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Home , Lollapalooza

No One’s Leaving by Kevin Raub photography by Ian O’Connor

42 july 15, 2011 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY

Perry Farrell has always been a sonic prophet, possessing an uncanny ability to look into his loopy crystal ball and see the future of music. Such insight was never more evident than with ­Lollapalooza, the traveling tour he conceived as a sound off for one of ’s most influential bands, Jane’s Addiction, in 1991. But here we are 20 years later, and it seems Farrell’s prophesying has gone cold. Back- stage at in (the first time the festival has traveled beyond U.S. borders), Farrell de- cides it’s a good idea to do an interview while hanging out with his two kids, 8-year-old Hezron and 6-year-old Izzadore, inside the festival’s built-in kiddie park, appropriately titled Kidzapalooza. Bad idea.

Within minutes, Farrell is mobbed by a have thought it? Well, Farrell, that’s who. New Orleans and ’s , Latin fan club — an emotional bunch — most The two-day Chilean Lollapalooza in which were inaugurated in 1970 and 1968, of whom are using their kids as ­mediums to April acted as a cultural attaché for the 20th- respectively, and ’s get his attention. It’s mostly good-­hearted, anniversary American counterpart, set for Festival, whose origins date back to 1971. though, as many Chileans want noth- Aug. 5-7 in ’s . Several Prior to Lollapalooza, though, there was no ing more than to tell Farrell “gracias” for South American bands are heading north for Coachella, Bonnaroo or Vans , bringing his pioneering music festival to the Chicago edition, including local favorites all hugely successful festivals that are now the world’s narrowest country. Still, han- Chico Trujillo, Los Bunkers and , firmly planted in the annual U.S. music cal- dlers grow increasingly concerned as the and they will join a wallop of a lineup that endar. Most notable, though, is that before crowd approaches Beatlemania levels, and includes , and Foo Fight- Lollapalooza’s debut in 1991, no music festi- security is called in to restore order. Far- ers. It’s an astonishing feat if you think about val had ever hit the road — packing, unpack- rell and entourage are then whisked away it: These days, what in music lasts 20 years? ing and repacking its stages, merch booths, to the safer confines of the backstage area. Maybe a well-built Fender? Not much else. soundboards and bands — for folks to enjoy Lesson learned. across the country in a variety of cities. A Besides the quick tutorial in mob men- efore the inception of Lolla- festival tour. tality, the irony of the situation is palpable: palooza, American music festivals Lollapalooza was so successful and Farrell, the lead singer of Jane’s Addiction, a B were in a major rut — especially groundbreaking that it quickly became part band that helped to pioneer eccentric sights when compared with those in Eu- of the vernacular: Like friending someone and sounds far outside the mainstream, has rope and Australia. There were some his- or tweeting something, you could “palooza” become a messiah of sorts for the masses. He toric one-off exceptions ( and the anything to signify a no-holds-barred party: is keeping the dream alive in a day and age Altamont Speedway festival, both in 1969, Baby showers became Babypaloozas. Luke where some kids think music is born on an come to mind) and a few scattered annual Wilson’s frat party in Old School became iPod. Twenty years ago today, who would festivals across the country, like Jazz Fest in Mitch-a-Palooza. (Don’t quote me, but I

44 july 15, 2011 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY Clockwise from top left: Snapshots from Lollapalooza Chile: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros; skateboarders on the half-pipe; Jane’s Addiction fans; welcoming signage

wouldn’t be surprised if Bonnaroo’s organiz- … So I came back to him with a long list of you had a record collection, but you just put ers didn’t once consider Bonnaroopalooza.) artists I wanted to tour with, along with the it on this one little turnstile. Now you have Was Farrell crazy? No. It turns out he just idea of having art, hot-air balloons, helicop- this little box you can fill up with lots of dif- wanted to throw Perrypalooza. ters — I think I overreached in those days.” ferent things.” “You have to understand, since the be- Helicopters and hot-air balloons didn’t It was those many different things that ginning of my career as a musician, I have happen, but nonetheless, Lollapalooza was also led Lollapalooza to another ground- always put on my own parties,” Farrell ex- born. The name, an out-of-date idiomatic breaking concept at the time: multiple plains. “The underground [bands] in Los An- term meaning “an extraordinary or unusual stages. ­First, there was just a side stage. geles — they didn’t play on the Sunset Strip thing, person, or event; an exceptional exam- By 1996, there was an indie stage too. In because of the pay-to-play policy that was ple or instance,” which Farrell had heard in a Chicago this August, there will be no fewer rampant at that time. To push back against Three Stooges short film, was as enigmatic than eight stages. “We introduced the idea

