Eric Avery

funkysurfer · #1 11-16-2005, 02:37 PM

Lately I have been listening to a bunch of older Janes Addiction tunes and I have come to realize that Eric has such great melodies going on in his compositions. A couple tunes that really stick in my head are "Then She Did" and "Three Days". Anyway I never really see any threads on this guy so I figured I'd give him some credit where it is certainly due.

Damn I wish these guys had Eric laying down the bass and pumping out the tunes they did back in the circa 90's. Don't get me wrong, Chaney and the new Janes rock, but the tunes aren't anything like the Avery days.

santacruzom · #2 11-16-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkysurfer

Lately I have been listening to a bunch of older Janes Addiction tunes and I have come to realize that Eric has such great melodies going on in his compositions. A couple tunes that really stick in my head are "Then She Did" and "Three Days". Anyway I never really see any threads on this guy so I figured I'd give him some credit where it is certainly due.

Damn I wish these guys had Eric laying down the bass and pumping out the tunes they did back in the circa 90's. Don't get me wrong, Chaney and the new Janes rock, but the tunes aren't anything like the Avery days.

Oh yeah, I'd say Avery had some great basslines. I also really dig his line to "Obvious."

Have you listened to any Mogwai? Their bassist reminds me a lot of Avery.

superbassman2000 · #3 11-16-2005, 06:11 PM

you really can't beat "got caught stealing" for a catchy bassline!

these_go211 · #4 11-16-2005, 06:25 PM

"but the tunes aren't anything like the Avery days."
you can say that again!! not only is he a bassist who laid down some of the coolest basslines ever but he also helped compose (along with perry) almost everything that wound up on the first 3 records (the live one, nothing shocking, ritual lo habitual). the two of them mainly wrote those first 2 records in a matter of a few years. avery is one of my favorite players. his parts aren't really difficult but just so damn cool, distinctive, and flowing. they really become the signature of the whole tune. mountain song! three days! would for you! ted, just admit it! this guy deserves serious props. overall he's just a great musician/composer, not just bass player.

cheny is a great bassist but the last janes cd left me very disappointed. i thought it was telling that what i thought was the best song on the record, suffer some, was written by the orginal lineup back in the late 80s but never wound up on any of the their releases.
i'm glad someone started a thread about this guy. he's the reason i got back into playing bass after just guitar for many years. check out deconstruction which was his first post-janes offering. navarro plays guitar on it. then, get polar bear which was his main band for awhile up to about 2001 or so. i think they have 2 cds. interesting stuff. do a websearch. geez, i wish i would have started the thread

Scroller · #5 11-16-2005, 07:06 PM

No doubt that Avery is underrated and I too agree that Strays is somewhat of a disappointment. I bought it the day it came out with high expectations, especially when I found out it was produced by Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd's The Wall). Other than the pulverizing opener True Nature, the record falls flat IMO. It's a great mix and the instruments blend well and I keep coming back to it to listen to again (in case my mind has changed) but it hasn't happened yet. Avery plays with great taste, sound, and style (on a "cheesy 80's P-Bass" in his own words) and his lines are instantly captivating and rhythmically interesting. Nirvana seems to get all the credit for destroying the cheeseball 80's metal movement, by I've always felt Jane's had an awful lot to do with it as well. The live one, Kettle Whistle is another awesome display of Avery's talent...

these_go211 · #6 11-17-2005, 08:45 AM

yea, i agree that the production on 'strays' is awesome. it's extremely well produced. the guitars sounds huge and the whole mix is great. but they just seem like your average run of the mill alt-rock band at that point.

i'm not really into that band garbage but avery is touring with them now. he may even be a full band member. i looked up their tour dates when i found that out cuz i'd go see them in a second just to see/hear him. think they had already come around my area though.

did you see avery trying out for metallica in 'some kind of monster?' talk about a strange combo! but i guess it isn't any weirder than claypool trying out when cliff burton died.

zongeek · #7 11-17-2005, 01:37 PM

I must be the odd man out here. I think 'Strays' is a great album. Not only production wise but I think the music is good too.

Sure it isn't late 80's/early 90's Jane's, but how many bands do you know that sound exactly the same their whole career?

Also keep in mind, in addition to Perry, Dave and Stephan writing, the bass parts were split between Martyn LeNoble (also a great bass player) and Chris Chaney (who we all know is a bad ass). Despite Chaney's chops, it seems like he was more in the support role on 'Strays'. He has some really cool lines, but, IMO, it seems like he is staying more in the support role.

That said, Eric Avery is a big influence on me. I think he is an awsome bass player.

60hz · #8 11-18-2005, 10:05 PM

Avery is my favorite bassist ever, and the reason i became one. He definitely proved that for some bands, the bassist is irreplaceable.

UtBDan · #9 11-19-2005, 04:43 PM

its a shame Jane's broke up again. I wish they would get back and with the real Eric myself. That or me replacing him (see the "who would you like to replace" thread.)

Isn't he now Alanis Moresette's bassist?

Ian Perge · #10 11-20-2005, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UtBDan

Isn't he now Alanis Moresette's bassist?

He was (and dated as well) for several years - he's currently touring with Garbage. He traded up on the "Hot Singer" chart.

I dig his work with Jane's and Deconstruction, but was less than impressed with his "interpretations" on the basslines touring for Alanis. I'm all for a player making his or her own mark on the song in a situation like that, but when there's a signature bass-driven song like "You Oughta Know" playing "the essence" of the song is crucial, and not sticking to kick drum syncopated roots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by these_go211

did you see avery trying out for metallica in 'some kind of monster?' talk about a strange combo!

In a recent interview in BP, he was quoted that he pretty much did that audition "for a story to tell the grandkids", and that he didn't seriously think he would get the slot. Still, considering the "short list" he was on, it's still nice to have on the resume.