Future Inspired by Jimi Hendrix for Next Record

"This sets the tone for everything that's about to come. I feel like this is my first album that's really going to touch the people in the right way." Atlanta rapper Future has just woken up, but he's eager to discuss his second record, Future Hendrix, for which he's been logging major hours in the studio to complete for a release sometime in 2013.

"Everything about the music I want to be taking to the next level," he says over the phone. "It's got to be all the way right, because the quality of the music has to live up to my expectations."

When it comes to influences, Future says he was inspired by the legendary Jimi Hendrix's talent and uniqueness as an artist. "He was a gifted individual. He just stayed who he was and eventually it paid off," he says. While we shouldn't expect any guitar solos from the rapper, he has mentioned collaborating with Kanye West, Rihanna, Pharrell, Timbaland and more, though he's tight-lipped about what big names will make the final cut.

Video: Future Hits 'Kimmel' With Kelly Rowland

"I can't say who's going to be on there, because I'm still making the album," he says. "I'm just working every day so I can get prepared for whatever date they say I need to have it ready for."

To tide his fans over until Future Hendrix drops, he recently released the mixtape F.B.G.: The Movie, which features guest verses from Drake, Wale, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, along with members of his Free Bandz Gang crew. Future also sees it as a chance to introduce the up-and-coming "family" of rappers that he's working with, including Atlanta's Casino and Baltimore's Test.

The mixtape also features production from Mike WiLL Made It, the rising Atlanta beatmaker behind some of the biggest hit singles of 2012 (Kanye West's "Mercy," Juicy J's "Bandz a Make Her Dance," 2 Chainz's "No Lie"). "Me and Mike clicked from day one," says the rapper. "We just showed each other how much passion we had for the music in the studio. He's always looking for new ways to challenge himself, and I'm always looking for new ways to challenge myself."

It's this same desire to go above and beyond that inspired the title of his debut record, last year's Pluto. "You know how people say the sky's the limit? I wanted to go beyond that," says the rapper about the album's title and interplanetary lyrics. "It's a CD now, not just a planet. Ten years, 20 years from now or whatever, everybody is going to be able to relate to it from my generation and on. They're going to be able to say, 'Pluto – I know about the Future CD,' even in classrooms when they're teaching up Pluto in the discussion." He adds that he's thought about attending a space camp, "just to understand and learn about it."

While the original version sold a comparatively modest 41,000 copies in its first week of release, bolstered by heavy radio play and positive reviews, the album was re-released in November as a deluxe edition (Pluto 3D) with several new songs and remixes. Shortly after, Future made his first appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing his "Neva End" remix with Kelly Rowland.  He also wrote, produced and contributed vocals to Rihanna's "Loveeeee Song," which is featured on the Barbadian pop star's latest album, Unapologetic.

"That definitely opened me up to a new audience," says the rapper, who isn't shy about expressing his goal of winning a Grammy Award or two one day: "I'm not trying to be put in categories. I'm a trailblazer, and the awards will come."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Future Inspired by Jimi Hendrix for Next Record

"This sets the tone for everything that's about to come. I feel like this is my first album that's really going to touch the people in the right way." Atlanta rapper Future has just woken up, but he's eager to discuss his second record, Future Hendrix, for which he's been logging major hours in the studio to complete for a release sometime in 2013.

"Everything about the music I want to be taking to the next level," he says over the phone. "It's got to be all the way right, because the quality of the music has to live up to my expectations."

When it comes to influences, Future says he was inspired by the legendary Jimi Hendrix's talent and uniqueness as an artist. "He was a gifted individual. He just stayed who he was and eventually it paid off," he says. While we shouldn't expect any guitar solos from the rapper, he has mentioned collaborating with Kanye West, Rihanna, Pharrell, Timbaland and more, though he's tight-lipped about what big names will make the final cut.

Video: Future Hits 'Kimmel' With Kelly Rowland

"I can't say who's going to be on there, because I'm still making the album," he says. "I'm just working every day so I can get prepared for whatever date they say I need to have it ready for."

