Sometimes these interviews are matter of fact; the player remembers the reason why they chose a particular electric guitar (often because it looked cool) for their Guitar World cover shoot, and there’s some fun anecdotes.

For Dave Navarro, looking back on his ’96 GW cover, it opened up some big memories, of the time he was in the running for GNR, his Black Beauty that he gave to John Frusciante, and also, it was a big deal. It was his first cover…

How exactly did you acquire this guitar?

I was a Les Paul player from day one. It’s actually not very well known, but in the early days of Jane’s Addiction, in the ’80s, I was a Les Paul player. I had a Black Beauty, and that’s what’s on the first live record [1987’s Jane’s Addiction]. I was always playing Les Pauls, but I was on tour once and one of them broke. The neck snapped off.

That’s how I ended up in the hands of Ibanez. At that point, we were so young; the only company that would grant me an endorsement was Ibanez. They turned out to be amazing. I loved them and I played them for many, many years, right up until 1991.

What led you to stray from Ibanez and pick up this Les Paul?

In terms of this guitar, sometime after 1991, I got a call to audition for Guns N’ Roses. And I think you could probably figure out that it was before Gilby [Clarke] joined, so it was right after Use Your Illusion came out. I was looking at my arsenal of guitars, thinking, “What would be right to show up to a rehearsal with?” Obviously, a Les Paul came to mind.

So you bought this guitar with Guns N’ Roses in mind?

I actually bought that guitar to go and play with Guns N’ Roses, which is wild. Now that I’m thinking about it, I ended up buying the Les Paul just to go over and jam out with the band, which actually never ended up happening. So the guitar just ended up staying in a case, because everything else I was doing from that point forward was with PRS, who I’d moved over to during Lollapalooza.

You’d moved to PRS and even used some Strats after you’d joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who you were with in 1996, when this GW cover shoot took place. Why did you use the Les Paul?

Years after the GN’R thing, I knew that guitar was kind of leaning up against the wall. I guess the Guitar World people came to the house to do the shoot, and if you walked around my house, there’s, like, 12 guitars all over the place – and they’re all different makes and models.

For some reason, I picked up that guitar and grabbed it for the shoot. I don’t even know why – and, I think, in hindsight, I was probably contractually supposed to be holding a PRS. [Laughs] I was endorsed by them, so I don’t know why I picked up the Les Paul.

What happened to this guitar after your GW cover shoot?

In a final twist of fate, John Frusciante was in detox at a hospital. He called me and said, “I’m sitting in a hospital and I don’t have a guitar. Can you loan me one?” I was like, “I’ve got this Les Paul sitting here if you want to play that.”

I was still in the Chili Peppers at the time, and he was getting clean. I was like, “I’ll come down to the hospital and bring this to you.” So I ended up giving him that Les Paul, which is… you know, the layers here are kind of bizarre. And I hadn’t thought about it until now.

Did you end up getting the guitar back from John, or did he keep it?

I never heard from John. He apparently sold the guitar once he got out of rehab. And that was that – I never saw that guitar again. That was somewhere in the ’90s.

Have you spoken to John about that guitar since?

Many years later, I was out of the Chili Peppers, he was back in, and I was with Jane’s Addiction; I think we were recording Strays [2003]. I got a call from John, and I hadn’t talked to him in years. I say, “What’s up, man?” He goes, “I remember years ago, when I was in the hospital, you brought me this Les Paul, which was really nice of you. Thank you so much for that.”

He went, “I got out of detox and I sold it. I’m really sorry. I was wondering if I could come visit you.” And I hadn’t talked to him since that day, to be honest, but he came up to my house, and he had a guitar with him. He sat down, opened the case, and it was a Black Beauty.

He was like, “I just wanted to apologize for selling your guitar. I know it’s not the same guitar, but I know you had a Black Beauty in Jane’s Addiction on the original record, and [it] got broken, and you don’t have it anymore, so I got you this.” It was a really nice, kind of an “amends” action on his part. We sat for a couple of hours and talked about music, our histories and how they’ve been intertwined.

Wow. Is it safe to assume you never toured or recorded with the Les Paul on the cover?

It literally had never been played live and wasn’t used to record anything when I had it. But there’s a history to it – and whoever has it now, you know, I wish I could buy it back.

It seems as if the guitar has a special place in your heart.

When it comes down to it, the guitar isn’t very significant in my career, but the tendrils of significance in terms of interpersonal connections are vast. So, in some ways, that’s a special photo. It was the first time I’d been on the cover of GW, so to have that documented reminds me of all the years I’d been in between bands and struggling with drugs…

It’s significant in a nostalgic sense. But I don’t think anybody, including the current owner, has any idea what this guitar is or where it came from. I’m sure [they] bought it off the wall of a pawn shop and have no idea it passed through my or John’s hands.

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

Members of Jane’s Addiction have sued the band's lead singer, Perry Farrell, following an on-stage altercation in September 2024, which saw Farrell punch guitarist Dave Navarro during a performance of Ocean Size in Boston. As a result, the gig was immediately stopped – and the rest of the tour was canceled shortly after.

Now, Navarro, alongside bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, are seeking at least $10 million from the singer, with claims the band lost that amount from the tour cancellation and suspension of all related activities.

The complaint, as reported by Variety, was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, also includes an assault and battery charge relating to Farrell’s altercation with Navarro, and alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract.

Hours after the trio sued him, Farrell filed a legal complaint, not a countersuit, against his former bandmates. In a 30-page complaint, the lead singer alleges he had no say in the tour's cancellation and in the band breaking up, and accuses his former bandmates of a years-long campaign of harassment and bullying.

He asserts that the on-stage altercation was a result of built-up frustration over the other members “playing their instruments at a high volume so that he could not hear himself sing without blasting his own in-ear monitors at an unsafe level,” and also alleges that Navarro assaulted Farrell and his wife backstage.

Conversely, in their complaint, the rest of the band members mention that “Perry’s repeated and unprovoked attack on Navarro was especially painful because Perry knew that Navarro was still weak and suffering from the effects of long Covid-19.”

Furthermore, they state that the altercation continued backstage, with Farrell allegedly throwing “another unexpected punch at [Navarro], striking him on the left side of the face.”

Earlier this year, Navarro spoke about what ended up being the band's last-ever show.

“There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio, leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness – it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band’s life,” he told Guitar Player. “And there's no chance for the band to ever play together again.

