He might not be the biggest name in alternative rock, but Perry Farrell might well be among the most influential.
Farrell is best known as the frontman of trailblazing alt-rockers Jane's Addiction and, by establishing Lollapalooza, is also credited as a pioneer on the festival scene, now a fundamental ingredient of live music -- especially in the summertime.
With Lollapalooza, Farrell brought alternative rock to the masses for large chunks of the last 2 1/2 decades.
And with a pair of shows this weekend during Jane's Addiction's first trip to the Last Frontier, Farrell is bringing it to Alaska.
Jane's Addiction is scheduled to play Friday at The Blue Loon in Fairbanks followed by a show Saturday at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub.
Longtime fans of Jane's Addiction may be surprised at the reminder that it's been nearly 25 years since the band released its seminal album "Ritual de lo Habitual," which hit stores in late summer 1990.
The band already had produced a hit with "Jane Says" two years earlier, but found mainstream success with "Ritual de lo Habitual," which went double platinum and had songs in steady rotation on MTV.
"Stop!" and "Been Caught Stealing" both hit the top of the modern rock chart. The latter showed tremendous staying power, finding its way into films, television shows and even video games.
The album featured a menagerie of sounds: a concoction of hard and progressive rock with a dash of funk and Ferrell's offbeat songwriting, alternating between the solemn and frivolous.
Just when Jane's Addiction seemed ready to make the leap from a critic's favorite to a major rock act, the band dissolved. But not before leaving a lasting legacy.
Farrell created Lollapalooza as a vehicle for a Jane's Addiction farewell tour. But it evolved into much more. The inaugural edition in 1991 featured more than 25 tour dates as well as some of the biggest names in alt rock. It was headlined by Jane's Addiction but included Nine Inch Nails, Living Colour, Butthole Surfers and the Rollins Band.
Future incarnations included Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Rage Against The Machine. The festival ran consecutively until 1997 and was revived in 2003 for a 10-year run.
The band, which comprises Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, also reformed in 2003 to produce "Strays," the band's fourth album.
In the dozen years between albums, Farrell had formed Porno For Pyros with Perkins, while Navarro had a five-year run as the guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The band performed sporadically for nearly the next decade before adding former Guns N'Roses bassist Duff McKagan for "The Great Escape Artist," released in 2011. McKagan's stint with the band was brief and he was replaced by Chris Chaney later that year.
Janes Addiction
When: 7 p.m. Friday (doors 6 p.m.)
Where: The Blue Loon in Fairbanks
Tickets: $55 advance (available at The Blue Loon, Gulliver's and blueloon.com); $60 at the door
When: 7 p.m. Saturday (doors 6 p.m.)
Where: The Moose's Tooth Pub and Pizzeria
Tickets: $52.50 at beartooththeatre.inticketing.com