Avey Tare

Portner was born on April 24, 1979. He grew up near Baltimore and met his future fellow Animal Collective mates Noah Lennox, Josh Dibb, and Brian Weitz in high school, where they bonded over shared musical obsessions for Pavement, the Grateful Dead, and various strains of psychedelic music. In 2000, Portner worked with Lennox on Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, an album later recognized as the first official output of Animal Collective. This album set the precedent for Animal Collective's nebulous lineup, as various members would sit out some albums or contribute heavily to others.

From 🇺🇸 United States