Eric Avery Interview on returning to Jane's Addiction Part 1

[@emptysresponse]

Eric Avery has created some of the most innovative basslines ever in contemporary music as far as I'm concerned.

[@kat1york]

Jamie Scott Palmer Absolutely!!! Love Eric.

[@jasonjackson3114]

Yes absolutely. Eric's sense of composition is on a level few musicians have. Jane's music is timeless stuff and Eric certainly played a vital role.

[@brucifer0]

His bass lines certainly lifts those Jane's songs up into the ether.

[@coycoberly4162]

AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!!

[@willemowen2515]

There is genius in his simplicity.

[@redriderbbgun8018]

Eric has always struck me as the most genuine & honest source of reliable JA info of the early 90's

[@edwardormsby1515]

As a bassist, Avery was one of my biggest influences, in the 90's when every other bassist tried to imitate Flea or Claypool, dropping the same rehashed funk tap, slap & pop lines until it all sounded cliche' Avery and Dave Blood (The Dead Milkmen) laid down some awesome melodic foundations, which I've always tried to emulate. Summertime Rolls, Mountain Song, Three days...Perkins and him were as solid a rhythm section as anyone could dream of. Totally underappreciated artist. I wish the egos could just be dropped already

[@coycoberly4162]

AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!!

[@GuitarCentaur]

Eric is the biggest part of Jane's and we should want to hear what he thinks about how it all went down. He is very appreciative of Perry's talents.

[@josegoicochea6528]

The most underrated bassist.

[@coycoberly4162]

AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

[@literallyunderrated]

Literally

[@terryrollins1973]

The most overused comment

[@joevandal8513]

Eric Avery has to be the most down to earth rockstar... He's a genuine, realistic person... What an awesome experience interviewing him via web cam... Nice guy, and one of the most influential people in rock music... I've been a fan of Jane's Addiction since 1988, Rock on Eric!!!

[@RavnerRavner]

dig it. i've watched all 16 segments. This isn't exactly a Kurt Loder interview, & I'm relieved its not. It speaks of Avery's character to take time and talk with someone so candidly and not hold back. Even as a KZbin viewer, its like having a chance to talk to the unsung hero of an incredibly important band of our generation. Avery is cool, down to earth, & doesn't put Farrel on a pedestal and kiss his ass.he lived through Jane's 85-91 and lived to tell about it. AWESOME POST, thanks

[@chattingesque372]

Kurt Loder actually did these type of loose interviews when he was given more than 2 minutes. Check out his interview with Marilyn Manson in 1998.

[@renorailfanning5465]

Saw JA at the Lollapalooza show in Orlando 1991. What an amazing show. Great musicianship and great stage show.

[@theyearoftherat]

No pole dances and circus act shit either back then.

[@dead_weight_habits2321]

Playing music for years now and I know what he means about the complexity of working with strong and multiple personalities in a group. When you get a band that big that parts ways to me is like having a divorce and when you visit your ex it brings all these complex emotions. I mean your able to be civil for awhile but in time something comes up that pisses everybody off. Sad because he was/is a key member who when I first heard Jane's I was attracted to the amazing bass lines. You just can't easily replace someone like that and think you'll have the same product. They were the right recipe for the time and made timeless music that gave me the soundtrack of my youth.

[@TheGoldenChile]

I play the electric guitar, but I take huge inspiration from Eric, hes truly a guitarists best friend

[@MrTommySullivan]

I was so grateful to have seen Jane's Addiction with NIN in 2009. It was just awesome seeing the original members - especially Eric.

[@chattingesque372]

NIN are teh suck

[@squiremuldoon5462]

@@chattingesque372 huh?

[@chattingesque372]

@@squiremuldoon5462 NIN are boring because the lead singers vocals are too thin

[@squiremuldoon5462]

@@chattingesque372 they’re not up to your standards, thank you for sharing.

[@chattingesque372]

@@squiremuldoon5462 I like the old Jane's Addiction and especially Porno for Pyros

[@programmedwrong3795]

Eric Avery is a genius. And, I completely agree with him on how Jane's isn't the same. Also, is weird that Perry's wife is more recognized in Jane's than Eric is. Crazy!

