Jane's Addiction Writing New Album With 'Mystery Bassist'

Jane's Addiction are indeed carrying on, frontman Perry Farrell tells Spinner, despite original bassist Eric Avery again leaving the fold after last year's hugely successful reunion tour. The three remaining original members -- Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins -- have begun writing new music and now, thanks to Jane's fan site, Xiola.org, the internet is all abuzz that Duff McKagan is replacing Avery in the band.

It would make sense in that McKagan is a longtime friend of the band, dating back to the Jane's and Guns N' Roses rivalry when the two ruled L.A. in the late '80s, and has since played with Navarro in L.A. covers supergroup Camp Freddy several times. Still, Farrell is not ready to confirm or even call this "mystery bassist" an official part of Jane's. Asked if there would be a new member, he would only say it's "very likely."

Farrell did reveal that the bassist is writing with the original trio, and that songs for the first new album under the Jane's moniker since 2003's 'Strays' are starting to come together. "We've got one great song so far called 'Top Dog,'" he says.

It's obviously early in the process, but fans will be able to get some new Jane's music soon, sort of. "We're putting together a remix of 'Superhero,' the 'Entourage' theme," he says, adding that Steve Porter will be doing the remix. "We figure that ought to be a fat track for clubs."