“I have to say that’s my least favorite gig, without throwing animosity around. I’ll just say that the experience prior to that gig, when we were in Europe and gelling, we were getting along. There was no ego issue; it was just four guys making great music, just like we did in the beginning.”

After last year's high-profile Jane's Addiction reunion was cut short, Navarro has picked up the pieces and is now gearing up for his post-Jane's career with a rare PRS build.

Update 7/17: Perry Farrell‘s legal team has now responded to the band’s suit and supplied Guitar World with the following statement:

"This is yet another clear example of the group uniting to isolate and bully frontman Perry Farrell. The timing of this baseless lawsuit is no coincidence – it was filed only after they caught wind of legal action coming from our side. It’s a transparent attempt to control the narrative and present themselves as the so-called ‘good guys’ – a move that’s both typical and predictable.

“Just like when they released a defamatory and entirely unfounded statement about Perry’s mental health and unilaterally canceled the remaining tour dates without his input, they’re once again scrambling to get ahead of the truth in a desperate effort to save face."

Dave Navarro has poured cold water on the last remaining cinders of Jane’s Addiction by saying that he will never play with the band again.

The electric guitar ace made the not-so-surprising revelation while discussing the best and worst gigs of his career with Guitar Player, with what has now been confirmed as Jane’s Addiction’s last show getting selected for the latter – and for good reason.

The guitarist’s return to the band in 2024 was meant to be a cause for celebration. Having been sidelined with long-COVID for three years, he returned to action last summer and marked the occasion by playing a brand new song. Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen had both filled in while he recovered, but few would have predicted the band’s demise would come so soon after his comeback show.

While playing in Boston, MA on Friday 13th September, vocalist Perry Farrell punched Navarro during Ocean Size. The gig was brought to an immediate end, and the band’s remaining tour dates were canceled shortly after.

Just days before the incident, bassist Eric Avery had told Bass Player that new Jane's Addiction music was a possibility. Now, it seems the rest of the band are recording music without the singer, with a very interesting PRS involved.

The band’s guitar tech has since shed light on the reasons for Farrell’s aggressive behavior on the night, while Farrell's wife, Etty, offered her husband's side of the story. She also praised Navarro's handling of the situation.

Now Navarro has spoken out about the night the band turned sour.

“There were a couple of gigs on this last run that were some of my favorite Jane’s Addiction gigs of all-time,” he says. “There was no bullshit: No props. No dancing, no pyro, and no gimmicks. It was just the four of us and some colored lights, and we were playing the songs, expanding on them, and [doing] weird, experimental jams that we’d never done before as a band.

“I have to speak in broad stroke,” he develops, turning towards the gig in question, “because there are other individuals involved. It’s still very tender and unresolved.

“There was an altercation onstage, and all the hard work and dedication and writing and hours in the studio, leaving home and crisscrossing the country and Europe and trying to overcome my illness – it all came to a screeching halt and forever destroyed the band’s life. And there's no chance for the band to ever play together again.

“I have to say that’s my least favorite gig, without throwing animosity around. I’ll just say that the experience prior to that gig, when we were in Europe and gelling, we were getting along. There was no ego issue; it was just four guys making great music, just like we did in the beginning.

“And that gig, September 13th, in Boston, ended all of that. And for that reason, that is my least favorite gig that I have ever played.

“I think that’s a pretty bipartisan way to go about it,” he admits. “The experiences are there, but the potential of having those types of experiences ended that night. And so, you know…. it is what it is.”

Dave Navarro is currently gearing up to record his first new post-Jane’s Addiction material, and he’s already picked out which electric guitar he will use for the project – and it’s a celebratory milestone build from PRS.

Navarro is poised to start the latest chapter in his musical career, after last year’s high-profile Jane’s Addiction reunion came to an abrupt end when the guitarist was punched on stage mid-solo by vocalist Perry Farrell.

A few days after the incident took place, Navarro seemingly pulled the curtain down on Jane’s Addiction when he released a statement that confirmed the band had “made the difficult decision to take some time away”.

Now, though, Navarro is about to head back into the studio to do some “work” with his former Jane’s Addiction bandmates Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins, and he’ll be bringing a PRS beauty with him for the job.

The guitar in question is an ultra-limited 40th Anniversary Custom 24 of which only 25 examples – all signed by Paul Reed Smith himself – have been crafted.

Stylistically, it looks similar to Navarro’s own PRS SE signature guitar (it’s got a pristine white finish and HH configuration) but opts for white humbucker rings and chrome hardware. It also has a 40th Anniversary truss rod cover and Smith’s signature scrawled on the back of the headstock.

“Thank you to @bevfowlerprs_ar and @prsguitars for this amazing 40th Anniversary edition work of art,” Navarro writes on Instagram. “This is 1 of 25 builds signed by Paul himself and I am humbled and honored to be gifted such a rare and historic piece. Getting ready to do some work with @ericaveryinsta and @stephenperkinsdrummer and this will be the first tool I reach for.”

2025 marks the Maryland brand’s 40th birthday, and as such PRS has been celebrating accordingly with a string of limited edition instruments – and a star-studded celebration concert. Over the past few weeks, the firm has unveiled special edition 24-08, Charcoal Phoenix, Custom 24 Dragon guitars.

Given there’s only been 25 of these guitars built and signed, and there’s no sign of a wider release, we’re guessing they’re being kept as gifts for the firm’s nearest and dearest – so it will be interesting to see if we can spot any more of these appearing ‘in the wild’.

For Navarro, this marks the latest milestone in his long-standing relationship with PRS, whose guitars he’s been playing since 1991. Speaking to Guitar World last year, Navarro reflected on his affection for PRS guitars, and recalled how he made the switch after throwing out all his Ibanez guitars to the audience during a gig.

2024 Year in Review: Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro ended up missing their reunion tour co-headlining arenas with the Smashing Pumpkins in 2022 as a result of his battle with Long Covid.

He was replaced by Queens of the Stone Age and A Perfect Circle multi-instrumentalist Troy Van Leeuwen, eventually making his return to the stage after some well-needed rest in May of this year.

But it proved to be short-lived. Singer Perry Farrell attacked the guitarist on stage in September during a performance at Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion.

A few days later, it was confirmed the rest of the tour had been canceled, with the group identifying the singer’s “continuing pattern of behavior and mental health difficulties” as the cause, leaving them with no alternative while also hoping “he finds the help he needs.”

It was all going so well. Dave Navarro had made his way back from a years-long battle with Long Covid to reclaim his place on stage beside Jane’s Addiction 1.0 bandmates Perry Farrell, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins.

