Peter Distefano

Although Peter DiStefano is most known to alternative rock fans as the lead guitarist in the short-lived <a href="spotify:artist:02NfyD6AlLA12crYzw5YcR">Jane's Addiction</a> offshoot <a href="spotify:artist:58etTNn7xmsQZhjnfjpAXL">Porno for Pyros</a>, the California native had a varied career even before his time in the Lollapalooza sun. Born in Santa Monica in 1965, DiStefano spent his teens and early twenties in the local surf and skate-punk scene, eventually starting his own minor band in the style, "K-38," who only lasted for one mid-'80s single. Kicking around the fringes of the Los Angeles alt rock scene, DiStefano befriended <a href="spotify:artist:02NfyD6AlLA12crYzw5YcR">Jane's Addiction</a> leader <a href="spotify:artist:2DS5RPK5A2GQTucYlgsQdE">Perry Farrell</a> and drummer <a href="spotify:artist:4ikP3KN5qKAPbhyZOQUOFp">Stephen Perkins</a>, and when that band broke up, he joined their new project <a href="spotify:artist:58etTNn7xmsQZhjnfjpAXL">Porno for Pyros</a> in 1993. After two albums, Porno for Pyros and Good God's Urge, the band disintegrated along with DiStefano's personal life: already addicted to heroin, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. After treatment and rehab, newly married and personally stable, DiStefano began a new project called <a href="spotify:artist:6g5hzsKCdiVLDvWfhl6eaN">Venice Underground</a> that explored a hybrid of downtempo electronica and guitar-heavy alt rock. Following that band's 2000 debut, DiStefano self-released a pair of solo albums in 2001 and 2002, Words in Red and Solo at DiPiazzas (both were extremely limited releases) . Signing to the British indie label Sanctuary Records, he returned to his solo career with 2004's Gratitude, followed by 2005's Soul Trigger and 2006's Integrity. Along with his wide-ranging solo career, DiStefano has maintained a parallel career as an in-demand session guitarist for film and television scores, as well as a stint as co-writer and touring bandmember for former <a href="spotify:artist:5N5tQ9Dx1h8Od7aRmGj7Fi">Bauhaus</a> singer <a href="spotify:artist:7zeHJIIfNStVfxlbT72UwY">Peter Murphy</a>. ~ Stewart Mason, Rovi