Jane’s Addiction meant everything to me growning up. I listened to their tapes and CD’s constantly. Perry Farrell’s lyrics spoke to me in a way that very little music had up until I discovered Jane’s Addiction. Yesterday, the widely rumored announcement that Lollapalooza would once again grace the city of Chicago was confirmed for August 4-6. This got me thinking about the first time I went to Lollapalooza in 1996. I saw Rancid, Screaming Trees, Metallica, Soundgarden, and the Ramones. I remember the last two like it was yesterday. Soundgarden covered the Doors, Waiting For The Sun and there was something special about the Ramones show. I was to young to really appreciate it, but it means the world to me today that I got a chance to see them live.

Where is this all going? Jane’s Addiction broke up and Lollapalooza started sucking and it ended up stoping as well. There was Perry Farrell’s side project called Porno For Pyros. I never really got into their first album, maybe it’s because that Pets video scared the shit out of me. I did manage to fall in love with Good God’s Urge in 1997, and it’s one of those albums that defines a short period of my life. Were they one of the 1990′s most disappointing bands, probably, but they were always in the shadow of Jane’s Addiction. I very well may be the only person besides my group of friends in high school that liked it, but I loved this album. I hadn’t listened to it in a long time, but I was at my parent’s house and found it amongst some of my old books, and brought it home and threw it on the iPod.

It’s not that the music is so groundbreaking or ahead of it’s time. It’s more that I can put this album on and remember some of my exact steps in the summertime, staying out too late and trying to sneak back into the house, driving around for hours just because we could, and being together with your friends meant everything in the world.

Here are a few songs that I really loved a long time ago:

Porno For Pyros – Tahitian Moon
Porno For Pyros – Kimberly Austin
Porno For Pyros – 100 Ways

for less than $10, or I’m sure you can find multiple copies where you do your used CD shopping.

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It’s my friend Kara’s birthday today. Check out her website and wish her a happy birthday!

Also, do yourself a favor and check out the random writings of my friend Jake.