Imagine owning gear that built the alt-rock sound of the 80s and 90s. Imagine it's 100% legit and sourced straight from the artist's stash. And now, what if I told you that Stephen Perkins is setting that exact scenario up? On September 10, the longtime Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros drummer is opening his personal vault through the authentication platform ANALOGr, putting decades of stage-played drum kits, custom percussion setups, and studio hardware up for auction.
The sale marks his first major public move since Jane’s Addiction abruptly canceled their tour following an onstage brawl between Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro.
The auction inventory focuses directly on the pieces that shaped Perkins’ distinct playing style and helped define some of the most recognizable grooves of the 1990s. Highlights include the drum kit played on Jane’s Addiction’s 1997 reunion tour with Flea, the setup used for the “Strays” album and tour, and the gear he played on the joint NIN/JA tour with Nine Inch Nails.
Beyond Jane’s Addiction, the collection features the original orange drum set from early Porno for Pyros records, his long-running live percussion rig for “Chip Away,” and gear used in studio sessions with artists ranging from Sheryl Crow to the Class of ’99 supergroup featuring Layne Staley and Tom Morello.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Watts Conservatory of Music, where Perkins serves as a board member, teacher, and performer. Founded by David Moss, Flea, Norwood Fisher, and Julie Harelson, the conservatory operates out of Verbum Dei Jesuit High School in Los Angeles, offering free music lessons to anyone who wants to learn an instrument. Its current board also includes Fernando Pullum and Becki Barabas, while its long-term plans include establishing a permanent home in Watts.
These pieces could have remained in private storage or eventually found their way into a museum, but Stephen Perkins is giving them another path. The actual physical tools behind landmark alternative rock records are now being placed in the hands of collectors who can bring new life to instruments that have already played their part in music history. The Stephen Perkins ArtistFirst Collection goes live online through ANALOGr on September 10 at 10 AM PT.
Connect with Stephen Perkins on Instagram and Spotify.
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