But “was” is the operative word. As of late September 2024 (press time for the issue of Guitar World in which this interview first appeared), things aren’t going so well. Jane’s Addiction had been stampeding across Europe and the U.S. with old friends Love and Rockets. New music was afoot in the seemingly (but not really) aptly titled Imminent Redemption, and the fans were loving it.

But Jane’s Addiction has always been a band bred through dysfunction, and this reunion based on brotherhood wasn’t any different.

The cracks were subtle at first, mostly consisting of Farrell struggling to keep pace live. But then the spacey rants and erratic onstage behavior started. Fan footage shows that Farrell, who openly admits to spending 40 years of his life loaded, was slipping a bit.

On September 10 in New York City, he told the audience he was struggling in terms of his vocals. After the show, Navarro took to Instagram, jokingly (but not really) referring to the performance as an “art” show.

But things went entirely off the rails in Boston on Friday the 13th, when Farrell started shooting a few knife-edged glances at Navarro, who mainly was minding his own business in Shredville. Things got weird during Mountain Song, when Navarro tried to keep Farrell on track and tapped him on the shoulder.

More Farrell eyeball daggers followed. The tension was palpable through the night’s 11th – and unexpectedly final – song, Ocean Size. Once again, Navarro was ripping it up and gave way to Farrell’s final angered grunts.

Usually, these grunts would be directed toward the ether, but Farrell again turned his attention to Navarro, screamed, “Fuck you” and shoulder-checked the confused guitarist. Navarro kept calm, keeping Farrell at arm’s length. But that didn’t stop Farrell from swinging at Navarro’s chest.

If you’ve seen the footage, images of Navarro’s tech, Dan Cleary, bassist Avery and other stage crew gang-tackling Farrell are reminders of how sad the situation was, as is the sight of a confused Navarro gently placing his guitar down and walking off stage.

Two days later, Jane’s canceled their remaining 15 U.S. dates. Soon after, Navarro, Avery and Perkins collectively posted a statement on social media: “Due to a continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell, we have come to the conclusion that we have no choice but to discontinue the current U.S. tour.

“Our concern for his personal health and safety, as well as our own, has left us no alternative. We hope he will find the help he needs. We deeply regret that we are not able to come through for all our fans who have already bought tickets. We can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis. Our hearts are broken. Dave, Eric and Stephen.”

As for Farrell, he posted a story on Instagram calling his actions “inexcusable,” while also apologizing to Navarro. None of it changed the fact that he crapped in the proverbial punchbowl, ruining a final chance at being seen as anything less than dysfunctional. At 65, once and for all, Farrell has confirmed he is indeed the problem.

A day after being assaulted, Navarro posted a picture of himself from the Boston show with an acoustic guitar that simply said, “Goodnight…” In the ensuing days, while musing on Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, he said, “Perhaps it’s simpler to recognize when something is gone and learn from the magical lesson of grief rather than avoid it and remain in a consistent state of dissatisfaction.”

The company line is that Jane’s Addiction is on hiatus. But one would be remiss to buy that – especially after Navarro’s comments on Instagram after the September 18 release of the horribly timed new single, True Love.

“I am proud of the work we did on this song,” Navarro said. “But I am equally saddened by the fact that you will likely never hear it live. I am gutted that things ended this way and that so many jobs were lost as a result. May all of our hearts mend together.”

Before the latest episode of the Jane’s Addiction Dysfunction Show unfolded, Navarro had been open about having no idea if it would last. Was he offering up cryptic insight – as he often does – into the state of the band? Or was he simply speaking on experience?

“It could go on for five, 10 more years,” he said in late August. “Or it could be done in… I don’t know. Based on our history, if you look at the amount of times we’ve broken up… It’s like, ‘Don’t make plans. Just show up to rehearsal today.’”

Navarro is understandably quiet right now. Odds are, there’s more to come in this developing story. Looking back on Navarro’s words as he dialed in with us just weeks before the event that halted the band, it’s hard not to be heartbroken.

“I think being at the age we are, it’s easier to let go of petty shit and focus on what matters,” Navarro said. “We’ve learned over the years that hanging onto the petty shit is nothing but a vibe killer and a band killer. None of us want to see that happen. We can’t be doing this forever, but we have a chance to do it again.”

Jane’s Addiction’s latest chance at “imminent redemption” and “true love” has been squandered. And this time, it looks like there’s no coming back. But when Navarro dialed in with GW back in August, he didn’t know that yet…

Over the summer, Jane’s 1.0 lineup wrapped up its first tour in years. How are you feeling?

“My initial feelings when we started up in Europe, you know, were really the first time I’d been back with the band for a couple of years. That was so complex; I was emotional. It was nerve-wracking and physically draining, but it was magical in the sense that we started out in a room that held maybe a couple hundred people.

“And with the original lineup and no production, it really felt like 1989 Jane’s Addiction. It had that feeling of where you’re looking over a cliff, and you want to see what’s on the ground, but you don’t want to fall, you know? That kind of nervous energy of something exciting happening. So that was really great.”

Getting back on the road in smaller venues probably made it easier to shake the rust off, too.

“Yeah, the shows in Europe were in relatively small rooms, so there was a real sense of tapping into the melancholy of the early days of this band.”

Jane’s is as much about a vibe as anything else. Having Eric Avery back in the band no doubt helps with that.

“Right. So it’s primarily because it was the original lineup with Eric Avery and me back together. We just had a blast. And to be honest, some of those shows were my favorite shows that we’ve ever done as Jane’s Addiction.”

Really? In an age where old-school bands are dropping like flies, and given the general volatility of the Jane’s experience, that’s great to hear.

“Those shows were moody and ambient and had very little production. It was mainly lights, like moods of lights rather than rock lights. We’d drench the stage in blue, play a song and just be a silhouette. It let the music speak and breathe; there were not a lot of antics. It was really magical.”

It wasn’t that way in the past?

“I think we’ve all kind of re-tapped into the music again in a way we hadn’t in a long time. For the last 20 or 30 years, we’ve been playing these songs, and it’s been great, but we’ve had a bunch of stuff going on with the lights and video. At a certain point, you get a little… it starts to feel redundant.

“And in the name of taking this thing back to the start and rebuilding not only the creativity but the relationships within the band, it makes sense that you’d strip Jane’s back to its core.

