9/23/07 - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC

[Mike]

Alternative rock's godfather still hasn't gone mainstream

Perry Farrell wants to see dancing in the streets

Amy O'Brian, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, September 21, 2007

PERRY FARRELL'S SATELLITE PARTY

Commodore Ballroom

Sunday, 9 p.m.

Tickets $30 at Ticketmaster

- - -

If Perry Farrell had his way, the streets of the world's cities would have musicians playing on every corner.

Office workers would unchain themselves from their desks and run dancing through the streets.

And the world in general would be a much happier place.

"I think there should be no reason why there shouldn't be celebration in the streets," said the frontman of Satellite Party and the former frontman of Jane's Addiction.

"We shouldn't be slaves to our offices. We should be in a constant state of heightened jubilation. Why not?"

The 48-year-old rocker -- who conceived Lollapalooza and is considered by many to be the godfather of alternative rock -- has always had a reputation for being something of a hedonist. But while drugs of all kinds were once his pleasure, he now talks about being blissed out on his love for music.

Farrell's latest project -- officially called Perry Farrell's Satellite Party -- is not just a band, but an intended movement that will spark revolution and change wherever it goes. It touches down in Vancouver Sunday night at the Commodore.

The project's first album, Ultra Payloaded, is a conceptual creation that is intended to be a catalyst for change, but not in a preachy or overly-earnest kind of way, and using plenty of rock, funk and soul to get the message across.

"The first thing I want to do is make people happy and entertain them and let them forget about their cares and their worries," Farrell said earlier this week via cellphone from Aspen, where he was on a tour stop.

Once he attracts people with his music, the idea is that they will then be turned on to Satellite Party's message about changing the world -- specifically, the environment -- one step at a time.

Farrell is a supporter and contributor of Global Cool, a 10-year initiative devoted to reversing climate change. He says he does what he can to minimize his impact on the environment when the band is touring, but concedes that there is more he could be doing.

"It takes a bit of money to actually green yourself and green things," he says.

"Satellite Party itself, we're just starting out and [we're not yet at] the level where we can be using biodiesel generators and biodiesel buses. We're not there yet.

"So for right now, the best that we can do, we recycle and we use hard utensils, metal utensils, re-useable things on our bus."

For someone who is accustomed to playing arenas and massive festivals, Farrell is surprisingly realistic about Satellite Party's growth and modest success. Album sales have been weak, but he's created his own label on which he will re-release Ultra Payloaded, with hopes it will do better the second time out of the gate. He talks frankly about the project's humble progression, but without any audible disappointment.

"I'm starting in clubs. I'm starting from scratch, doing it from the street level up," he says.

"I love the people I'm working with. I love my project. We are starting from a much more of a grassroots position, but I don't mind it because, as I say, my heart's in the right place. I love making music and I get to do it every day. And that for me is enough. It's like falling in love with someone, but they're not rich, but you love them. And that's where I'm at."

Finding himself without the support of a major label, Farrell says he's quickly learning about marketing the band on his own and coming up with unique strategies to attract a wider audience. The band has started doing what Farrell calls "flash mobs," where they appear at a coffee shop or gallery and give a free half-hour performance before their evening show. (He said he would call back later to tell me where the Vancouver flash mob would be taking place, but I never did hear back.)

"These kinds of things are new breakthroughs in the music community. They're new ways bands can not only self-market and self-manage, but really create a new paradigm for the world of music," he said.

"We've basically shoved music into a dark hole that you go into at night, have a couple of drinks and drive back home. It doesn't appear in everyday life and we want to change that."

As for the big question: whether Farrell is just biding his time until a Jane's Addiction reunion, the rocker's intentions sound clear.

"I don't foresee [a reunion] at all. My intention is to work on this project for 10 years, because I want to be there when global warming starts to cool down. I want to be there when we're off of fossil fuels all together. I want to be there when there's world peace and when Israel and Palestine become friends, or at least recognize each other as cousins.

"And my ambitions are really much better suited to Satellite Party than they are to Jane's Addiction."

That might not make fans happy, but it definitely makes Farrell happy.

aobrian@png.canwest.com

ONLINE EXTRA: Check out http://www.vancouversun.com to hear excerpts of Amy O'Brian's interview with Perry Farrell.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news ... 97c85b6c93

[zdilla]

nice

[nexis]

he's created his own label on which he will re-release Ultra Payloaded, with hopes it will do better the second time out of the gate.


"I don't foresee [a reunion] at all.
"And my ambitions are really much better suited to Satellite Party than they are to Jane's Addiction."

That might not make fans happy.

ah, but i'm happy he's working with a bunch of enthusiastic musicians in the satellite party band who support his vision and goals and it really shows in their performances. i don't miss the rest of janes addiction anymore.

nothings shocking-you are really kickin ass with these articles & interviews, thanks. how do you manage to locate all these so fast.

so i'm guessing the pictures and liner notes of the re-release of ultrapayloaded will be different so i'm gonna buy another copy unless its only released for download. maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be a bonus track or two

[Mike]

nothings shocking-you are really kickin ass with these articles & interviews, thanks. how do you manage to locate all these so fast.

I google search several times a day and from time to time people email me stuff.

Satellite Party did a flash mob in Vancouver earlier tonight.
I wish we had the complete video.
This acoustic version of Hard Life Easy sounds great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaZ4T1fRwaU

[Mike]

Perry Farrell Plays For Shoes

Tuesday September 25, 2007 @ 05:30 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

VANCOUVER — Ah, Sunday. A day for rest, worship and hanging out in high-end shoe stores with aging rockers.

At least that was the way 70 Vancouverites spent the afternoon of Sept. 23 when former Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and his new band Satellite Party played a surprise show at Fluevog, a shoe store across the street from the more traditional venue they performed at later that night.

"We like bringing music to the streets, man," Farrell said from the window front-turned-stage. "And I can't wait to go shopping after."

He wasn't kidding. After playing a three-song set that included both a Porno For Pyros and a Jane's Addiction song, Farrell walked to the back of the store, chose a pair of tall, black boots, and owner John Fluevog laced him up.

Farrell stuck around to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans while Mink, Satellite Party's tourmates, finished off the show with three more songs.

According to Fluevog's public relations rep, Stephen Bailey, the show was very last minute and not as random as it appeared, considering that John Fluevog has "always been a really big fan of the arts" and Farrell has been wearing their shoes for many years.

But how Farrell got those shoes in his Jane's years is questionable, as he was quick to point out.

"What's funny is how things change. When I used to walk into stores, people would follow me around because I liked stealing," he said before predictably launching into "Been Caught Stealing," Jane's Addiction's '90s hit.

Although nearing 50, the wiry alt.rock pioneer and Lollapalooza founder performed with abundant energy, catching the attention of some shoppers who came for shoes, but stuck around for the music.

The performance wasn't a complete surprise. Bailey said at least one local rock radio station told listeners about the in-store show a few days in advance. Farrell mentioned that he liked to play impromptu day gigs as a way of "putting music out on the pavement and letting people celebrate in the afternoon instead of just working their asses off."

—Alyssa Noel

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/09/2508.cfm

[Mike]

Satellite Party did a flash mob in Vancouver earlier tonight.
I wish we had the complete video.
This acoustic version of Hard Life Easy sounds great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaZ4T1fRwaU

You can download the Hard Life Easy clip here:
http://www.24hrspodcast.com/index.php?id=327

[Mike]

Here's the setlist for the Commodore Ballroom show.

Wish Upon a Dog Star
Just Because
Tahitian Moon
Mountain Song
Hard Life Easy
Superhero
Pets
Only Love, Let’s Celebrate
Been Caught Stealing
Ultra Payloaded Satellite Party

Encore
Ocean Size
Stop!
Jane Says

Nice to see Ocean Size added to the set.
I found it here:
http://abortmag.com/?p=273
There's a short review of the show and a link to some pics there.

[Alisa]

Hi all,
I went to the Vancouver BC show @ the Commodore, I was lucky enough to be walking down Granville street as he & Satellite Party were playing in the John Fluevog store a few hours before the show. It was awesome.
I had my picture taken with Perry, as did many others, and asked the photographer what they were doing with all of those pics later? He said they would be posted on my space.
I have searched & searched but to no avail. Maybe they just aren't posted yet. Maybe someone out there can help me out with this venture?

Thanks to all, and especially to the band, what a f#cking great show it was!
(I was able to take pics at the show with a disposable camera... they turned out great too....)

Alisa

[hydro]

Hi all,
I went to the Vancouver BC show @ the Commodore, I was lucky enough to be walking down Granville street as he & Satellite Party were playing in the John Fluevog store a few hours before the show. It was awesome.
I had my picture taken with Perry, as did many others, and asked the photographer what they were doing with all of those pics later? He said they would be posted on my space.
I have searched & searched but to no avail. Maybe they just aren't posted yet. Maybe someone out there can help me out with this venture?

Thanks to all, and especially to the band, what a f#cking great show it was!
(I was able to take pics at the show with a disposable camera... they turned out great too....)

Alisa

Hey Alisa welcome a~board!!! im sure they will get the pics up soon if not mabey u can email them at hardlifeeasy@gmail.com and ask them to email u the pics

[hydro]

are these the pics your looking for heres the link to the vancouver bc show
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... mId=996033