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.
Bali Eyes
Porno for Pyros Lyrics
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Didn't look it just jumped down my throat
I was starting to die until I
Took a trip to Bali
Their eyes are god
In a glass full of jelly
Bali in my eyes
My skin turned the color of the earth
People asked my name the next day
They remembered who I was
I took off my shoes
And my feet they took root
I've got Bali in my eyes
When I opened up my eyes first thing
Early light in Bali
What a day it's gonna be I think
It looks good already
So hold me close before
All the doors start knocking!
Bali in my eyes...
The lyrics of Porno For Pyros's song Bali Eyes are about a trip to Bali that inspired the singer to transform into the colors and textures of the island. The singer swallowed a mushroom that sent them on a trip to Bali, where they feel like they become one with the land, and they experience a profound sense of connection to the earth. The island's people and landscapes leave an indelible impression on them, with their eyes appearing like gods in a glass full of jelly.
The singer's transformation is physical, as their skin turns the color of the earth, and they feel like a tree, with their feet taking root. The trip is a transformative experience that changes the singer's perception of the world, leaving them with Bali in their eyes. The lyrics also suggest a sense of impending change, with the singer urging someone to hold them close before all the doors start knocking.
Overall, the lyrics of Bali Eyes describe a powerful psychedelic experience that transforms the singer's perception of themselves and the world around them. The trip to Bali is a catalyst for this transformation, with the island's people and landscapes being key components of the singer's experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Ate a mushroom turned into Bali
The singer took a psychedelic mushroom and felt transported to Bali.
Didn't look it just jumped down my throat
The singer didn't check the mushroom before consuming it and swallowed it whole.
I was starting to die until I
The mushroom initially made the singer feel ill and as if they were dying.
Took a trip to Bali
After consuming the mushroom, the artist felt as though they had been transported to Bali.
Their eyes are god
The people in Bali have particularly captivating and awe-inspiring eyes.
In a glass full of jelly
The singer is describing the sensation of feeling like they were submerged in a wobbly, jelly-like substance.
Bali in my eyes
The memories of Bali and the experience of the trip are still vivid and fresh in the singer's mind.
My skin turned the color of the earth
The artist's complexion took on a brown or tan hue, reminiscent of the earth of Bali.
I felt like a tree
The artist felt rooted and connected to the earth, like a tree.
People asked my name the next day
The artist made an impression on people they encountered in Bali during the trip.
They remembered who I was
The singer's presence and energy left an impact on the people they met in Bali during the trip.
I took off my shoes
The artist removed their shoes to feel more connected to the earth and the Bali experience.
And my feet they took root
The sensation of the singer's feet feeling like they were becoming part of the earth and growing roots.
I've got Bali in my eyes
The experience of Bali is still resonating deeply with the singer, impacting their perception and memory.
When I opened up my eyes first thing
The singer is describing the experience of awakening in Bali after the trip.
Early light in Bali
The way the light looks in Bali during the morning hours is particularly beautiful and memorable.
What a day it's gonna be I think
The artist has a sense of excitement and anticipation for what the day in Bali will bring.
It looks good already
The singer is optimistic about their surroundings and feels that Bali is a positive place to be.
So hold me close before
The singer is expressing a desire for emotional closeness before they must return to reality and leave Bali behind.
All the doors start knocking!
The reality of returning to the everyday world and its stresses is looming on the horizon.
Bali in my eyes...
The artist is still deeply impacted by the Bali experience and continues to carry it with them even after leaving the physical place.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MARTYN LENOBLE, PERRY FARRELL, PETER DISTEFANO, STEPHEN PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind