Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell says he wanted their debut release to be a live album so fans could hear them at their most honest and innocent.
In a discussion with Smashing Pumpkins mainman Billy Corgan as part of Live Nation's 1:1 interview series, Farrell revealed that making the band's self-titled 1987 debut a live record was a condition of them signing with Warner's.
He says: "The first record I ever wanted people to hear from us was a live record. We were already signed with Warner Brothers and I told them I would only sign if we could first put out a live record.
"The idea being, I don't know if they'll ever get to hear us as raw and as energised as we are right now. I wanted them to hear us and know of us in our most honest, innocent...you know, when I say poorest I say it in the most beautiful sense.
"We didn’t have anything. We didn’t have anything to lose at the same time, and I wanted to capture that before anybody could ruin that.”
Corgan was surprised by the revelation, saying he assumed the decision was taken for practical reasons.
He says: “I didn’t know that. I always thought you guys did it because it was a sort of quicker and easier way to make a record. I didn’t know that you’d asked for that.”
Jane's Addiction and Smashing Pumpkins are currently on a joint North American tour. The remaining dates can be found below.
Jane's Addiction and Smashing Pumpkins 2022 North American tour
Nov 04: St. Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN
Nov 05: Chicago United Center, IL
Nov 07: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Nov 09: Spokane Arena, WA
Nov 11: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Nov 12: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA
Nov 13: Portland Moda Center, OR
Nov 15: San Francisco Chase Center, CA
Nov 16: Anaheim Honda Center, CA
Nov 18: Phoenix Footprint Center, AZ
Nov 19: Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, CA