[@ThirstyEye]

?? Perry's wife is NOT recognized. She hot, but nobody is thinking of her.

[@coycoberly4162]

Yeah...that's Fucked Up!

[@coycoberly4162]

She used to be one of the "Original" Pussycat Dolls. I could care less, BUT some people do. I guess!

[@xiolaorg]

jane's addiction existed 1985--1991 originally.

[@glennkirste2774]

And I was there.

[@benmurphygo1]

eric avery is the only member of janes addiction with any integrity. Good thing he left what has become a shell of the greatness that it once was.

[@SquiggyWigginz]

I saw them live in only 89, 90 and 91.

[@user-uo1qr6vn1q]

I know this was years ago, but I’m glad that Eric appeared to be doing so well. His decision to not reunite with Janes when they got back together in the late 90s was always something I felt like I understood, even if the eternal 16yo kid in me really wanted him to do it. IMO the band has put out some good material since, however it’s not a big surprise that the more recent stuff hasn’t come close to the brilliance of their first 3 records. I don’t know if that’s because you can’t recreate a time and place, or if it’s due to the simple fact that Eric wrote the majority of their music on those records (which he did). It’s probably a bit of both, actually. Although I had a different opinion 25 years ago, the better perspective that comes with age is a real thing, and today I have absolutely zero problem with the way he’s handled it all, just like I don’t fault Perry, Dave and Stephen for deciding to go forward without him. In the end, you can’t recreate the past, unfortunately, which is why I’m so glad I got to experience them live during their first go around. Music and drama aside, considering just how crazy things were at that time for all 4 of them, it’s just good to see that they’re all still alive today.

[@coycoberly4162]

AGREED WHOLEHEARTEDLY...AGAIN!!!

[@HoboMcCormack]

Very interesting interview. If you don't have much time I recommend going to the last one (16) and especially the last 5 minutes, I think Avery explains things very eloquently. Saw them with Exodus, Pixies and Primus in SF around 1990. Amazing show and Jane's was incredible even though Perry had a sprained ankle or something. They seemed all about the outcasts and the underground at that time but the next thing you know they're dating supermodels and acting like rock stars. Oh well.

[@pattonPwr]

thanks for this great interview from one of my bass heroes. He's being true to himself and I respect him now even more...

[@coycoberly4162]

AGREED!!!

[@Goal3153]

you wonder what kind of record they could have made if they had done one more after Ritual?

[@nealdamkjer192]

Listen to Sadness and Blood Rag by P4P...Those 2 are Janesy sound to me. Close my eyes and imagine.

[@andrewhigdon8346]

Goal3153 well... ummmm speechless? Me? Ritual was epic, but even that exceptionally high mark, Nothing’s Shocking is simply, to me, and to many of my dearest friends, took everything we all loved in so many different types of music, the greatest music we had heard, save maybe Houses of the Holy, or some Bach, Kind of Blue, and maybe even Truth and Soul, maybe, all of that we had heard before, and just finger banged it into a submissive orgasm unexpected and sublime. With love, it might be edgy, but let it sink in, and you’ll be hooked. Wow. Just realized that maybe my incredible and indescribable love of their music, and expression, in so many indescribable ways, that is a central to me never ever wanting to get into heroin. It always made me sad as I grew up, that even though I clearly recognized it at the time, that the magic I found in that expression was heavily influenced by such a heavy intoxicant. I know that they’ve followed it up clean, and so have other bands, but there is always that nagging sensation that it was not quite, up THERE. The first three albums were awesome, and Ritual was clearly a soundtrack for then, and now, but how can you top an 11? When everything before Nothing’s Shocking had stayed within the parameters of all that was acceptable yet incredible yet otherworldly yet grounded, and yet, whatever the genre, I mean even Bad Brains, one of my favorite bands, maybe number one or two, they even sound like really awesome regular music. Even Mr. Bungle, another favorite and the first album is still another absolute masterpiece, a work of art, but yet Nothing’s Shocking shocked us all, telling the uncomfortable truth that today we actually HAVE ACCEPTED AS NORMAL. Prophetic Perry? We all could see it coming, we just didn’t want to. The world loves us because we are beautiful. Love ya Peripheral!

