I saw them in Austin at the now shuttered Back Room on January 13th 1989. It also happened to be .25 cent Old Milwaukee night. Let’s just say it’s the only show that I danced topless! It was not a pretty sight but what a fantastic performance by JA.
So many of my contemporaries really liked Jane's Addiction, and they were sort of the unacknowledged progenitors of grunge (dumb name, but it stuck, so whatever). I was WAY into Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, etc - but Jane's Addiction just wasn't my style. I don't mean to be Buzz Killington today, because I think they still contributed a lot to what music started becoming in the 90s, and they have very well written songs; it's just not my style.
Dude. I worked at a ski resort in Washington state right after this album came out. One morning at the beginning of the season the house me and a bunch of fellow snowboarders were renting (probably illegally, it turned out) burned down. My snowboard, my yellow “all weather” Walkman with this tape inside and a few clothes were in my friend’s car. These were now all my material possessions. No place to buy music (and no money to do so) up in the mountains so I listened to this tape over and over. AND I TOO would drop in to “Ocean Size” from the mountaintop every afternoon after my cafeteria shift. To this day if I hear that song I smell snow.
Just remembered a Jane’s, Primus, Pixies show my Eugene pals and I drove to in Seattle. I had been to a Dead show in Eugene with a couple of these same folks awhile before this show and I remember our conversation at the time about some Dead-like guitar from both Navarro and the Primus guitarist.
Nothing's Shocking was the major label debut but the self-titled release came out on Triple X Records a year earlier. The demo was recorded at Radio Tokyo where the Minutemen did so much great work. When I was in the Navy I saw Janes Addiction open for Love and Rockets in San Diego in 87 and have fond memories of listening to the tape on the flight deck during sunset. I was shocked the first time I saw "Nothing's Shocking" on MTV.
I saw that same tour! But in San Jose - quite possibly the day before or after you. I remember thinking they blew L&R off the stage. I had never heard of them at the time but became a huge fan right after.
I didn't know this record, but can't believe it was released in 1988 (the same year I was born, in fact!). I love records that can defy time, regardless of genre. Thanks for this!
Like Jim Ruland, I also saw JA on their first tour opening for Love and Rockets. It was fantastic. I was all about drums (still am) and was mesmerized by Stephen Perkins tribal/punk percussive style.
I had the great privilege to get to jam with Stephen (and a few other musicians) around 1990, playing congas at a studio in the San Fernando Valley somewhere. I didn't even know it was him until my buddy (a guitarist who invited me to the jam) told me an hour later! He was super friendly and exuded zero cocky rock-star vibes.
I have such fond memories of this album from my junior year of college. I lived on the second floor of a two-story apartment building with seven of my fraternity brothers. Every Thursday night we would get a couple of cases of cheap beer and play the card/drinking game President (also known as Asshole in some circles). To kick off the night, we would always play this album from beginning to end as we jockeyed for position to become El Presidente. Just a really fun time with good friends and great music!
I love it! We called Asshole in my part of the world, and we played far too often for our own good. Pretty sure this comment just gave me a hangover. lol.
This is another black hole in my musical background. I came to Jane’s Addiction really through Porno for Pyros and a couple songs off the second album (“Been Caught Stealing” comes to mind). Listened to Nothing’s Shocking today and I loved it. Disappointed that I missed out on it back in the day but excited for more new (to me) music!!
Yeah great music is great music regardless of when I end up learning about it! Two of my favorite non-2023 albums I listened to this year are from 1963 and 1975
Ray Price’s 1963 “Night Life” (from the Listening Sessions Substack in June) and Head East’s 1975 “Flat As A Pancake” (from Brad Kyle’s FR&B Substack in July)
Great piece, Kevin. Epic rock! I love this album. I saw them in Austin at the now shuttered Back Room on January 13th 1989. It also happened to be .25 cent Old Milwaukee night. Let’s just say it’s the only show that I danced topless! It was not a pretty sight but what a fantastic performance by JA.
Lol. .25 cent beer and a good show is a recipe for adventure.