To tide his fans over until Future Hendrix drops, he recently released the mixtape F.B.G.: The Movie, which features guest verses from Drake, Wale, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, along with members of his Free Bandz Gang crew. Future also sees it as a chance to introduce the up-and-coming "family" of rappers that he's working with, including Atlanta's Casino and Baltimore's Test.

The mixtape also features production from Mike WiLL Made It, the rising Atlanta beatmaker behind some of the biggest hit singles of 2012 (Kanye West's "Mercy," Juicy J's "Bandz a Make Her Dance," 2 Chainz's "No Lie"). "Me and Mike clicked from day one," says the rapper. "We just showed each other how much passion we had for the music in the studio. He's always looking for new ways to challenge himself, and I'm always looking for new ways to challenge myself."

It's this same desire to go above and beyond that inspired the title of his debut record, last year's Pluto. "You know how people say the sky's the limit? I wanted to go beyond that," says the rapper about the album's title and interplanetary lyrics. "It's a CD now, not just a planet. Ten years, 20 years from now or whatever, everybody is going to be able to relate to it from my generation and on. They're going to be able to say, 'Pluto – I know about the Future CD,' even in classrooms when they're teaching up Pluto in the discussion." He adds that he's thought about attending a space camp, "just to understand and learn about it."

While the original version sold a comparatively modest 41,000 copies in its first week of release, bolstered by heavy radio play and positive reviews, the album was re-released in November as a deluxe edition (Pluto 3D) with several new songs and remixes. Shortly after, Future made his first appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing his "Neva End" remix with Kelly Rowland.  He also wrote, produced and contributed vocals to Rihanna's "Loveeeee Song," which is featured on the Barbadian pop star's latest album, Unapologetic.

"That definitely opened me up to a new audience," says the rapper, who isn't shy about expressing his goal of winning a Grammy Award or two one day: "I'm not trying to be put in categories. I'm a trailblazer, and the awards will come."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon Music and MP3 Center

Read more »

Perry Farrell: Jane's Addiction Tour Inspired by 'Boardwalk Empire' Era

Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction performs at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas in Universal City, California.

Jane's Addiction recently announced tour dates, kicking off February 22nd in St. Louis, in support of last year's The Great Escape Artist. It's taken a minute for the band to mount a proper U.S. trek, but that's because frontman Perry Farrell wanted to make sure everything was right.

"We're starting to go over stage design and put together the stage, and I'm really happy that we're underway," he tells Rolling Stone, adding that video mapping will be a big part of the production. "The style of the show is what I'm calling Twenties surrealist with a Sixties, Warhol pop twist. I'm going through old archival films and finding some crazy stuff, like 1920s stag films."

He points to a couple of projects that have inspired the show's concept. "One is Boardwalk Empire. I love that time period. It's exciting – you had the speakeasies going and the underground people played a very big role in people entertaining themselves. The whole flapper thing was going on, and you had the surrealist movement," he says.

Another inspiration is a theater performance he caught in New York called Sleep No More. "They took over a five-story hotel for immersive theater," says Farrell, "whereby the people there to see the play were allowed to walk through this hotel, and then every once in a while a performer would come through. "

Buoyed by Sleep No More, the singer is planning something similar for the Jane's tour. "We want to do immersive theater, too. We've always had Siamese dancers, but we're gonna add another character, Bubba, who's going to be, in a way, the great escape artist. He's going to be moving people around, doing things in the audience," he says. "But I want the audience members to dress, as I said, with that Twenties surrealist twist if they can, or at least like they're going to a prom, because they're going to be within the show itself."

The band is focused entirely on this theater concept, to the point Farrell says they're skipping the American festival circuit this summer, including Lollapalooza in Chicago, which he founded. "We're not gonna play it, but that's not to say that we won't be in Chicago," he says. The band will, however, be at the debut of Lollapalooza Brazil in April. "I like the idea of christening the place, 'cause Jane's christened Lolla, so I just kind of feel like it's a goodwill gesture."

