| Porno for Pyros | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Years active | 1992–1998 2009 |
| Labels | Warner Bros. Records |
| Associated acts | Jane's Addiction Banyan Class of '99 |
| Past members | |
| Perry Farrell Stephen Perkins Peter DiStefano Martyn LeNoble Mike Watt |
|
Porno for Pyros was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992, following the initial break-up of Jane's Addiction. The band comprised former Jane's Addiction members Perry Farrell (vocals) and Stephen Perkins (drums), alongside Peter DiStefano (guitar) and Martyn LeNoble (bass).[1]
The band released two studio albums, Porno for Pyros (1993) and Good God's Urge (1996), before parting ways in 1998, after guitarist Peter DiStefano was diagnosed with cancer.
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Following the demise of the critically and commercially successful Jane's Addiction, frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros after acquiring guitarist Peter DiStefano and bass player Martyn LeNoble. Farrell named the band after viewing an ad for fireworks in a pornographic magazine.[2] The name has also been connected through song lyrics to the LA riots which occurred in the band's hometown around the time of Porno for Pyros inception.[3] Prior to releasing their eponymous first album, Porno for Pyros embarked on a nationwide tour to support the new band. By the time the band's debut album was released in 1993, anticipation surrounding the project was enough to briefly drive the album to the #3 position on the Billboard top 200 list. Reaction to the album was mixed, with some fans ecstatic and others disappointed. The video for the album's first single, "Pets," received heavy airplay on MTV. Following the album's release, Porno for Pyros continued a heavy touring schedule, including an appearance at Woodstock 94 along with a cameo on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show. Unlike the relatively straight-ahead rock shows that were the hallmark of live Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros live shows relied heavily on props, extras[4] and special effects (including, but not limited to, pyrotechnics).
For the band's follow-up album, Good God's Urge, bass player LeNoble quit after completing the majority of the bass tracks. Ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt was brought in to finish up the album tracks[5] and join the band on tour.[6] The album also featured the post-Jane's reunion of Farrell with guitarist Dave Navarro, who made a guest appearance on "Freeway," along with Red Hot Chili Peppers' bass player Flea.[7] The band again set forth on a heavy touring schedule. On several tour stops Porno for Pyros played "Mountain Song," a popular Jane's Addiction tune, and was a foreshadowing of the later Jane's Addiction reunion efforts. Further touring by the band was scuttled when DiStefano was diagnosed with cancer.[8]
Perkins and Watt subsequently formed the jazz-punk improvisation group Banyan[9] and, along with DiStefano, occasionally perform sets of Stooges cover versions in the Los Angeles area under the band name Hellride.[10]
The Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros book Whores (by Brendan Mullen) states that a third Porno for Pyros album was penned but never recorded.
In April 2009, the original lineup of Farrell, Perkins, DiStefano, and LeNoble performed at Farrell's 50th birthday party.[11] Two years later, in April 2011, Farrell wrote on his official Twitter account: "One day, more Porno For Pyros,"[12] suggesting that the band will reunite in the future.
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. Airplay | U.S. Modern | U.S. Mainstream | |||
| 1993 | "Pets" | 67 | 67 | 1 | 25 | Porno for Pyros |
| "Cursed Female" | — | — | 3 | — | ||
| 1994 | "Sadness" | — | 40 | 40 | — | |
| 1996 | "Tahitian Moon" | — | 46 | 8 | — | Good God's Urge |
| 1997 | "Hard Charger" | — | — | 23 | — | Private Parts |
| "—" denotes singles that did not chart. | ||||||
| Date | Title | Director(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1993 | "Cursed Female" | Melodie McDaniel | Prod co: Palomar Pictures; DP: Wyatt Troll (16 mm) |
| Jun 1993 | "Pets" | Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris | Producer: Bart Lipton; DP: Christophe Lanzenberg |
| Nov 1993 | "Sadness" | John Lindauer | Prod co: Chelsea Pictures; Producers: John Oetjen, Chris Wagoner, Keith Milton; DP: Eric Engler; Stylist: Kristine Miller; based on the performance art piece Four Scenes in a Harsh Life by Ron Athey (concept, co-director & featured actor) |
| May 1996 | "Tahitian Moon" | John Linson & Perry Farrell | Filmed in Tahiti. |
| Oct 1996 | "100 Ways" | Andrew Dosunmu (as Rusty James) | Prod co: Propaganda Films |
| Feb 1997 | "Hard Charger" | Liz Friedlander (as Alan Smithee) & Geoff Nelson | Prod co: DNA; Producer: Pete Chambers; Stylist: Gretchen Patch |