“Since it was the original lineup, we needed to strip away all the distractions so that it really felt like the early days when we’d be playing clubs in Hollywood. My very first show with Jane’s Addiction was in an abandoned warehouse, and maybe a couple hundred people were there. It was a word-of-mouth, downtown party. It’s been feeling like that.”

Is taking things back to the start, so to speak, tapping into emotions you haven’t felt in a long time?

“I’ve felt and heard the music in a different way than I had in a long time. We were really focused on that. This is a band that’s had five bass players; all of them are great, and all of them are different. But to be playing with Eric again – especially since I’ve been playing with him since I was 17. God, if that’s true, that’s 40 years.”

Listening back to Jane’s first two records, Eric’s bass might be even more important than your guitar.

“I’ve been playing with the guy for 40 years, and the way he digs into the bass, the way his pick hits the strings, and the energy he puts out, you can’t compare it to anybody. There’s tons of guys we’ve had who did very serviceable, great jobs, but I can tell the difference because I was there at the beginning. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s how it’s supposed to go.’ He’s playing the same notes on the same frets in the same key at the same tempo, but it’s his hands that make a difference.”

Considering that, along with your health, do you feel ready for the upcoming U.S. leg?

“I’m really looking forward to bringing the same kind of enthusiasm and freshness to the States. We haven’t done that in a long time. We’ve toured a lot in the States, but in different configurations.”

There’s a lot of lore associated with what you’re doing. A lot of people didn’t think you’d do it at all. Have you had a moment to step back and reflect on what it’s taken to make Jane’s 1.0 a reality again?

“I don’t need to take a step back to be aware of that. It’s pretty easy to remember. [Laughs] When you look at other bands from our era, the fact that very few of them are lucky to have the original lineups or have all their members survive… I feel grateful for that. Whatever obstacles we’ve overcome, or I’ve overcome, I think it makes me appreciate it all that much more.”

I’m reading between the lines a bit here, but would you say you’re lucky to be alive?

“I certainly feel I’ve had a blessed life. In that same way, I’ve had somewhat of a cursed life. I think it evens out at the end of the day. All the experiences we’ve lived through and gone through shaped us into what we are today. You can’t really look back and regret things, or wish they went in a different direction because here we are. Those types of challenges inform your present and your future.”

On the cursed side of things, you were laid up with Long Covid for two years. But on the blessed side, you lived to tell the tale.

“The fact that I’m back together with my old band after going through a pretty severe illness for a couple of years – I didn’t think I could come back at all! – that I’m able to do this is exciting, daunting and scary. But all in a very positive way.

“It’s like adrenaline, I guess you’d say. It’s going to be a rush and fun, but just jumping out is the part you’ve got to worry about. All these things are what shaped the new music we’re writing, like Imminent Redemption. And we have more material that’s going to come out.”

As a band, Jane’s has obviously had to put aside a lot of old stuff. Touring is one thing, but it must have been a new challenge to get together in a room and record.

“I don’t know if challenge is the right word; it’s very democratic. But I will say the songs are predominantly kicked off by Eric’s basslines. Once he puts a bassline down, it’s Jane’s Addiction. You take one of our songs and take the drums and guitars away but leave the vocals and bass, and it’ll still sound like Jane’s Addiction.”

Having not recorded with Eric for a long time, did it take long for the old chemistry to resurface?

“Our fluidity was still intact. It’s kind of like I found the musical partner I was supposed to find. Name any two bassists and guitarists, like John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page or John Entwistle and Pete Townshend; the way Eric and I work together has its own sound.”

So getting in the studio is still fun.

“Yeah, because it’s been fun and really collaborative. It’s my favorite part of the job. I like being creative. I like being in the studio, spending 12 hours there, working on something, trying out different things.”

Listening to Imminent Redemption, Jane’s idiosyncratic nature is there. The returns seem good, but there’s expectations of reforming the 1.0 lineup. Does that factor into your thinking?

“I don’t think it really enters into anybody’s head. We just try to come up with stuff we like. It’s really the same spirit we had when we wrote in 1986 and ’87. When Ritual came out in 1991, that was always the spirit.

“We’ve always wanted to push the envelope, but it wasn’t a conscious decision. What ended up being was all our influences – which are vastly different – came through as either cohesive material or clashed terribly. But that clash led to something new, fresh and exciting.”

You’re not compromising artistic integrity for what someone might want to hear.

“I can promise you that nobody said, ‘What would the fans want to hear from us today? Let’s think of something to play that they would like.’ We’re all in our 50s and 60s, and everything is streaming. The music business isn’t what it was, so the intention – which it always was – is to write songs we’re proud of.”

Don’t fix what’s not broken.

“When you think about Mountain Song, Stop, Been Caught Stealing, Jane Says or Three Days, none of them really have choruses. They have these repetitive parts that are singable and memorable, but they’re not like, ‘Here’s the chorus.’”

Anyone who has followed you knows you can cover any genre, so there must be a lot of satisfaction in the approach you’re describing as a guitarist. Do you gravitate toward certain tones?

“I feel like tones are really more representative of the moods. Whatever mood the song calls for, or what mood I’m feeling at the time of writing the part is going to dictate what kind of tonality I go for. I’m one of those guys who grew up on Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.

“Those were my guys when I was really young. I studied everything I could about them by dropping the needle, hearing something and trying to play it. I still go back to those guys as far as moods and tones.”

I hear everything from ambience to blues in your playing. But I also hear a ton of heavy metal.

“When I got into Pink Floyd, I became aware of ambience, space and the minimalistic approach. Gilmour would take a solo and hang on a single note with just enough vibrato to make it tear your heart out. That got my attention. But at the same time, I was heavily into Van Halen, Iron Maiden and early Metallica.”

Is it true that Dave Murray’s sound is responsible for your use of delay?

You could say Dave Murray was a huge influence. There’s a song called Wrathchild from Killers, and it’s got this lead guitar with tons of echo. I’m pretty sure that made me go, ‘Oh, that should be part of my sound.’ If you put on that song, you’ll hear what I’m talking about.”

Who is Dave Navarro as a guitarist in 2024?

“I love simplicity and how you can play a riff in a modal way off a tone. I just love arpeggiated, memorable melodies and a lot of hooky, simple lines that aren’t really technically proficient but powerfully effective on an emotional level.

“I started gravitating in that direction, but I never stayed in one direction long enough to become a master of a style. I don’t think I’m a great shredder, but I can shred a little bit. I’m not an ambient guitar player, but I can touch into some ambience. I don’t think I’m an experimental guitar player, but I definitely experiment with all kinds of weird devices and sounds.”