“The underground [bands] in Los Angeles — they didn’t play on the Sunset Strip because of the pay-to-play policy … I started to learn how to put on my own shows almost as a defense mechanism to stay alive. I couldn’t afford to pay anybody to play their venue.” that, the underground found venues like as the idea: Let’s hit the road with numerous of a second stage and third stage and fourth lofts, or we would go out to the desert and bands of wildly contrary genres — Ice-T’s stage and fifth stage,” Farrell says. “Before put on shows. So, I started to learn how to Body Count was paired with Siouxsie and that, it was a stage.” put on my own shows almost as a defense the Banshees and in year one It is an excellent metaphor for the growth mechanism to stay alive. I couldn’t afford to — and lug as much culture, art and activism of the festival itself, though the inevitable pay anybody to play their venue. as far as the ride will carry us. That clashing speed bumps began creeping onto the stage. “With Jane’s Addiction, we always put on of genres in that initial lineup — and in every The first came in 1994, when scheduled our own shows,” he continues. “So I had done one since — was essentially a pre-Apple ver- headliners Nirvana pulled out of the festi- these parties before, but now I’m thinking sion of the iPod Shuffle. “All of this predates val just one day before ’s tragic on a much larger scale. Last licks for Jane’s the iPod,” Farrell says. “The iPod was in- suicide. “I was in pretty bad shape myself,” Addiction were in 1991. We had a lot of juice, vented a few years later, and people did start remembers Farrell, referring to his own and we’re riding high. We’d been on the road to collect music and spread out their musical struggles with addiction. “I was living with for an 18-month tour and my agent, Marc horizons, because now you had something this girl whose brother was a big Nirvana Geiger, said to me, ‘Do whatever you want.’ that could hold lots of music. Before that, fan. The night before that happened, I got a

46 july 15, 2011 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY “Jane’s Addiction broke through and made made and through broke “Jane’s Addiction but I great, it was doing Nirvana thought “I 48 beingamusician, and sometimes you want the successes.” same that through door. barreling came But Nirvana ahuman As these alternative come to groups through. “Jane’s Addiction broke made and the through way for all Farrell counts Cobain’s suicide as the cata the as suicide Cobain’s counts Farrell a musician, sometimes you want the same same the want you sometimes a musician, as well. To tell you the truth, I was almost almost Iwas truth, the you To tell well. as exploded into the sky and people grabbed grabbed people and sky the into exploded barreling came Nirvana But through. come copycat suicide and shot himself with a rifle arifle with shot himself and suicide copycat mewhere asking Love, Courtney from call over the slot that Nirvana left vacant, and and vacant, left Nirvana slot that the over point aturning as of Lollapalooza edition weird way, when Kurt died, all that music that all died, way, Kurt when weird successes. But all added up, I was happy happy up, I was added all But successes. [Kurt] was. I didn’t know. Then he killed he killed know. Then Ididn’t [Kurt] was. lyst for Lollapalooza’s finding its true way. true its finding for Lollapalooza’s lyst plodes into the sky for people to grab. In a In grab. to for people sky the into plodes of ex for kind stood they what die, people must admit, I was annoyed,” Farrell says. says. Farrell annoyed,” Iwas admit, must a did brother girlfriend’s my and himself, talent. Sometimes people say that when that say people Sometimes talent. and being ahuman door. As that through to groups alternative these for all way the numb to everything anyway.” everything to numb for them; they were true artists with great great with artists true were they for them; for the festival. Smashing Pumpkins took took Pumpkins Smashing festival. for the Despite the tragedy, Farrell sees the 1994 1994 the sees Farrell tragedy, the Despite july 15, 2011 15, july - - U AA.COM/AMERICANWAY and these great cured meats. It was a social asocial It was meats. cured great these and guy who would travel with me,” recalls Far me,” recalls with travel would who guy after Cobain’s suicide, then screeched com screeched then suicide, Cobain’s after event for everyone.” for event parties these have would we or Italy, and on the Sabbath (Farrell is Jewish). “I had a a had “I Jewish). is (Farrell Sabbath on the —even years few next for the run fun ously dead in the water (the record skipped a little alittle skipped (the record water the in dead festi the —still rock Alternative decline: etmaster, a move that essentially ­ essentially that amove etmaster, ­ Lollapalooza when val’s foundation, despite its embracing of embracing its despite foundation, val’s kid from New York, but also a bass tech. I tech. abass York, New from but also kid unpasteurized cheese flown in from France France from in flown cheese unpasteurized have would we Friday, on every remember gangster hooked-up aseriously was “He rell. hip-hop and — was seemingly seemingly —was electronica and hip-hop pletely with ’s boycotting of Tick Jam’s boycotting Pearl with pletely that energy up. That was year four. That’s four. That’s year was up. That energy that backstage — the wine, the cheese, the olives olives the cheese, the wine, —the backstage From there, Lollapalooza enjoyed aseri Lollapalooza there, From nfortunately, by the end of end the by nfortunately, was responsiblewas for Lollapalooza’s of factors Acombination steam. the ’90s, the party began losing losing began party the ’90s, the really came into its own.” its into came really prevented prevented - - - - - That’s not Lollapalooza. But we began to began we But not Lollapalooza. That’s Lollapalooza was: I don’t play anywhere I don’t anywhere play was: Lollapalooza and the Vans Warped Tour were diluting diluting Tour were Warped Vans the and about profits than paloozas. were were amps The paloozas. than profits about an amphitheater. As a musician, I have cer Ihave amusician, As amphitheater. an open their backyards to 30,000 screaming screaming 30,000 to backyards their open fields. And then it became a business where where a business became then it And fields. find me a field. I’d rather be [there] than in field. be mea than [there] find rather I’d we weren’t building it and putting our money money our putting it and weren’tbuilding we with screwed-in seats,” Farrell says. “You says. Farrell seats,” screwed-in with when people are just sitting there and are are and there sitting just are people when into it — the corporation would tell you how how you tell would corporation it —the into much money you had to play with. I wasn’t Iwasn’t with. play to moneymuch youhad fewer and fewer were there no choice; have potential audiences; and the indus concert the and audiences; potential kids but by corporate suits who cared more more cared who suits butcorporate by kids usher comes over and says, ‘Behave yourself!’ yourself!’ ‘Behave says, and over comes usher the before or right left move to not allowed tionwide); copycat festivals like Fair Lilith like festivals tionwide); copycat na venues major touring from group the not by holdout superfans willing to to willing holdoutnot hippie superfans by run big business become —had management venueand promotion tour —specifically try unplugged on Lollapalooza in 1998. in on Lollapalooza unplugged tain insights. You cannot have a great party party agreat have You cannot insights. tain “One of the stipulations I always had for had I always stipulations of the “One (right) at ­ sons Izzadore (center) and Hezron Chile; Lollapalooza at themselves shade C Perry and Etty Farrell; Farrell and his ing at Lollapalooza in 1992 in Lollapalooza at ing l o c kwise from top l top from kwise Kidzapalooza; Farrell perform Fanseft: - - - -