[@yrmthr]

The Deconstruction album is probably as close as it gets

[@carlo_cali]

Who knows what it would or could have been, but I read that on Ritual they were only in the studio together once and that was the recording for Three Days. By then they couldn't stand each other.

[@OfOurTime]

Thanks for re-uploading these.

[@nmacog]

Really interesting rhey were ky dsve band as a kid. Hearing him talk about Farrell like this i had no Idea...

[@southboundtraveler]

I just watched all 17 videos. 1st, thanks to the Uploader for posting this interview. Personally, I wish the questions were a little broader than why and when he came and went from JA, but there were insightful comments in there. Either way, can't say this has changed my view toward Eric or any in JA for better or worse. IMO, it has never been JA without Eric. I saw JA with Flea and then with Eric in ATL at NINJA and it was night and day. JA 1.0 will forever and always be the real JA!

[@boylamak]

Luv Eric... he IS the heart of JA

[@allsystemsgo8678]

Dave Navarro did an interview in May of this year ripping Eric for the interview. Kind of strange that it took him 2 years to respond. I respect Eric, he was a huge part of the band songwriting wise and he's an intelligent man. Having said that, I never quite understood why he rejoined.

[@KM-zw9qb]

$$$$

[@peterjonas4971]

Eric is the son of the actor who played "Carl" in the film, The Graduate.

[@TheLoveSignGuy]

If only Perry had been the vocalist on Deconstruction, we would have one more J.A. album created by the musical genius, Eric Avery

[@meflove]

you know i'm right. they are a ghost shell of their former self.

[@redriderbbgun8018]

Yeah, their sound took a giant step backwards when Avery left. Shame for the fans 😟

[@chattingesque372]

The original relapse tour/ kettle whistle album with Fleas was decent but beyond that..

[@bobbyfeather1]

Hi, Eric. Eric A. moved into my apartment in Santa Monica when he left EXODUS REHAB in '89. Good to see him rockin' on tour with GARBAGE.

[@robeast9009]

It sucks that the Jane's Gang are bashing each other, wasting so much times bashing each other

[@kayakchrispy]

His dad is in the graduate ... left at the alter in the church

[@RunOfTheHind]

Eric was the *only* Jane's bassist.

[@MrSurferRosa]

my hero!

[@econogate]

I never understood why the original lineup fell into disarray, people go separate ways, but when they were in control of the world of music it was like they shrugged and dropped it, like the power was too intoxicating.

[@turdferguson3855]

Bryce Thibodeaux perry got 62 1/2%. Eric, Stephen and Dave got 12 1/2% each.

[@HarrisonTyler]

I think that song does allude to some of the tension between Perry and Eric.

[@halldorsturluson1449]

i was sad he left but the last 2 albums have been very good, specially the latest.

[@jasonmgomez]

love his glaive tattoo on the right arm....

[@meflove]

@broskydosky If you were to listen to Strays without knowing old JA , you would really be impressed. But knowing old JA you realize that they just don't swing anymore. That is all Eric. Is Eric's solo stuff any good?

[@barbamatteo]

Eric was right not to come back in Janes, they are just boiled and without creative attitude. Just for money? Like many other band revivals? Why? Maybe the only right spot was the NIN tour but maybe that was not the right moment also for NIN (Trent was rebuilding the band at those time). Eric is a great musician and i hope is happy, no other thing is important.

[@DAVET0NE]

aint no wrong now aint no right

[@brianplunkett4002]

Eric doesn’t care.

[@lookingatcrap]

I don't see it

[@robeast9009]

MN I was so disappointed when Eric Avery left Jane's 4 the 2nd time, these guys got unfinished biz ness , they can make another great album

[@vincevirtua]

A shame that NME is basically a free rag handed out at London tube stations these days ..

[@realasadoughnut]

I only attended their reunion show only cuz Avery was back on bass. It was funny cuz Perry and Dave came out with their "Rockstar outfits" on with sequins and all that bullshit...and Avery came out in just his usual shorts and tshirt on. But man they only sound like real Jane's with him. Even as talented as flea is ,it just didn't sound quite right.

[@realasadoughnut]

@Sharks Right, it's definitely nit picking as you can't go wrong with Flea as good as he is. I guess I am just a Jane's purist who enjoys the original line up, like when I saw them at the first Lollapalooza. Anyways, Cheers.

