July 31st, 2009
Ten Questions With: Ritual — Philadelphia’s Jane’s Addiction Tribute Band
I didn’t make it out to see the reunited Jane’s Addiction when they came through town recently. And it’s just as well — I heard they sucked Navarro balls. Hardly surprising, really. Those guys burned brightly for about six years, broke up at arguably the height of their powers in 1991 (although 1988’s Nothing’s Shocking remains my favorite album), and then have spent parts of the nearly 20 years since trying (and pretty much failing) to recapture old glories. Sad, really.
So to be honest, these days I’d much rather catch Ritual, Philadelphia’s brand-new Jane’s Addiction tribute band, than the real thing. These guys truly sound like vintage Jane’s. We caught up with Ritual guitarist Ted Richardson — who also runs Cedar Street Studios in Port Richmond — the other day for a quick chat:
When and why did you decide that you wanted to pay tribute to Jane’s Addiction in such a fashion?
[Singer] Jude, [drummer] Steve, and myself have been in a few bands together. We had always covered a few Jane’s Addiction tunes, and everyone said we should cover more, so we decided to finally do it. [Bassist] Brett came with the truck.
How do you get “into character” in the minutes and hours leading up to the show?
Just going over the music gets us into character; so do the bottles of red wine.
What are your favorite Jane’s songs to play, and why?
We all have our particular favorites, but as a band the whole set is a blast to perform.
What are the particular challenges of mastering Jane’s Addiction material?
Picking the arrangements for songs is difficult because there many versions to choose from. Jane’s Addiction are definitely a live band, even with their studio recordings. We really try to replicate their live feel.
Who in the band gets the hottest groupies?
Brett gets every single one.
If your bass player ever quits, would you consider replacing him with Flea?
Yes, but only if he will perform for free.
Do you guys use all the same instruments and amps and effects pedals and other gear that Jane’s Addiction is known to use?
It really is about the feel, not the instrument or gear. But we do try to get as close as possible with our equipment selection, and we are pretty damned loud.
What are the pros and cons of being a tribute band in Philadelphia?
Pros: People who come out to the show will know what they are coming to see and already like the material, so it’s easy to put on a confident show. Cons: Jane’s Addiction aren’t releasing any new material, so we are limited to the songs they have. But it makes for one hell of an hour-and-a-half-long set.
Have you heard from anyone in Jane’s Addiction yet about your band?
Nope, have you?
Do you guys plan to break up and get back together 19 times like Jane’s Addiction?
Well, we have only been together as a band for four months and have broken up twice, so average it out.
Ritual plays the Note in West Chester tonight at 9pm. $10.
