Deviations from Select Albums 4: 105. Jane's Addiction

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Ultimate Classic Rock says it is one of the most shocking album covers.

Guitar World says the album cover art has been banned on Facebook.

Perry Farrell created the cover image to Nothing's Shocking, which features a sculpture of a pair of nude female conjoined twins sitting on a sideways
rocking chair with their heads on fire. Farrell said the image, like much of his artwork, came to him in a dream. Farrell hired Warner Bros. employees
to create the cover sculpture; after learning how to create sculptures by watching them closely, he fired the Warner Bros. staff and created the artwork
himself. Farrell hired someone to help create a full body casting of his girlfriend for use as the sculptures. Retailers objected to the album's cover. Nine
out of the eleven leading record store chains refused to carry Nothing's Shocking, and the record had to be issued covered with brown paper. wikipedia

My work was just an experiment with Plastic Wrap, Craquelure, Accented Edges and Crosshatch and the purpose was to create what
would look like a glass piece or a glass sculpture, or something that would still appear shocking yet would less explicit and not be
banned on Facebook. After all, these are mere glimpses of the female anatomy, some fire up their heads which is not really hot. It
looks more scary when they' re Siamese twins but if they're frozen in antiquated glass, you'd wish it was on auction at eBay.

During the recording sessions, Farrell stated he wanted 50 percent of the band's publishing royalties for writing the lyrics,
as well as quarter of the remaining half for writing music, adding up to 62.5 percent total. Bassist Eric Avery said he and
the other band members, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins, were stunned by Farrell's demands.
Farrell refused to compromise. wikipedia

There's the shock. Sixty-two and a half percent did not even include designing the album cover.

No. 225, The Virgin All-Time Album Top 1000; No. 312, Rolling Stone, The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

No. 19, Rolling Stone, The 100 Greatest Album Covers.

Album design, sculpture & photography by Perry Farrell, album produced by Dave Jerden & Perry Farrell. Warner Bros. 1988.

Although Jane's Addiction's 1987 self-titled debut was an intriguing release (few alternative bands at the time had the courage to mix modern rock,
prog rock, and heavy metal together), it paled in comparison to their now classic major-label release one year later, Nothing's Shocking. Produced by
Dave Jerden and Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell, the album was more focused and packed more of a sonic wallop than its predecessor; the fiery
performances often create an amazing sense that it could all fall apart at any second, creating a fantastic musical tension. Such tracks as "Up the Beach,"
"Ocean Size," and one of alt-rock's greatest anthems, "Mountain Song," contain the spaciousness created by the band's two biggest influences, Led Zeppelin
and the Cure. Elsewhere, "Ted, Just Admit It..." (about serial killer Ted Bundy) and the haunting yet gorgeous "Summertime Rolls" stretched to epic
proportions, making great use of changing moods and dynamics (something most alt-rock bands of the time were oblivious to).

An incredibly consistent and challenging album, other highlights included the rockers "Had a Dad" and "Pigs in Zen," the horn-driven "Idiots Rule," the jazz
instrumental "Thank You Boys," and the up-tempo "Standing in the Shower...T hinking." Like most great bands, it was not a single member whose
contribution was greater: Perry Farrell's unique voice and lyrics, Dave Navarro's guitar riffs and wailing leads, Eric Avery's sturdy basslines, and one of rock's
greatest and most powerful drummers, Stephen Perkins. Nothing's Shocking is a must-have for lovers of cutting-edge, influential, and timeless hard rock.
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato

(A) Up the Beach - Ocean Size - Had a Dad - Ted, Just Admit It. . . - Standing in the Shower. . . Thinking

(B) Summertime Rolls - Mountain Song - Idiots Rule - Jane Says - Thank You, Boys

"Mountain Song" music video from RHINO on YouTube.