Eric Avery

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Eric Avery


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Eric Adam Avery
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Born = Birth date and age|1965|4|25
Los Angeles, California, USA
Died =
Instrument = Bass guitar, Vocals
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Genre = Alternative rock, Funk rock, Funk metal, Experimental rock
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1985 - Present
Label = Warner Bros., EMI/Capitol,
Associated_acts = Jane's Addiction
Deconstruction
Polar Bear
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Eric Adam Avery (born April 25, 1965) is an American musician, most famous for his co-creation of, and for his role as the original bassist in Jane's Addiction.

Biography

Eric and Dave Navarro first met as students at St. Paul the Apostle Grammar School in West Los Angeles, a Catholic Parochial School founded by the Paulist Fathers. Eric and Dave were classmates together. Eric went on to Loyola High School (boys only) of Los Angeles and Dave went on to Notre Dame High School (boys only) in Sherman Oaks, California. Dave was classmates at Notre Dame with Stephen Perkins. Stephen met Eric's sister, Rebecca Avery, and they dated. It was Rebecca who suggested that Eric and Perry audition Stephen as the drummer for Jane's Addiction.

Avery has kept a fairly low profile since the demise of Jane's Addiction, participating in the Deconstruction project with Dave Navarro immediately after Jane's Addiction's breakup, but declining all invitations for Jane's reunions. The only reason Avery has ever given for his repeated rejections is that he feels the reunions are motivated purely by money. He has also recorded tracks for, toured with and briefly dated Alanis Morissette, as well as creating another side project, Polar Bear in 1994. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1578544/20071226/avery_eric.jhtml Ex-Jane's Addiction Bassist Recovers With Solo LP - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News ] ] Tool's Maynard Keenan invited Eric Avery to replace bassist Paul D'Amour. Eric Avery was once suggested as the replacement bassist for Tool by former Jane's Addiction and then-current Tool manager Ted Gardner. Eric declined the invitation, saying he wanted to concentrate on his band Polar Bear. As seen in the film "Some Kind of Monster", Avery also auditioned to become the bassist for Metallica, after the departure of former bassist Jason Newsted. The job didn't quite fit right for Avery; instead the band went with Suicidal Tendencies bassist Robert Trujillo. Avery toured with the band Garbage during the promotion of their 2005 "Bleed Like Me" album.

Avery worked briefly with the revived Smashing Pumpkins, but ultimately did not join the band. Avery was not paid for his work with the newly revived band, but did say the sessions were a lot of fun: "I went into [the Pumpkins] with the same mentality I took with me when I auditioned for Metallica — I expected to have a good story to tell my wife. I had no expectations. I had heard nothing but bad things about working with Billy, but I went, and I found it to be a really inspiring time." Billy Corgan ended up playing bass parts on what would become their 2007 album "Zeitgeist" and hired Ginger Reyes for live performances.

Eric has recently announced signing with Dangerbird Records for the upcoming release of his solo album "Help Wanted".

After refusing to perform with Jane's Addiction several times, Avery performed alongside his former bandmates at the NME Awards in 2008. Whether or not this will lead to a more extensive reunion has not been made clear.

Trivia

*John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers stated on the Stadium Arcadium commentary that his guitar playing style is majorly influenced by Avery's far away note playing.
*Eric Avery is also contributing original music to the 2007 feature film documentary The 11th Hour.
*His father is the actor Brian Avery; he has played numerous television roles since the late 1950s, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Graduate, playing Carl Smith, the character Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman) stops Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) from marrying in the film's climax.

Discography

Jane's Addiction

* 1987 "Jane's Addiction"
* 1988 "Nothing's Shocking"
* 1990 "Ritual de lo Habitual"
* 1991 "Live and Rare" (Compilation of B-Sides and the Remix of "Been Caught Stealing")
* 1997 "Kettle Whistle" (Compilation of live tracks, demos and unreleased material)
* 2006 "Up From the Catacombs" (Greatest hits album)

Deconstruction

* 1994 "Deconstruction"

Polar Bear

* 1996 " Self-titled" 12" ice blue vinyl
* 1997 "Chewing Gum EP"
* 1999 "Why Something Instead of Nothing?"

Solo career

* 2008 "Help Wanted"

References

External links

* [http://members.cox.net/pbr/ Polar Bear Band Site] : Gavin gets direct updates from Eric Avery on this site.
* [http://janesaddiction.org/ JanesAddiction.org] : Extensive Eric Avery discography.
* [http://ericavery.blogspot.com/ ericavery.blogspot.com] : Eric's official blog
* [http://www.ericavery.net/ Website] : Official Eric Avery Website
* [http://www.theskepticsguide.org/skepticsguide/podcastinfo.asp?pid=143 An interview with Avery on The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe] where he tells the audience about his skeptic beliefs.
* [http://www.zoom-in.com/apple/music/spotlights/rehearsal_space_eric_avery Rehearsal Space: Eric Avery]