So many of my contemporaries really liked Jane's Addiction, and they were sort of the unacknowledged progenitors of grunge (dumb name, but it stuck, so whatever). I was WAY into Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, etc - but Jane's Addiction just wasn't my style. I don't mean to be Buzz Killington today, because I think they still contributed a lot to what music started becoming in the 90s, and they have very well written songs; it's just not my style.
Nothing wrong with that!
Dude. I worked at a ski resort in Washington state right after this album came out. One morning at the beginning of the season the house me and a bunch of fellow snowboarders were renting (probably illegally, it turned out) burned down. My snowboard, my yellow “all weather” Walkman with this tape inside and a few clothes were in my friend’s car. These were now all my material possessions. No place to buy music (and no money to do so) up in the mountains so I listened to this tape over and over. AND I TOO would drop in to “Ocean Size” from the mountaintop every afternoon after my cafeteria shift. To this day if I hear that song I smell snow.
That's awesome (the drop in part, not the fire)! What resort? I was always on Mt. Hood.
Steven’s Pass!
Just remembered a Jane’s, Primus, Pixies show my Eugene pals and I drove to in Seattle. I had been to a Dead show in Eugene with a couple of these same folks awhile before this show and I remember our conversation at the time about some Dead-like guitar from both Navarro and the Primus guitarist.
I saw them on that same tour in Portland. It was at the Chiles Center (U of P campus), and was amazing.
Nothing's Shocking was the major label debut but the self-titled release came out on Triple X Records a year earlier. The demo was recorded at Radio Tokyo where the Minutemen did so much great work. When I was in the Navy I saw Janes Addiction open for Love and Rockets in San Diego in 87 and have fond memories of listening to the tape on the flight deck during sunset. I was shocked the first time I saw "Nothing's Shocking" on MTV.
Thank you for the correction/extra info! Listening on the flightdeck must've been amazing (actually, just being on the flightline at all).
It was just the helo deck on our frigate but the one place where I could almost forget my dumb ass was in the Navy
I saw that same tour! But in San Jose - quite possibly the day before or after you. I remember thinking they blew L&R off the stage. I had never heard of them at the time but became a huge fan right after.
Perry was shirtless and wore bicycle shorts with his little friend exposed for much of the show.
I didn't know this record, but can't believe it was released in 1988 (the same year I was born, in fact!). I love records that can defy time, regardless of genre. Thanks for this!
Like Jim Ruland, I also saw JA on their first tour opening for Love and Rockets. It was fantastic. I was all about drums (still am) and was mesmerized by Stephen Perkins tribal/punk percussive style.
I had the great privilege to get to jam with Stephen (and a few other musicians) around 1990, playing congas at a studio in the San Fernando Valley somewhere. I didn't even know it was him until my buddy (a guitarist who invited me to the jam) told me an hour later! He was super friendly and exuded zero cocky rock-star vibes.
Great piece! Loved this record as it seemed so much more exotic compared to the Seattle stuff at the time.
When I was living in LA, I walked past Dave Navarro on La Brea… he was still a tiny dude even with platform combat boots on 😂
Love this album. Love Perry. Loved watching them live. They were probably the first alternative US band I ever really got behind on.
I have such fond memories of this album from my junior year of college. I lived on the second floor of a two-story apartment building with seven of my fraternity brothers. Every Thursday night we would get a couple of cases of cheap beer and play the card/drinking game President (also known as Asshole in some circles). To kick off the night, we would always play this album from beginning to end as we jockeyed for position to become El Presidente. Just a really fun time with good friends and great music!
I love it! We called Asshole in my part of the world, and we played far too often for our own good. Pretty sure this comment just gave me a hangover. lol.
This is another black hole in my musical background. I came to Jane’s Addiction really through Porno for Pyros and a couple songs off the second album (“Been Caught Stealing” comes to mind). Listened to Nothing’s Shocking today and I loved it. Disappointed that I missed out on it back in the day but excited for more new (to me) music!!
Better late than never, right? I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Yeah great music is great music regardless of when I end up learning about it! Two of my favorite non-2023 albums I listened to this year are from 1963 and 1975
Oh nice! Which ones?
Ray Price’s 1963 “Night Life” (from the Listening Sessions Substack in June) and Head East’s 1975 “Flat As A Pancake” (from Brad Kyle’s FR&B Substack in July)