Jon Auer
Encyclopedia
Jonathan P. "Jon" Auer (born September 29, 1969) is an American musician who co-founded the power pop
band The Posies
, along with Ken Stringfellow
. Auer and Stringfellow have also been a part of the rejuvenated Big Star.
Auer was a founding member of Sky Cries Mary
. Auer was also a member of The Squirrels
, Lucky Me, Jean Jacket Shotgun and Chariot.
As a solo artist, Auer has released an EP, 61/2, and a full-length record on the label Pattern25 called Songs from the Year of Our Demise
.
Auer is also a record producer
. He has worked with bands such as You Am I
, Monostereo, Cheap Star, Love Battery
, Redd Kross
, Truly
, and Tad
.
In 2003, Auer and Ken Stringfellow
released Private Sides, a six-song split EP
(Arena Rock Recording Co.
/Rykodisc
). Auer played guitar
on the 2004 William Shatner
record Has Been
which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds
.
. His father was a university professor who also played music, and he and Jon built a recording studio at home, which Jon used as a teenager. Auer is twice divorced, and has an adopted daughter.
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band The Posies
The Posies
The Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
, along with Ken Stringfellow
Ken Stringfellow
Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow is an American musician, best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star.-Musical career:...
. Auer and Stringfellow have also been a part of the rejuvenated Big Star.
Auer was a founding member of Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary is an American trance rock musical group from Seattle, Washington, that formed in the late 1980s.The husband and wife team of Roderick Wolgamott Romero and Anisa Romero sing dual lead vocals...
. Auer was also a member of The Squirrels
The Squirrels
The Squirrels are a novelty band based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1984 by lead vocalist Rob Morgan , the band has been through numerous lineups, but has stuck to the aesthetic that Peter Blecha describes as "cross-pollinat[ing] bubblegum sensibilities with punk attitudes."Although most of...
, Lucky Me, Jean Jacket Shotgun and Chariot.
As a solo artist, Auer has released an EP, 61/2, and a full-length record on the label Pattern25 called Songs from the Year of Our Demise
Songs from the Year of Our Demise
Songs from the Year of Our Demise is the debut solo album from The Posies' Jon Auer. It was released on May 2, 2006 and highlighted by Allmusic as one of the best albums of the month.-Track listing:All songs by Jon Auer unless otherwise noted....
.
Auer is also a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He has worked with bands such as You Am I
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
, Monostereo, Cheap Star, Love Battery
Love Battery
Love Battery is an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington.For the most part Love Battery was an unusual group in the early '90s Seattle music scene, blending intense swirling psychedelic guitar work, pulsating rhythms, driving beats and heartfelt vocals derived from '60s garage/psych, '70s...
, Redd Kross
Redd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
, Truly
Truly
Truly is an American rock band formed in the wake of the grunge era. It featured former Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, one-time Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel, and singer Robert Roth...
, and Tad
Tad (band)
Tad was an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington led by Tad Doyle. Among the first of the many bands which came out of Seattle in the grunge era, Tad was notable for the fact that its music had a noticeable 1970s metal influence, rather than the punk which influenced most other grunge bands...
.
In 2003, Auer and Ken Stringfellow
Ken Stringfellow
Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow is an American musician, best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star.-Musical career:...
released Private Sides, a six-song split EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
(Arena Rock Recording Co.
Arena Rock Recording Co.
The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch in Canada.-History:...
/Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
). Auer played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
on the 2004 William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
record Has Been
Has Been
Has Been is William Shatner's second musical album after 1968's The Transformed Man.The album was produced and arranged by Ben Folds and most of the songs are co-written by Folds and Shatner, with Folds creating arrangements for Shatner's prose-poems, and feature guest appearances from Joe Jackson...
which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
.
Personal life
Auer grew up in Bellingham, WashingtonBellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
. His father was a university professor who also played music, and he and Jon built a recording studio at home, which Jon used as a teenager. Auer is twice divorced, and has an adopted daughter.