Three Days is a great example.

“Yeah, that starts off with an arpeggiated picking part, and it sounds very English to me. And then it changes and modulates, going into different parts before I end up doing a five-minute solo that goes into a completely different part. That song almost goes heavy metal and then goes into a Grateful Dead kind of jam.

“And it’s got a glorious outro with wings spread wide open; I get to touch on different styles. That song is our masterpiece because of the emotional impact, and the instrumentation is special.”

Nothing is overplayed or overdone.

“That’s exactly the way it’s supposed to be. I learned at an early age that just because there’s space in the music doesn’t mean I have to fill it up with a bunch of sound. If you leave space and then come in with sound, there’s impact. If you don’t have any space, there’s no impact and no memorable moments.”

You’ve been away for some time and working on other projects outside of music. I think people’s perception of you as a guitarist has shifted because of those things.

“It’s not really in my mind, but I understand what you’re speaking to. Coming out of the L.A. underground, we didn’t expect to be on the radio. We didn’t expect to headline Lollapalooza. We didn’t know what was gonna happen. We were just a bunch of kids, and as the years went on, I got older, wound up in a famous marriage and was on a reality show about that marriage.

“I found myself on TV, which was essentially hosting a game show [Ink Master], though I had a great time doing it. But I think some of those decisions and some of those choices kind of eclipsed the perception out there of me being a musician. Because now, the band’s in the airport, and people are walking up to me going, ‘You’re the Ink Master guy, right?” You know what I mean?’”

This feels like a time when you have a chance to reclaim a spot at the forefront of the guitar scene.

“I think all that kind of watered down any musical impact I may have had. It’s been nice to simply be focusing on my two true loves: guitar and painting. Funny thing is I don’t like being on TV. I don’t like having cameras playing.”

So why did you do it?

“I’m a great believer that when opportunities come, give them a whirl. Why not? But what I love to do most is play music and paint. So now, that’s what I’m doing at this stage of my life. I can’t speak for anybody else’s perception, but I can certainly say it’s my intention to make the guitar and music the forefront of my journey. And I absolutely hope that helps touch people.”

Given that, the idea that you thought you might never come back at all must have been heartbreaking.

“Yes. And there were two factors involved in that. One is that I got hit with Long Covid, which completely zaps you of energy and causes intense fatigue. It made doing a two-hour show impossible. And then, the loss of [Foo Fighters drummer] Taylor Hawkins, who I had just finished an album with. After we lost him, I couldn’t pick up the guitar. I just couldn’t do it.”

At a time when you’d think your guitar would be an outlet for you, you put it down.

“When you’ve got emotional carnage happening and the physical malady I had, when it came to my instrument, I had to grieve it for a while. I was like, ‘Oh, well. I guess I had my run. I’m lucky for the run I had. This is the next chapter of my life… watching documentaries about World War II in my bedroom until I die.’”

You truly didn’t know if you’d play guitar again?

“I just didn’t really know. Being that sick alone is really, really, really tough. It’s tough on the sick person and on their loved ones. It’s tough on the psyche and emotional wellbeing. Not being able to participate in the world or your life like you used to… I was always very busy. To then come to a complete, grinding halt with two dramatic events; I was in a really bad place for a long time.”

Was it hard to watch Jane’s go on tour without you during that period?

“As I started getting a little bit better, the guys in Jane’s called and said, ‘We want to do this tour, go to South America’ and all this stuff. I was like, ‘Guys, I’m in no shape to do that. I’m sorry. You’ve got my blessing to find somebody to fill in.’ I didn’t want my circumstances to affect their careers or stop them from doing what they were put on this planet to do.

“So the band connected with Josh Klinghoffer and Troy Van Leeuwen, both of whom I fortunately love as far as playing and their approach. They did a great job. But that almost kinda solidified it to me, like, ‘Yeah, that chapter’s over.’ I was grieving. I was grieving the band; I was almost making peace with it.”

How did you pull yourself out of that to where you could play guitar again?

“I was also kind of relieved on some level, like, ‘Okay, now this is done.’ I slowly started playing guitar, getting interested in other players I’d never paid attention to and listening to Steely Dan, songs I’d never learned.

“It kind of became a hobby, and that’s how I got a guitar back in my hand. Next thing I knew, I was watching YouTube tutorials and interviews, ordering effects and going down rabbit holes of Eddie Van Halen, Gilmour and Hendrix.”

When did you decide to rejoin Jane’s?

“In doing all that research, I got re-inspired to play guitar. Then, at that time, the guys were back from the tour and were in the studio. They said, ‘If you want to come down for a day, just to see if anything piques your interest… no pressure.’ I was like, ‘You know what? It’s time. It’s been about two years; what’s the harm? It’s just an afternoon.’”

Was your health still an issue?

“I just kind of said, ‘I’m gonna push myself as far as I can while I’m here. If a day comes when I can’t do this anymore, I’ll deal with it. But for the time being, let’s just stay put and keep doing what we’re doing.’ I also noticed that being in the studio, playing guitar and trying to create prevented me from looping in my brain about my current condition.”

You got through it and this recent tour. Where’s your health at now?

“As it turns out, I was able to maintain [on] through the recording sessions. The next step was to stand up for two hours and play some songs. We booked a room to rehearse for a couple of weeks, and I was like, ‘Wow, this sounds good.’

“I was surprised and thought, ‘I have the strength for this.’ I didn’t know if I could do it, but I said, “I’m gonna go for it and see what happens. It’s like we were on autopilot. I still gotta be careful. I still have some residual fatigue, but for the most part, I’m pretty good. I’m really proud of the music we’re making and love playing with these guys I’ve known all my life.”

You’ve survived a lot of volatility, as has Jane’s. What’s your outlook on life and on this band?

“My outlook as a guitar player right now is to serve the other three members I’m working with, have fun and really enjoy the gift of this instrument. It’s been exciting and fun and a potential trainwreck onstage. [Laughs]

“Nine times outta 10, it ends up being something cool, and if it’s a trainwreck, so be it. It keeps us on the edge of that cliff I mentioned earlier. I just want to make it fun. This is a gift that I lost for a couple of years.

“And as far as the band, I don’t know. I’m focused on this tour and trying to bring the best performances and sonic landscapes we can bring. I’m grateful. With this band, you learn not to make plans, like, ‘Let’s not plan anything. Let’s just do what we’re doing.’ That’s where I’m at.”

