Following the demise of the critically and commercially successful Jane's Addiction project, frontman Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno for Pyros after acquiring guitarist Peter DiStefano and bass player Martyn LeNoble. Farrell named the band after viewing an ad for fireworks in a pornographic magazine. The name has also been connected through song lyrics to the LA riots which occurred in the band's hometown around the time of Porno for Pyros inception. Prior to releasing their eponymous first album, Porno for Pyros embarked on a nationwide tour to support the new band. By the time the band's debut album (Porno for Pyros) was released in 1993, anticipation surrounding the project was enough to briefly drive the album to the #3 position on the Billboard top 200 list. Reaction to the album was mixed, with some fans ecstatic and others disappointed. The video for the album's first single, "Pets," received heavy airplay on MTV. Following the album's release, Porno for Pyros continued a heavy touring schedule, including an appearance at Woodstock '94. Unlike the relatively straight-ahead rock shows that were the hallmark of live Jane's Addiction, Porno for Pyros live shows relied heavily on props, extras and special-effects (including, but not limited to, pyrotechnics).
For the band's follow-up album, Good God's Urge, bass player LeNoble quit after completing the majority of the bass tracks. Ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt was brought in to finish up the album tracks and join the band on tour. The album also featured the post-Jane's Addiction reunion of Farrell with guitarist Dave Navarro, who made a guest appearance on "Freeway," along with Red Hot Chili Peppers' bass player Flea. The band again set forth on a heavy touring schedule. On several tour stops Porno for Pyros played "Mountain Song," a popular Jane's Addiction tune, and was a foreshadowing of the later Jane's Addiction reunion efforts. Further touring by the band was scuttled when DiStefano was diagnosed with cancer in 1997.
Perkins and Watt subsequently formed the punk jazz improvisation group Banyan and, along with DiStefano, occasionally perform sets of the Stooges cover versions in the Los Angeles area under the band name Hellride.
The Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros book Whores (by Brendan Mullen) states that a third Porno for Pyros album was penned but never recorded.
In April 2009, the original lineup of Farrell, Perkins, DiStefano, and LeNoble performed at Farrell's 50th birthday party.
Bad Shit
Porno for Pyros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I walked the beach in Venice, oh!
I went outside
I been in too long
I went outside
For some inspiration
Did the G-O
There were stars
There were flies
Even the flies dropped like...
What does a fly drop like?
Stars
Oh, but I didn't slow down
I went outside
I thought I was a Chinese blues player
Outside
I've been in too long
Did the G-O
And then I did the No-Go
There were stars
There were flies
Even the flies dropped like...
What do flies drop like?
Like stars
But I didn't slow down
I didn't slow down
I didn't slow down
Never went down
I didn't slow down
Stars!
Stars
The lyrics to Porno For Pyros's "Bad Shit" appear to be about a person seeking inspiration by going outside after being cooped up indoors for too long, possibly while under the influence of drugs. The first two lines, "Got some bad shit / Then I walked the beach in Venice, oh!" suggest that the singer has just taken some kind of drug, and is now venturing outside to explore the world around them.
The following verses reinforce the idea of someone seeking out new experiences and sensations, with lines like "I've been in too long / For some inspiration" and "I thought I was a Chinese blues player". The repetition of the phrases "Did the G-O / Did the No-Go" suggest that the singer is experimenting with different activities to see what sticks. The image of stars and flies dropping like stars could be interpreted as a hallucination, adding to the idea that the singer is under the influence of drugs.
Despite all of this, the singer declares that they "didn't slow down" and "never went down" - they seem to be proud of their adventurous spirit and determination to keep moving forward, even in the face of obstacles.
Overall, "Bad Shit" appears to be a song about the desire for new experiences and the euphoria of taking drugs, tempered by the recognition that there are risks involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Got some bad shit
I acquired some drugs
Then I walked the beach in Venice, oh!
I went to Venice Beach while under the influence of said drugs
I went outside
I left my dwelling
I been in too long
I had been inside my dwelling for too long
For some inspiration
In search of creative inspiration
Did the G-O
Performed a dance or other physical activity
Did the No-Go
Failed to perform a dance or physical activity
There were stars
There were celestial bodies visible in the sky
There were flies
There were insects present
Even the flies dropped like...
The insects were affected by the drugs in a similar manner as I was
What does a fly drop like?
I am acknowledging the peculiar effect of the drugs on the flies
Stars
The flies fell from the sky in the same way that stars appear to fall
Oh, but I didn't slow down
Despite the effects of the drugs, I did not reduce my pace
I thought I was a Chinese blues player
I experienced a delusional moment where I believed I was a musician of a different nationality and genre
Never went down
I did not suffer a negative effect or consequence from the drug use
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MARTYN LENOBLE, PERRY FARRELL, PETER DISTEFANO, STEPHEN PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind