Formed in 1984 in Los Angeles, California, Jane's Addiction blurred the lines of the LA rock scene. Neither purely glam like Motley Crue, nor dirty hard rock like Guns N' Roses, Jane's Addiction's sound was a hybrid of rock genres ranging from metal and punk to folk and jazz. With their original lineup of eccentric frontman and leader Perry Farrell, bassist Eric Avery, guitarist Dave Navarro, and Stephen Perkins on drums, Jane's Addiction's fresh take on rock 'n' roll generated a great deal of interest from major record labels looking to find the next big thing in LA.
Signed to Warner Bros. in 1988, the band's aggressive and difficult-to-pigeonhole sound did not immediately translate into record sales as the hype and record label courting would have suggested. Jane's Addiction eventually found commercial success in 1990 with the release of Ritual de lo Habitual, which reached the Top 20 and went gold.
With the release of Ritual de lo Habitual, Jane's Addiction embarked on a 13-month tour, which included Farrell's brainchild, a traveling music festival called Lollapalooza. Shortly after the inaugural festival, Jane's Addiction broke up amongst tensions between band members. Farrell and Perkins went on to form the band Porno for Pyros, while Navarro briefly joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Although disbanded in 1991, Jane's Addiction remains relevant both as an influence and as a band that can't stay broken up for long. The group has reunited for several concerts following their original break up. Farrell continues to be involved with Lollapalooza, and the band's core members continue to discuss recording as Jane's Addiction once again.