Though he’s best recognized as bassist for Porno for Pyros, Martyn LeNoble has racked up a formidable credits list across his career – including an ill-fated stint with another Perry Farrell-fronted band, Jane’s Addiction.

Following Jane’s Addiction's first break up in the early 1990s, LeNoble linked up with the band’s vocalist Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins to form a new alt-rock outfit in 1992.

Fast-forward a decade, and LeNoble was drafted in by Farrell and co to play bass on Strays – Jane’s Addiction de facto comeback album from 2003. However, LeNoble didn’t last long: despite recording most of the material, he was replaced by Chris Chaney at the last minute.

In a new interview with Guitar World, LeNoble discusses his short tenure with – and eventual departure from – Jane’s Addiction, and reveals how it all come to a close following a confrontation with Farrell.

“I still don't really know what the why and the what of all that stuff is,” LeNoble replies to questions over the Strays experience.

“I was working with Jane’s. We were in the studio and writing in the studio, which I think is always a terrible idea because it's expensive. We had Bob Ezrin producing us, and we were playing shows as well.”

According to LeNoble, it was during the aftermath of one of these shows that the wheels started to come off. After one gig, Farrell reportedly took issue with his playing, leading to a verbal confrontation.

“We ended up going to Korea and then one show in Japan,” LeNoble recalls. “After that show, Perry was really upset. He was upset during the show, and he said he was gonna kill someone – and it wasn't me.

“I tried to talk him down a little bit, and he suddenly turned on me. He goes, ‘Everything you play sounds like shit. There's nothing but feedback coming from your amp.' I was like, 'Hold on one second, there's no feedback. I play bass; there's no feedback.'

“The only time there was feedback was when he put his microphone at arm's length and held it out like he was Whitney Houston. His microphone would pick up the bass, and then it would go through his delay, so that was the feedback.

“He was trying to blame that on me, and I was not having it. That's when I found myself after the show in Japan the next morning, flying back with a band that I was no longer in.”

Farrell’s stage-related altercation with LeNoble bears some similarities to his recent onstage bust-up with Jane’s Addiction, during which the vocalist punched Dave Navarro. The band later canceled the rest of their tour, all but signaling the end of Jane’s Addiction.

The rest of LeNoble’s recollections of working with Farrell follow a similar pattern. As the bassist explains, “I just don’t enjoy working with him”, owing to a string of similar fallouts.

“It was tough,” he says of working with Farrell. “Music, to me, is always a time capsule. For example, if I listen to records now that maybe I didn't like when I was a teenager when I hear certain recordings, it brings back some kind of feeling. It becomes this sentimental thing.

“But with Porno for Pyros, I don't have that feeling. It never brings me good memories.”

As any cosmology textbook will tell you, the massive stars that burn brightest self-destruct most intensely. Somehow, Eric Avery survived the rock ’n’ roll supernova of Jane's Addiction.

The band – which Avery formed in 1985 alongside singer Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, and drummer Stephen Perkins – mixed melodic bass guitar with soaring vocals and thrashy guitars and drums to concoct the sonic soup that nourished the nascent alternative rock revolution.

“The music of Jane's Addiction revolves around Eric's bass playing,” Flea told Bass Player. “He is no virtuoso at putting down fancy speed chops, but conceptually he is absolutely incredible, melodically and groove-wise. There'll never be anything like it again. It's one-of-a-kind bass playing. Eric is one of the greatest rock bass players ever. I'd put him in the top five or 10, for sure."

With Avery's earthy bass hooks driving hits like Been Caught Stealing, and stellar album tracks such as Three Days and Mountain Song, Jane's Addiction had a wildly successful run before internal tension first tore it apart in 1991 – and again, albeit more publicly, in 2024.

In between his stints with Jane's, Avery stayed busy. He formed two bands of his own, Deconstruction and Polar Bear, before touring with Alanis Morissette. Avery also appeared on Morissette's Maverick albums Under Rug Swept and So-Called Chaos.

When Metallica was searching for a bass player to replace Jason Newsted in 2003, Avery was one of the few players granted an audition. “I was basically looking for a story to tell the grandkids," he told Bass Player.

“It was Flea who first planted the idea that I might actually get the gig. I was talking to him a few days before I went to audition, and he was like, ‘Well, why wouldn't you get the gig?’ I said, ‘I'm not that guy. I'm not Metallica's new bass player.’ Flea was like, ‘Why not? They write rad music, and you're a great bassist.’

“Up to then, I hadn't really even considered it. I was just looking at it as a chance to go play Master of Puppets with Metallica for an afternoon.”

“I remember being at a small dinner party with some friends the night before the audition. They were like, ‘So, are you excited? Tomorrow you could become Metallica's bass player, you'll become a millionaire!’ My friend said she could see it all beginning to dawn on me, and I got this deer-in-the-headlights look, and I receded from the conversation in terror. It was a shocking realisation, but it turned out to be an amazing day.

“They flew me up and gave me the red-carpet treatment, which was really charming. When we started playing, I was shocked that it was just guys with amps facing each other as if we were in a garage. It was like hearing Metallica as if they were playing in their garage and we were all 20. We played through Master of Puppets, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and Fuel. It was a lot of fun.”

With Metallica selecting Robert Trujillo as the band's new bassist, Avery joined the Smashing Pumpkins for a spell, before being snatched up by Garbage. “Out of the blue, I got a call to meet with them,” said Avery, who got the gig without having to play a single note.

“They got a good personal vibe from me, and when Butch Vig, Garbage's drummer/producer called me the next day, he said, ‘We're not going to make an audition day happen. Chances are pretty good that you know how to play bass!’”

On September 13, Jane’s Addiction were forced to end their show in Boston early after singer Perry Farrell verbally then physically attacked his bandmates, culminating in him punching guitarist Dave Navarro.

Video footage of the altercation immediately went viral, and in the weeks since, the internet has been rife with speculation over what caused it. So far, Farrell’s wife, Etty Farrell, has been the only member within the Jane’s camp to speak out, blaming the outburst on “stage volume” issues.

The band swiftly cancelled the rest of their tour, and published a statement about making a “difficult decision to take some time away”, but the circumstances that led to the incident have yet to be discussed publicly.

Now Dan Cleary, guitar tech for both Navarro and bassist Eric Avery, has shared his account of the build-up to Farrell’s onstage breakdown, and the dramatic aftermath, on his podcast Rare Form Radio with Navarro’s longtime friend and film-maker Todd Newman.