[@Gcssdvnkloiutesc]

Flea was great on the replace tour. Different but still great. Perry sang better than ever that year.

[@mmindy]

Is End of the Lies about Eric?

[@xiolaorg]

it was dumb to take them down in the first place.

[@robeast9009]

While they should be making music

[@SquiggyWigginz]

Man...who gives a fuck about Janes or anything. You're better than all that. Fuck Dave, Fuck Money Fuck Poverty. You're not in it. You're actually really well off from people like us. 1989-1996. Rip. :-D I'm the guy you hit on girl friend. If you only knew. lol I love you bro. She needed it. She did die though, that's what sucks right? I've been playing guitar since 1976 and I'm still alive. Come play with me.

[@ThirstyEye]

?!?!?

[@tonyfrombalt]

Eric looks like he's on blow here, which he is way too old to be messing with. If you listen to the first 3 records, it seems obvious to me that he was the major catalyst in their songwriting process, musically. Songs like Ain't No Right, Mountain Song, Summertime... are obviously written around his bass lines. That probably explains why they've never been as good without him. Not even w/ Flea.

[@kevinnoble6320]

Perkins and Avery best Rhythm section ever. Jus amazing. Janes ADDICTION best band Them Alice in CHAINS and STP

[@ThirstyEye]

Come on, guys; life is short!!! Members (most) of another band I cherish eventually made up before one died. At least be at peace with each other... Or not?! Damn, maybe y'all never were personally compatible. But I thank the band for at least making it work for a few years.

[@the3vilsix]

I used to think that Eric was the only one that had integrity or any substance as a genuine person out of the foursome but after watching this interview I digress. The guys a self centered egoist. Needs to grow up.

[@slmmdgg]

are you kidding me? there is no janes with out the 4 of them thats why those so called albums you spoke of shit the bed not even flea could fill his shoes in this band sit down skinny jean

[@ER_aka_RAM]

firesuite doves You should swallow the fact of the matter...Eric’s role is a missing link. Without the 4, it’s not the dynamics of JA. but you’re a fucking douchebag that wouldn’t know the difference anyway

[@chrisdamanda1888]

Eric is a great bassist. no question. I really wish they would have had more records. seriously though, porno forever!!!! screw janes

[@ThirstyEye]

dude, surely you jest, ha ha. Porno forever? Cursed Female was incredible, but otherwise....

[@arthurmagazine]

This is worse than watching a deposition. Editing is a virtue.

[@thejasonknightfiascoband5099]

Him and his brodawg Duff are the greatest bass players of my generation w/o a doubt! Their fills are always very melodic and neither overdo it. When it comes to players like Claypool & Flea, both are VERY talented but they just kill every f**king song they play on. Busy bass playing thats over the top just doesn't good to me.

[@supadupahilton6848]

Why the hell would Anyone leave Janes Addiction?? Chris Cheney is a decent bass player, but he doesn't have Erics chops. Nightmare.

[@AarenJable]

I think Chris Chaney is a better technician than Eric Avery but there's something special about Eric's playing.

[@Duke_Togo_G13]

Aaren J Avery stands out and is creative. The other guy does not.

[@soeffingwhat]

Chris Chaney is a brilliant bass player who can also sight read brilliantly, something many musicians cannot do. Eric Avery is kind of a session bassist with Garbage right now but he still has his own style. He's obviously diverse enough but Chaney is definitely way more diverse.

[@dos_mas_805]

Love Eric and the band, but this interview was pretty terrible, from an interviewers perspective. Seems more like you somehow got Eric on a Skype call and didn't have any plan, or had previously presented Eric with the questions or direction that the "interview" would go.

[@jnthemyst]

Eric's influence is missed for sure but I like the 2 albums without him..it's not as artistic maybe but it wouldn't be with him either, a follow up to ritual post 99 would've sounded fake anyway. Might as well start fresh without the burden of trying to relive the past.

[@Duke_Togo_G13]

jnthemyst Eric is one of four components to JA and really shapes the sound. His replacement is autonomous. Nothing spectacular, and nothing short of being a hired gun. The bass was always present and those two albums without him, it is not. It's almost hidden behind the guitar.

