Pitchfork

We've all been there: lying in bed late at night, mind restless, pondering the mysteries of life, when the thought seizes us-- "How awesome would it be to party on a satellite that's orbiting the Earth?" Ex-Jane's Addiction/Porno for Pyros chief Perry Farrell has been there too, but instead of just writing about it in his Live Journal, Perry did something about it. He formed a band.

That band, the Satellite Party, debuted in nascent form last year, playing a gig in L.A. and a set at Lollapalooza 2005 in Chicago. They've since signed to Columbia Records, and have a full-length, self-titled debut slated for release in March of next year. Pitchfork recently spoke to Farrell, who was more than happy to chat about the new project's sound and concept, rock vs. hip hop, parties in space, party people, party drugs, Lollapalooza, and partying.

"For so long," Farrell enthused to Pitchfork, "I've wanted to do this great hybrid of sound, using electronics and hip hop beats and the power and strength of rock'n'roll, and even symphony. And I think I've really hit it this time; I think it could be the best work I've ever done."

To realize his magnum opus, Farrell recruited quite an impressive array of names, beginning with producer Steve Lillywhite (Morrissey, the Pogues, Peter Gabriel). Guests on the new Satellite Party disc include Chili Peppers Flea and John Frusciante, UK production duo/beat-makers Hybrid, New Order/Joy Division bassist Peter Hook ("he's always been my dream bass player"), Black Eyed Pea/Duchess Fergie, film composer Harry Gregson-Williams, and a 30-piece orchestra ("From what they told me, I had perhaps the best symphony in the world!"). He also conjured the ghost of Jim Morrison, who lends vocals (which may or may not have been recorded 30 years ago) to a Satellite Party jam.

Song titles include "Awesome" ("this beautiful symphonic piece"), "Celebrate", and first single "Kinky", which was almost dropped from the album, but "ended up to being everybody's favorite song."

Even more mind-melting than the music is the concept, which is best described, of course, by Farrell himself: "I've had this song called 'The Ultra Payloaded Satellite Party' and it was a song that I had written [about] if there was going to be commercial space travel, and if we were going to be invited up to a satellite for a weekend...what would the DJ or the live group be playing?

"So I started just writing music with that concept in mind. But then it ended up becoming a story, like the people who were getting up into the satellite, how they got there. So it just kept on going, because every time I would write a new song, it would just coincidentally fall into the pattern or story of the satellite party."

According to Farrell, Satellite Party people would be a unique bunch. "I started to think about it: they would definitely all be dressed like mad, just amazing fashionistas, because this would be a big chance, to party out in space, right? So they'd be beautifully adorned, they would kind of feel reborn."

And the partying environs? "Kind of like the best club you've ever been to, because the view would be the heavens-- you'd be looking at the world from the heavens."

"Out there," he continued, "there is no law, just the law of physics. So what could we be partying on? I had this stuff called Nightbloom, which is basically the refined essence of sex. So the olfactory would hit the essence of sex, and you'd immediately start to orgasm. It's a drug-- but let's call it an essence.

"And what would the music be? The music would be deep, deep and soulful and awesome and powerful and romantic. And so that was it, man." And that's what the Satellite Party aspires to.

While actual satellite parties may still be a few years off, Farrell does hope to share the imagined experience by bringing the Satellite Party live to Earthlings early next year.

"The thing about the music industry is, it really starts to shut down around the holidays. So you don't want to put anything out, and if you don't have anything out, it's a little harder to tour-- not that I wouldn't do special appearances, because we're good at parties, that's our whole thing, our whole vibe is, it's like a fun party.

"We know that next year is our year, so we'll start touring in, probably, January."

Farrell's Party marries his love for hip hop music with his origins in rock, and according to Farrell, the latter could learn a thing or two from the former.

"Rock has been out of clubs, I think that's what's damaged rock more than anything else, is that rock is not able to jump into the pool from a DJ's point of view.

"I could probably tell you three things that rock needs to do: One, it needs to consider the bpms. I'll tell you what hip hop does that's good and inviting: the similarity and speed allows DJs to mix it...so if rock could do that more, they could probably relate into the clubs more.

"The other thing is, the sonics of hip hop are inviting for a sound system in a club. If rock wants to be invited in a little more, rock should consider the sonics of what the DJ is doing, because you can't go from a hip hop song to a rock song so easily. The rock song sounds-- it craps out, too trebly.

"And the third thing is, rock needs to be more 'invitive' of each other. Hip hop invites each other, not only on the songs, but in the videos and things like that, and again that's a good thing, there's a community. And rock is a little bit dispersed. I'm not sure if its because of the sound itself; it could be.

"I love guitar music, that's where I come from, that's where I feel like I belong. But I love the community of music and it is possible that we can all get together. We do it, we do it at Lollapalooza. But I feel that we should get tighter with our community, musically. And it's happening, I can see it. And so I think that inclusion is so current and so fresh, even though it's such an old form of music. I think bringing that into the Party now is going to really make the Party go off."

Speaking of Farrell's Lollapalooza-- the Chicago summer festival that had its biggest year yet in 2006, bringing aboard well over 100 acts-- what can fans expect for 2007?

"We've been discussing that. I have a couple of names, but of course I can never tell the names. But if you look at the people who are coming out with records-- right now currently in the studio-- those are the guys we always have our eyes on. So there's a little insight."

Farrell can't wait to share the Satellite Party with the world, but he wisely wants to take things one step at a time. "I'm drooling, rabid to get out there and play. I just don't do things-- my sex is slow and long and patient, and that's the way I do my artwork as well. In the long run, that's what gets them. These quick bangs, these guys can't last."