Avey Tare

Avey Tare

Live in September 2007
Background information
Born April 24, 1979
Genres Experimental rock, freak folk, neo-psychedelia, electronic, noise pop
Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Synthesizers, Percussion, Sampler, Drum Machine
Years active 2000–present
Labels Paw Tracks, FatCat Records, Domino Records, Catsup Plate, St. Ives, UAAR,
Associated acts Animal Collective, Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan, Terrestrial Tones
Website entertheslasherhouse.com

Avey Tare (born David Michael Portner,[1] April 24, 1979) is an experimental musician and founding member of Animal Collective, from Baltimore, Maryland, currently residing in Los Angeles, California.[2]

Animal Collective

Avey Tare met Animal Collective's Deakin (Josh Dibb), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), and Geologist (Brian Weitz) in high school. For years, the four of them swapped homemade recordings, shared musical ideas and performed in different group configurations. Avey Tare recorded the Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished album with Panda Bear, and initially released the recording on the band's own Animal label in 2000. The album is commonly referred to as the first official Animal Collective release, with Tare writing the music and Panda Bear providing the 'perfect percussion' (as cited in the album's credits).

After high school, Avey Tare and Geologist moved to New York City to attend New York University and Columbia University, respectively. Panda Bear and Deakin eventually moved to New York City, and the band became more collaborative in nature. They finally settled on the name "Animal Collective".

Although the band's output is, as their name suggests, a collaborative effort, with no typical 'frontman,' Avey Tare has been cited by the other members as being the 'primary songwriter' and de facto leader of the group. On the releases after 'Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished', which was written entirely by Tare, he has written at least half of the material, and for the albums 'Feels', 'Strawberry Jam' and 'Merriweather Post Pavilion', contributed around three quarters of the songs that made it onto the album. For the band's latest release, Centipede Hz, Tare confirmed that the album has eight songs penned by him.[2]

Other musical projects

Avey Tare's other projects and releases include Terrestrial Tones with Eric Copeland of Black Dice, a split 12" with David Grubbs, and an LP with his then-wife Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir (aka Kría Brekkan) called Pullhair Rubeye. He released his debut solo album "Down There" on October 26, 2010.[3]

In April, 2013, it was announced that Avey Tare had formed the group Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks along with Angel Deradoorian, former member of Dirty Projectors, and ex-Ponytail drummer, Jeremy Hyman. Avey Tare describes the band as "[a] group of three hippies on a road trip through the backwaters of 2013s rural music scene fall prey to a murderous cannibalistic band making..."[4] Their debut album Enter the Slasher House came out internationally on April 7, 2014 and a supporting west-coast tour was announced soon after the album's release.[5] Ahead of the album they released a video for ‘Little Fang’ directed by Avey Tare’s sister and featuring a puppet created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. [6]

Personal life

His sister is Abby Portner, New York City artist and experimental musician, who creates some of Animal Collective's artwork and stage design.[7]

From 2006 to 2008, Tare was married to musician Kría Brekkan.[8][9] He is currently in a relationship with Slasher Flicks member Angel Deradoorian.[10]

In an interview with Brightest Young Things, he revealed that he has synesthesia and associates sound with visuals.[11]

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

Splits

Appearances

Discography with Animal Collective

Avey with Animal Collective in October 2013

Albums

Discography with Terrestrial Tones

Discography with Kría Brekkan

References

  1. ↑ Zisser, David (April 1, 2014). "Guitarist Avey Tare dabbles in Slasher Flicks". The Temple News. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fitzmaurice, Larry (May 17, 2012). "Update Animal Colletive by Larry Fitzmaurice". Pitchfork.com.
  3. ↑ "Animal Collective's Avey Tare to Release First Solo Album". Pitchfork.
  4. ↑ "Animal Collective’s Avey Tare forms Slasher Flicks, announces tour dates - Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound.
  5. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/news/55690-avey-tares-slasher-flicks-announce-tour/
  6. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/news/54219-video-avey-tares-slasher-flicks-little-fang-starring-a-jim-henson-puppet//
  7. ↑ "An Artwork History of Animal Collective via Abby Portner Part One", Field Day London Blog, London, 8 May 2013. Retrieved on 19 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Kria Brekkan", La Blogotheque, 5 December 2006. Retrieved on 13 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "THE SELF-TITLED INTERVIEW: Avey Tare of Animal Collective", Self-Titled Mag, 19 October 2010. Retrieved on 13 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Q&A: Avey Tare Talks Slasher Flicks, Jazz, and Animal Collective's Future", SPIN, 11 April 2014. Retrieved on 13 July 2014.
  11. ↑ , Brightest Young Things, 23 July 2014. Retrieved on 6 September 2014.