[@RAM_DOS]

Eric complains that the Janes guys are trying to relive the past but when Perry tries to do something new instead of just repeating what has already been done, Eric ridicules him for it. After watching this entire thing I now realize that Eric is just someone who cant stand living in Perry's shadow.

[@riversideband8120]

goes down as a very odd video - sorry, eric seems bitter about life and i love perry steve dave

[@3daysJA]

Avery is the best bass player but I feel like he's a bit off by saying these guys have no work ethic and no integrity doesn't Eric play for garbage point made

[@drk321]

Janes Addiction can only exist with Perry Farrell. Every other member can be replaced, Perry cannot. I would hate to see Dave or Stephen leave but Eric is THE most replaceable member.

[@repeater2469]

Eric's playing made the band....they suck now.

[@Thatguy55595]

repeater2469 Lol nope

[@Gcssdvnkloiutesc]

That’s just another way of saying “I don’t understand music but I’m conceited enough to comment on it”

[@drk321]

@@Gcssdvnkloiutesc Wrong. Eric's playing did not define JA. He had some memorable contributions but Janes proved he was not essential by continuing on without him with several albums. Remember Alice in Chains? Name one song from memory after Layne died. I mean, I have an album they released after Layne died and can name some of the songs but there is a reason they stopped releasing music after that album. Layne was essential. Eric wasn't. Being a fanboi does not mean you have a superior grasp of music. It just means you THINK you do. Talk about conceit....

[@Gcssdvnkloiutesc]

@@drk321 Black Gives Way to Blue? “Check my Brain” was Alice’s highest charting song and that was done without Layne. They have been going on without Layne since 2006, less than five years after he died. By your logic, Layne was not essential since like Janes, Alice has been going on without Layne, touring, releasing albums, and succeeding. Moreover Alice has had a lot more success than Janes post-Layne, having a gold album in the era of Napster (which would of sold as much as Tripod the last album with Layne if people weren’t stealing music) and being consistent where Janes has reunited and broken up many times since Strays. There are many bands that successfully continue on, more often than not to even more success, without their lead singer: AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, LA Guns, Joy Division/New Order, and many more. You’re the fanboy with a ard for Perry Farrell. Your argument is not consistent and contradicts itself. My authority comes from having been a musician who has studied music for many years. Your idea is a common prejudice of layman that lead singers are somehow more important, defined a band, and so on. Technically if anyone is “most important” or essential is the drummer not a singers. Among musicians there is a saying that a “band is only as good as its drummer”. There are lots of bands with mediocre to poor singers (joy division), likewise incompetent bassists (motly crue) and guitarists (Ramones). But there’s never been a successful band with a mediocre drummer. The argument is silly anyway. The fact is, every band member is essential. Replacing any member always changes the sound. A band is like a cooking recipe, change any of the ingredients and it tastes different. The chemistry sounds different. A band can survive changing members but it’s no longer the same band except nominally. The only reason you have this conviction about Eric vs. Perry is like most layman you don’t understand what you are hearing instrumentally but anyone can understand a voice. Even though you may not hear the difference between incarnations of Janes I guarantee you FEEL a difference between band lineups. That difference of feeling is chemistry. Even the same band members change as musicians which change the sound of a band, like when Perry lost a part of his vocal range which forced the band to tune down a half step since 2005. Eric has an almost synthetic quality to his playing that is based in Joy Division riff playing rather than playing a pentatonic scale. It is key to Janes songwriting as if you haven’t noticed there often is not a chorus. There often isn’t even a guitar riff like a zeppelin song. Instead, the riff is the bass, which is also the hook. So the bass plays a very important part of Janes music as well as a unique part. Moreover, most of their greatest songs like Three Days, Mountain Song, Ocean Song, Jane Says, were essentially written by Eric. Eric would come to the band with the bass line and song ideas and the other members would improvise over it until they had a complete song. Hence the tension between Eric and Perry. Eric resented the spotlight Perry had (like all lead singers) and felt uncompensated for his part in penning most of the tunes musically. Perrys lack of success without Janes also proves the importance of the band. Porno was filling small theaters at their height and their second album bombed after the momentum of Janes carried their first album to gold.