Cleary, who has worked with the Jane’s camp for 17 years, alleges tensions began before the tour even came about – and it all started with rows over onstage dancers.

According to the tech, when the group’s original members – Farrell, Navarro, Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins – reunited in 2022, it was agreed the band would be a democracy. But the three instrumentalists were at odds with Farrell over his insistence on employing onstage dancers – his wife, Etty, being among the troupe.

“It was decided by the majority: ‘We just want to be four guys on stage, no backup singers, no dancers, none of that,’” Cleary says. “‘Let’s be a rock show, and let’s connect the four of us and do this thing together.’ And I do know that there was immediate pushback from Perry on that issue.”

Although Cleary alleges the singer did not show up to any rehearsals with the group, their initial European run – which kicked off sans dancers on May 23 at London's Bush Hall – went ahead, despite tensions backstage.

But the issue reared its head again on their return to the US, says Cleary, reaching a climax when Farrell presented video footage for use at the debut show of the tour in Las Vegas on August 9, just hours before showtime.

“It was more of Etty and maybe another women in the desert dancing scantily clad,” Cleary says. “We agreed to no dancers on the stage, but now you want to put them behind us.”

Arguments ensued, and Cleary alleges Farrell quit the band there and then, before the first show of the 10-week tour had even taken place.

Eventually, the singer was talked down, went on stage that night and the tour continued, with the band staying relatively amicable.

Tensions resumed following unsatisfactory shows in Florida and night one at New York, the latter of which Cleary dubs “the worst show I've ever seen in my life,” blaming the situation on Farrell’s inebriation, and shooting down allegations of sound problems.

“I don't want to talk about people's personal shit,” Cleary begins. “But when Etty Farrell goes on social media and says this has to do with sound issues onstage, I have to say that's fucking bullshit, right? Because the Tampa show, the New York show and the Boston show, I'm sorry, but Perry was fucked up.

“Through the whole set, he didn't know where he was in the songs. He didn't know the words he was singing, [singing] words from other songs. These are not sound issues.”

Accusations of Navarro’s amp being too loud are also inaccurate, says Cleary, claiming that the guitarist’s amp hasn’t got louder in 15 years – it’s as loud as it needs to be to get feedback (an essential part of the guitarist’s sound), but that volume is “not very loud”.

Partway through the fateful – and likely final – Boston show, the band had grown wary of Farrell’s timing issues and huddled together, which did not go down well with the singer.

“He goes over and starts screaming lyrics at them, which was just strange, like he was angry at them, but he doesn't know what's going on,” says Cleary.

“It's hard to watch because he looks and sounds out of control, right? And that hurts, because I want him to be great every night, right? Nothing makes me happier than [when] he has a fantastic show.”

During Ocean Size, Farrell began yelling expletives at his bandmates – “Fuck these motherfuckers. Fuck them, fuck them, fuck him” – into his microphone. And that’s when Cleary knew something was wrong.

“I have my in-ears in and I clocked that right away,” says Cleary. “I think we all started feeling like, ‘Okay, this is not good.’ He goes over and he pushes Dave. I'm tuning a guitar, I see the push, guitar comes right off, and I make a beeline right for both of those guys.”

Footage from the gig shows the tech intercepting the two bandmates and restraining Farrell. Avery joined Cleary in holding Farrell back and, according to Cleary, punched him in the stomach to divert Farrell’s attention from the guitarist. The show ended early. But things escalated further backstage.

“No-one in the public knows this yet, but they need to,” Cleary says. “Right after the altercation that's on video, Perry punches Dave in the face again backstage.”

Cleary also presents audio of the backstage confrontation, claiming that after Farrell is “consoled”, “Dave walks up to ask what the fuck happened, and Perry punches him again.”

The band were five weeks into a 10-week tour, and a new single, True Love, had already been slated for release on September 18, followed by Dave Navarro’s signature Supreme Cry Baby wah the day after. Indeed, as an emotional Cleary tells it, the band were preparing for years of activity.

“I have cried about this five or six times since it happened, because it's so much bigger than just this one moment, right?” he says. “We had plans. I mean, this was supposed to go for a couple more years. There are songs that they recorded that you guys just aren't ever gonna hear. There are shows that you're not gonna see.”

He concluded by saying in no uncertain terms that the band is over. “I know that there's a fingers-crossed fanbase, but like, guys, yeah, it's done with.”

Although Cleary’s account represents the Navarro camp, he is quick to point out his own affection for Perry and Etty Farrell, and that he wishes them well.

“They have big hearts, and they can be very, very generous people,” he says. “I do hope [Perry] gets help, and I do appreciate all him and Etty have done. I appreciate what the band has done, but it’s just a very unfortunate, crazy thing.”

Guitar World has reached out to Jane’s Addiction’s representatives, who have said there is no comment at this time on Cleary’s allegations.

It’s a tragic end for the influential alt-rock outfit, particularly after Navarro fought Long Covid to return to the stage, telling Guitar World earlier this year, “We’ve broken up like 30 times, so I’ve learned my lesson to be excited about where we’re at. It feels the best it felt in maybe ever.

“The inner turmoil added to the angst and the ferocity onstage. That doesn’t exist anymore, so we’ve moved into this new realm of exploration in sound, which is much more healing.”

Bassist Eric Avery, however, foreshadowed Boston’s events just days before they happened, telling GW, “I still don’t know if we’re a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now. That being said, yeah… there is a revitalization and a reconnection. Let’s hope it lasts.”

It’s been a difficult few days for Dave Navarro. Mere months after the OG Jane’s Addiction lineup released their first new single in 34 years, the band were forced to cancel the remainder of their current tour following an on-stage altercation that saw vocalist Perry Farrell punch the electric guitar player in the chest mid-solo.

Navarro, who only recently returned to the stage after a battle with Long Covid, will also have to watch on as Jane’s Addiction (whose very future is in doubt) continue to release new music. Their latest single, titled True Love, dropped yesterday, with little fanfare.

So, it’s not been a particularly pleasant set of affairs the guitarist has found himself caught up in, but a sense of normality seems to have somewhat resumed, with Navarro now announcing his newest piece of gear: a signature Cry Baby wah pedal.

However, this one has a twist – it’s been designed in collaboration with New York fashion and streetwear powerhouse, Supreme.

Not much has been revealed by way of specs or performance, apart from the fact it’s a variant on the classic Cry Baby Wah GCB95, and it features a Fasel inductor for “focused wah sound”.

