With the addition of guitarist Dave Navarro, bass player Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, Jane's Addiction incorporated elements of punk, rock, folk and funk into a unique and unpredictable soundscape. They debuted with a live album on the independent Triple X label, recorded at Hollywood's Roxy venue, which received widespread critical acclaim, despite a throwaway cover version of Lou Reed's "Rock 'n Roll' and Farrell's limited stage banter, largely consisting of profanities.

Drawing inspiration from the Doors, PiL, the Velvet Underground and Faith No More, they set about delivering a hypnotic and thought-provoking blend of intoxicating rhythms, jagged and off-beat guitar lines and high-pitched vocals of mesmerist intensity. Their third album, 1987"s Ritual De Lo Habitual, was a work of depth and complexity that required repeated listening to reveal its hidden melodies, subtle nuances and enigmatic qualities. It included the video-friendly shoplifting narrative, "Been Caught Stealing". In the USA, because of censorship of the album's provocative front cover, it was released in a plain envelope with the text of the First Amendment written on it. Farrell, meanwhile, instigated the Lollapalooza concert series, which from its inception in 1990 became something of a cultural phenomenon on a par with the rise of MTV. Despite widespread media coverage, Jane's Addiction never achieved the commercial breakthrough that their talents deserved, and Farrell dissolved the band in 1992.