Aug 29, 2018
EP 7: Stephen Perkins Stephen Perkins is a drummer from Los Angeles
and is well known for being the drummer for Jane’s Addiction and
later as the drummer for Porno for Pyros. Perkins started playing
drums at eight years old and first met future Jane’s bandmate Dave
Navarro in high school band where Nevarro was playing bass drum. In
his early years Perkins was drawn to the Venice Beach drum circles
where he first began to develop his love for drumming.
In 1985 Jane’s Addiction was formed by Perry Farrell and Eric Avery
with Dave Navarro and Stephen Perkins joining in 1986. They were
one of the first bands from the 90’s alternative rock movement to
gain large media attention and commercial success. Jane’s Addiction
originally split in 1991 with a brief reunion featuring Red Hot
Chili Pepper’s bassist Flea. The band have continued to reunite
over the past two decades with their latest tour happening in
2016.
Perkins has also recorded with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nine Inch
Nails, and has appeared on Drum Channel a number of times, teaching
lessons and appearing in interviews. He also appeared on The Chad
Smith Show alongside Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
In this episode Stephen talks about his early Jazz influences,
drumming in the marching band in high school where he met Dave
Navarro, the early days of Jane’s Addiction in LA during the 80s,
finding your voice as a drummer, as well as giving us many
inspiring points of his wisdom.
Links: Instagram: www.instagram.com/stephenperkinsdrummer
Twitter: twitter.com/stephenperkins
Jane’s Addiction: www.janesaddiction.com