Perry 1992: John Storey/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images Music Maker

enjoying the idea of it anymore.” down in this business, it’s never the same. I there, we’ll either renegotiate with Chicago A five-year silence followed. But a funny don’t know how I’m so fortunate. I’ll have to or try to find some other field.” thing happened to the music business in its sit down some day and think about it.” Kevin Raub is a São Paulo-based travel and enter- absence: file sharing. Suddenly, music was Lollapalooza and Chicago have agreed tainment journalist. His work appears regularly in Town being downloaded for free with reckless to their musical marriage through 2018. & Country, Guitar Aficionado and Time Out: São Paulo, abandon (it still is) and the record labels, ei- After that, Farrell isn’t worried. “I hate to among other publications. His memory of his first few Lollapaloozas are as hazy as some of Farrell’s memories. ther through legislation or business models, come off with such a relaxed attitude about But he was there, he swears. You can find him these days couldn’t figure out a way to stop it or make something as heavy as Lolla, but when we get at www.kevinraub.net. money from it (and they still can’t). Prof- its plummeted, leaving musicians to begin earning the bulk of their incomes from tour- ing and merch sales instead of record sales. That bid seemingly well for Lollapalooza. In 2003, it returned — ironically enough as a platform to launch Jane’s Addiction’s re- HeadingHeading toto NewNew York?York? GoingGoing toto Broadway?Broadway? union. Unfortunately, it was only to modest successes, and a year later, weak ticket sales TheThe showshow startsstarts here.here. forced its cancellation yet again. “It broke my heart,” Farrell recalls. “That same week, my guys in Jane’s Addiction an- nounced to Rolling Stone they were leaving to start another group. It was probably the saddest week of my life. You have to un- derstand, musicians are full of themselves. However, we are probably the most insecure human beings. We constantly need our egos stroked. For good reason — you have a career that is riding on your current record. If it doesn’t do well, your record label drops you, what are you going to do? You can’t even go work in a record store: There aren’t any left!” Enjoy a trip to It wasn’t until 2005, when Farrell teamed Theater District up with Capital Sports & Entertainment Brazil without 316 West 49th Street (now C3 Presents) to stage the festival as a Bet. 8th & 9th Avenues one-off weekend in one location in the grand leaving New York. tradition of the world’s most successful mu- 212.245.0505 sic festivals, like Glastonbury and Reading The steakhouse even plataformaonline.com in the U.K., and Roskilde in Denmark, that vegetarians would love. Lollapalooza pumped up the volume again. vegetarians would love. Farrell and C3 scoured the country look- ing for the perfect field. Farrell found it in Grant Park, where the festival has thrived “Golden Apple Awards” ever since. “We went to all the major cities in the United States, but Chicago had its forfor FoodFood SafetySafety own charms, similar to Chile,” explains and Cleanliness. Farrell. “Since the ’70s, [Santiago] has had TriBeCa a democratic attitude and it honors its arts. Art changes the character and the conscious- Wine Spectator’s 221 West Broadway ness of its citizens. And they are on to it.” “Best of Award Bet. White & Franklin Streets Farrell counts Lollapalooza’s rebirth in Chicago — and now Santiago, where the rag- of Excellence” 212.925.6969 ing success of this year’s event bodes well Since 2001 ChurrascariaTribeca.com for future festivals — as his most unlikely achievement along the way. “My biggest tri- umph was resurrecting Lollapalooza from the ashes, because in this business, you don’t “PROUD SPONSOR OF get second chances. Once your festival goes THE BRAZILIAN DAY IN NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 4TH” AA.COM/AMERICANWAY july 15, 2011 51 BRAZILIANDAY.COM