Ultimately, The Great Escape Artist tour is expected to last two years. During that time Farrell wants Jane's to release more new music. "What I have not seen before is a group that's done a record, had somewhat of a theme – escapism – and then done a second record almost as if it was a follow-up movie. I want to do that," he says. "We have material left from The Great Escape Artist we didn't record. I'm very inspired to keep with the theme. Something's feeling right about it."

Before the band hits the road they have one special show, playing the Rolling Stone Super Bowl party in Indianapolis this weekend before the game. While Farrell is a diehard basketball fan, he does have a prediction for the game. "I think it's Eli [Manning]. Eli in the clutch comes through in the end, and we shut down [Tom] Brady's offense with that great pass-rushing defensive line of the Giants," he says. "I would hate for anybody in Boston to think I don't love them, but I'm a New Yorker and I gotta stand by my state."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon MP3 Download Center

Read more »

Perry Farrell: Jane's Addiction Tour Inspired by 'Boardwalk Empire' Era

Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction performs at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas in Universal City, California.

Jane's Addiction recently announced tour dates, kicking off February 22nd in St. Louis, in support of last year's The Great Escape Artist. It's taken a minute for the band to mount a proper U.S. trek, but that's because frontman Perry Farrell wanted to make sure everything was right.

"We're starting to go over stage design and put together the stage, and I'm really happy that we're underway," he tells Rolling Stone, adding that video mapping will be a big part of the production. "The style of the show is what I'm calling Twenties surrealist with a Sixties, Warhol pop twist. I'm going through old archival films and finding some crazy stuff, like 1920s stag films."

He points to a couple of projects that have inspired the show's concept. "One is Boardwalk Empire. I love that time period. It's exciting – you had the speakeasies going and the underground people played a very big role in people entertaining themselves. The whole flapper thing was going on, and you had the surrealist movement," he says.

Another inspiration is a theater performance he caught in New York called Sleep No More. "They took over a five-story hotel for immersive theater," says Farrell, "whereby the people there to see the play were allowed to walk through this hotel, and then every once in a while a performer would come through. "

Buoyed by Sleep No More, the singer is planning something similar for the Jane's tour. "We want to do immersive theater, too. We've always had Siamese dancers, but we're gonna add another character, Bubba, who's going to be, in a way, the great escape artist. He's going to be moving people around, doing things in the audience," he says. "But I want the audience members to dress, as I said, with that Twenties surrealist twist if they can, or at least like they're going to a prom, because they're going to be within the show itself."

The band is focused entirely on this theater concept, to the point Farrell says they're skipping the American festival circuit this summer, including Lollapalooza in Chicago, which he founded. "We're not gonna play it, but that's not to say that we won't be in Chicago," he says. The band will, however, be at the debut of Lollapalooza Brazil in April. "I like the idea of christening the place, 'cause Jane's christened Lolla, so I just kind of feel like it's a goodwill gesture."

Ultimately, The Great Escape Artist tour is expected to last two years. During that time Farrell wants Jane's to release more new music. "What I have not seen before is a group that's done a record, had somewhat of a theme – escapism – and then done a second record almost as if it was a follow-up movie. I want to do that," he says. "We have material left from The Great Escape Artist we didn't record. I'm very inspired to keep with the theme. Something's feeling right about it."

Before the band hits the road they have one special show, playing the Rolling Stone Super Bowl party in Indianapolis this weekend before the game. While Farrell is a diehard basketball fan, he does have a prediction for the game. "I think it's Eli [Manning]. Eli in the clutch comes through in the end, and we shut down [Tom] Brady's offense with that great pass-rushing defensive line of the Giants," he says. "I would hate for anybody in Boston to think I don't love them, but I'm a New Yorker and I gotta stand by my state."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon Music and MP3 Center

Read more »