When initially formed in 1985, Jane’s Addiction rose to prominence thanks to their distinctive sound made up of eccentric parts: the unfamiliar, unique bravado in Perry Farrell’s poetic and emotive vocals, the tribal and non-linear drumming of Stephen Perkins, and the bold and headstrong playing of guitarist Dave Navarro. But the musical catalyst and the heart of the band was always Eric Avery, whose propulsive and gritty ostinato bass lines fueled every song from Jane’s early catalog. As chief songwriter, Avery shaped the DNA of Jane’s Addiction, which became obvious when he departed the group in 1991. Despite a brief stint back in 2008, Jane’s searched for a suitable replacement for Avery, which included cameos from Flea, Duff McKagan, and Martyn LeNoble, before they enlisted studio ace Chris Chaney to take the helm for over a decade. But fans rejoiced when rumors began to spread of Avery rejoining the band in 2020, which was eventually confirmed through social media posts of the original lineup working on new music together. The celebration was refrained when Navarro was diagnosed with long COVID, which required the services of Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens Of The Stone Age, A Perfect Circle) and Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) for touring in his absence. Now in 2024, the original lineup is back together again, and their core identity has been restored. Reinvigorated in rejoining the group he founded, Avert didn’t have a difficult time getting ready for the road, as he was nothing close to dormant in his time away from the band. His notable work with Jane’s led to him playing with Alanis Morissette, Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, rock supergroup Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, and Garbage, and he occupied short-lived stints in Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails. Additionally, he released three albums as a solo artist and scored the film The 11th Hour.   Avery’s playing is unmistakable even to casual listeners, with his heavy picking and entrancing fretboard movements at the forefront. Jane’s recent single, “Imminent Redemption” — their first with this lineup in 34 years — is driven by Avery’s steady hand, allowing Navarro to riff as he pleases and Perkins to lay into his toms in a battle-march manner. With the drama and personal differences that plagued them aside, there’s a new breath of life in Jane’s that feels as authentic as it does exciting. And there’s no mistaking that the restoration comes from the heart of the band returning back to its place. Your return to Jane’s Addiction started in 2020 and took a couple of years to manifest. What made you decide the time was finally right? A lot of it had to do with the shared love of [Foo Fighters drummer] Taylor Hawkins. He was a friend to all of us and our biggest supporter. When he died, I heard from Perry’s manager, who called me out of the blue and said that Perry wanted to meet with me. I was more receptive