l. – r. Perkins, Stefano, LeNoble, Farrell

When I heard Porno for Pyros’ song, “Pete’s Dad,” it hit me that I know so many band names while simultaneously not knowing much of anything about the band itself. Too much music, too little time! “Pete’s Dad,” is on my Spotify favorites list of songs I’ve gleaned from Release Radar. Every time it’s come around again I think wow I love it but know nothing about who created it. Impressions told me it’s a UK band that has a long pedigree. I was wrong about the UK band, but the musicians indeed have a long pedigree. Another thing struck me about it. While listening to the lyrics my paranoid mind was saying this is a person that pretended to have cancer to get his family to visit him for Christmas. After learning more about the situation, I’m embarrassed but I can’t apologize for being paranoid. It is what it is.

I learned who Porno for Pyros is and that Pete’s Dad is a very real person. Pete’s Dad, this song is a healing and protective mantra for you. Glad you’re still with us.

From wiki:

Porno for Pyros is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992, following the first break-up of Jane’s Addiction. The band currently consists of Jane’s Addiction members, Perry Farrell (vocals) and Stephen Perkins (drums), alongside Peter DiStefano (guitar) and Mike Watt (bass.) Founding bass guitarist Martyn LeNoble was a member of the band between 1992 and 1995, and was initially committed to the band’s reunion between 2022 and 2023.

The band released two studio albums, Porno for Pyros (1993) and Good God’s Urge (1996), before going on hiatus in 1998. In 2009, the original line-up reunited for a one-off appearance at frontman Perry Farrell’s 50th birthday party. In 2020, the Watt-era line-up of the band reunited for Lolla2020, a free YouTube broadcast event taking place amidst global COVID-19 lockdowns. Following the appearance, members of the group continued to work on new material together, and in 2022, Farrell and Perkins reunited Porno for Pyros for their first large-scale public performances in more than 24 years, leading to a full reunion of the band’s original line-up at Welcome to Rockville festival.

The original four-piece recorded new material in 2023, with plans to release a four-track EP in 2024. After a full reunion tour was rescheduled to 2024, LeNoble amicably left the band in November 2023, with the band subsequently announcing that their forthcoming tour would be a farewell tour.

Rolling Stone’s 12/15/23 issue had a small article by John Blistein, who writes:

Porno for Pyros have shared a special new holiday tune, “Pete’s Dad,” about (as the title suggests) guitarist Peter DiStefano’s father, who just beat cancer.

While the song’s pitter-patter drums and uncanny acoustic guitars occasionally veer into strange sonic spaces, “Pete’s Dad” is obviously big-hearted, tender, and even a little funny. The first verse finds frontman Perry Farrell, who is Jewish, singing about being welcomed into the DiStefano’s family for Christmas, even crooning at one point, “Jews and Italians, they’re very much alike/I like Italian food.”

NME’s 12/18/23’s issue had a blurb by Liberty Dunworth who says that tune is not a new one:

Although the track was labeled as new music by the band when they first teased it on their X/Twitter page, it was originally shared nearly 30 years ago as a standalone single in 1995. Looking at P4P discography and searching a little more, I learned that the song was a live b-side to “Sadness.”

Whether old or new, I very much like the song and am pleased to have happened across it.

Well, it’s Christmas
And it’s Hanukkah
Jews and Italians
Live very much alike
I like Italian food
Pete invited us to spend the weekend
With his mom and dad
And then they added us into the family

Pete’s dad don’t have cancer anymore
The doctor called and told him so, just before
We sat down
For Christmas supper
When he found out
We all cried a little

After supper we all gather
Around Pete’s dad, he plays guitar
And sings serenades
From back in Sicily
On the wall there’s a picture
Of a young man who looks like Peter does
Before he goes out on Saturday

Pete’s dad don’t have cancer anymore
The doctor called and told him so, just before
We sat down
For Christmas supper
When he found out
We all cried a little

It was one of those miracles
One of those miracles at Christmas

And Pete’s dad don’t have cancer anymore
The doctor called and told him so, just before
We sat down
For Christmas supper
When he found out
We all cried a little

It was one of those miracles
It was one of those miracles at Christmas
It was a miracle
It was a miracle
It was one of those miracles at Christmas

Songwriters: Porno for Pyros