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A Reuters story that has been picked up by Billboard.com today says that the current Jane's Adiction reunion has been marred by a feud between frontman Perry Farrell and original bassist Eric Avery.
Of course, the band's tour dates are still on and new material will soon be released by the band via their website, according to Farrell.
So, why is this news?
The answer, of course, is because it seems the media (and public) only care about you if you're fighting, or in danger of imploding, I guess.
Sad, really.
Of course, even sadder is that the band employed Trent Reznor to produce their new tracks. According to Farrell, he also attempted to help resolve the differences between Farrell and Avery. The only problem is that Trent is a complete passive-aggressive wuss-bag, himself. After a day of being in the same room with Perry and Eric, the body-building NIN leader high-tailed it straight out of dodge.
Nice.
Now, if Jane's Addiction had thought to call me in (hey, man, hear me out), Perry and Eric would still be tongue-kissing each other, but, hey, that wouldn't be as "newsy" as the idea of the band being on the brink of collapse.
See, Eric still has the same reservations about rejoining the band as he's always had (remember, this was a guy who had repeatedly turned down invitations to rejoin the band, choosing instead to be a hired gun for Alanis and others), but he also NEEDS THE MONEY.
Thankfully for him, Perry fully understands the added value of finally having the original Jan'e sline-up together again. Another tour with only 3/4 of the original line-up would most certainly fall into the "been there, done that" category.
So, wanna know how to heal the rift between Farrell and Avery?
Okay, here goes:
Fire Avery.
Wait a second, did I just say "Fire Avery"? Yep, looks like it.
See, Avery's a total prima donna who is still married to the belief that he's been chasing some pure artistic vision all these years while the rest of his ex-bandmates have been selling out. While he may have a point about Jane's selling out, he's in serious need of a major reality check regarding his dedication to "artistic vision".
I've been there, believe me.
If Eric were sitting here right now, I'd look him straight in the face and say, "Eric, you're a bass player. Nobody wants your fucking solo records, or paintings, or ceramic ducks, or whatever else you've been working on in that house you bought with money you made as one-fourth of Jane's Addiction."
I'd then tell him that there are but a handful of guys who can pick up the bass guitar and make it sound like this one-of-a-kind, otherworldly thing. Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Peter Hook...Jaco (although I don't personally vibe on much of his output, but respect the level of reverance others have for his work)...and that he's one of them. For that, of course, he should be congratulated and thanked. But he also needs to recognize that Peter Hook outside of New Order is nowhere near as great as Peter Hook within New Order no matter how hard he tries. And, as great a bass player as John Entwistle may have been, no John Entwistle solo album ever sat the world on fire.
Cruel? Not at all. Truth hurts at first. More times than not, though, it starts the process from which the greatest growth can come. Once one knows their gift and comes to terms with the context of that gift, they are able to realize their place in this world.
By getting canned, Avery will see the heightened interest in his existence decline considerably. The emails will stop flooding in, hits to his MySpace page will drop off, and it'll quickly dawn on him that he isn't going to get any of the cash he's more than likely already got a place for and begin the process of realizing his place in this world. Most people go their whole lives looking for such a place. He's got one and has spent most of his adult life denying it.
Let him stew in his own juices for a couple days...alone in front of his swimming pool that hasn't been cleaned since L.A. had a football team, wondering "crap, what do I do now?"...then give him a call, invite him back into the fold, and he'll be a total team player.
Problem solved. :)
2 comments:
Avery is a primadona? Perry Farrell is a pompous douchebag, and he hasn't created any music worth listening to since the second Porno for Pyros album. He's an emotional 13 year old, living in the body of a 50 year old.
Avery and Pearkins are the only sane members of that band, and while hardly anybody listened to Avery's Polar Bear albums (I did, and liked them), it seems he enjoyed making them. That's really what matters to an artist. Being able to pay the bills is just what allows you to keep a roof over your head, a shirt on your back, and food in your mouth. Personal fulfillment is Another deal entirely.
And Avery and Farrell have been feuding since forever. That's why Avery never came back for any of the other reunion tours. I'm told shit like that happens when someone tries to give his summer sausage to your fiance.
I agree with much of your comment.
If Avery hates Perry's guts, then he should stick to his "artistic" guns and keep making Polar Bear records.
He came back for a reason, consented to a tour and new recording sessions, and all reports (I've got two friends who have known the guys forever and are currently involved in the reunion) are that he is being an insufferable douche.
My buddy Dave (not Navarro) said it best: "It's like he never learned the art of 'picking your battles'. Or the art of 'forgive and forget', for that matter."
If Perry put the moves on his lady, I dunno. I've been on both sides of that one. When it happened to me, I just remembered when I was a young and selfish and put the moves on my best friend's lady (hmm, sounds like a Cars song...or a Rick Springfield song...). It happens. A lot. I could have been an ass and wrecked a tour, but I let it slide and the show went on. Granted, I no longer talk to the guy who put the moves on my lady-at-the-time, but I'd sooner talk to him than her these days. :)
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