Apart from that, all we have to go on is what we can see, and hear: the pedal is metallic red, has a few Supreme logos knocking about on the top and bottom, and it sounds mega. It's priced at $298.

“Super stoked to work on this collaboration with @supremenewyork and @jimdunlopusa,” Navarro wrote on social media. “The #crybaby wah has always been a staple on my board and now it’s available with an ungodly amount of @supremenewyork steeeeeeeeeze!”

“Steez”, apparently, is “the quality of being effortlessly stylish or fashionable”. A rather accurate descriptor indeed, if Supreme is to your tastes.

Supreme’s presence in the guitar world has been steadily growing over the past few years. Mötley Crüe’s John 5 told Guitar World that his sleek Ghost signature Telecaster was inspired by none other than the Supreme/Fender Stratocaster that was crafted in 2017.

Visit Supreme to find out more.

UPDATE (09.17): Perry Farrell has shared his own statement, which has been added to this story.

Jane’s Addiction have announced they are canceling the remaining dates on their US tour in the wake of frontman Perry Farrell’s mid-solo attack on guitarist Dave Navarro at a recent show.

The band’s statement reads as follows:

“To all the fans,

“The band have made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group. As such, they will be cancelling the remainder of the tour.

“Refunds for the cancelled dates will be issued at your point of purchase – or if you purchased from a third-party resale site like Stub Hub, SeatGeek, etc, please reach out to them direct.

“Thank you, Jane’s Addiction”

The statement follows the dramatic scenes that took place on Friday night (September 13)’s show in Boston, with fan footage capturing a visibly frustrated Farrell repeatedly missing song cues, verbally attacking his bandmates and landing a punch on Navarro before being restrained by guitar tech Dan Cleary and crew.

Fans had speculated that the band may break up immediately after the incident, particularly when Navarro posted a cryptic Instagram post captioned simply, “Goodnight…”, but this has since been followed by a statement signed by Navarro, bassist Eric Avery and drummer Stephen Perkins, who was celebrating his birthday on the night of the altercation. Their statement reads:

“Due to a continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell, we have come to the conclusion that we have no choice but to discontinue the current US tour.

“Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs.

“We deeply regret that we are not able to come through for all our fans who have already bought tickets. We can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis.

“Our hearts are broken.

“Dave, Eric and Stephen”

Perry Farrell has since shared his own statement:

“This weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday’s show.

“Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”

Farrell's wife, Etty Lau Farrell, offered her own take on proceedings via Instagram, blaming “extremely loud stage volume” that resulted in “[Perry's] voice… being drowned out by the band”, and accusing Avery of punching the singer in the stomach three times following his restraint.

The singer had been struggling with his voice during the reunited outfit’s US tour, apologizing to a New York crowd for vocal problems two nights prior to the Boston show.

The band had recently released their first new single with their original lineup in 34 years, and had several more songs due for release over the coming months. The curtailed trek had also marked Dave Navarro’s return to the stage following his Long Covid battle.

Earlier this year, Navarro told Guitar World, “We’ve broken up like 30 times, so I’ve learned my lesson to be excited about where we’re at. It feels the best it felt in maybe ever.

“The inner turmoil added to the angst and the ferocity onstage. That doesn’t exist anymore, so we’ve moved into this new realm of exploration in sound, which is much more healing.”

Bassist Eric Avery, however, was more cautious, telling GW, “I still don’t know if we’re a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now. That being said, yeah… there is a revitalization and a reconnection. Let’s hope it lasts.”

UPDATE (09.16): Jane’s Addiction have canceled their remaining US tour dates and released a statement in response to the events described below.

The newly reformed Jane’s Addiction were forced to end a show in Boston, MA, early last night after singer Perry Farrell threw a punch at returning guitarist Dave Navarro, before being restrained by the band’s crew.

The incident took place during Ocean Size, the 11th song on the band’s setlist, which would normally be followed by three more tracks, but Farrell’s behavior made it clear the band would not be making it through the full set that evening.

Fan footage shows Farrell yelling “fuck these motherfuckers” midway through Navarro’s closing solo, following up with verbal attacks on individual band members. As the solo comes to a close, the singer can be seen mouthing “fuck you” to Navarro before landing a punch on his chest.

Navarro’s guitar tech, Dan Cleary, moved quickly to restrain Farrell. A struggle ensued and the rest of the band’s crew escorted the frontman offstage.

As boos began to ripple through the crowd, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery joined Navarro to give their thanks to the audience. Perkins, who was celebrating his birthday that night, shared an embrace with Navarro before departing the stage.

Posting on Instagram after the show, Cleary shared a photo of the venue accompanied by the caption, “The calm AFTER the storm. Thank you Boston. Sorry Boston.”

The circumstances surrounding Farrell’s outburst are unclear, and band members have yet to comment on the incident.

Two shows prior, the singer apologized to a crowd at Pier 17 NYC for vocal problems he was experiencing that night.

The fracas has cast uncertainty over the future of the band, who released their first new single with their original lineup in 34 years in July, and have another new song due out on September 18. The group are currently touring the US with Dave Navarro for the first time since his battle with Long Covid.

Jane’s Addiction had a history of onstage scuffles during their original tenure. Navarro once gave away all his Ibanez guitars to get back at Farrell after a physical altercation at a Lollapalooza show in 1991.

Still, this latest incident will come as a shock to the band. Earlier this year, Navarro told Guitar World, “We’ve broken up like 30 times, so I’ve learned my lesson to be excited about where we’re at. It feels the best it felt in maybe ever.

“The inner turmoil added to the angst and the ferocity onstage. That doesn’t exist anymore, so we’ve moved into this new realm of exploration in sound, which is much more healing.”

Bassist Eric Avery, however, has remained more cautious about the future, telling GW, “I still don’t know if we’re a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now. That being said, yeah… there is a revitalization and a reconnection. Let’s hope it lasts.”

Time has been kind to Jane’s Addiction: their songs were – and are – awesome. Jane Says, Been Caught Stealing and Three Days are just a few of their early calling cards, delivered before the original lineup of Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins and Eric Avery broke up in 1991.

There’s been more music from Jane’s over the years, with 2003’s Strays and 2011’s The Great Escape Artist. But those albums featured bassist Chris Chaney; Avery, the man Navarro calls the backbone of the band, was nowhere to be found.

Whatever dogged the band in the ‘90s and again in the ‘00s when Avery returned for a brief period – has been dealt with. The next thing was to make new music; which happened in form of Imminent Redemption, the originals’ 2024 single.

Chaney is a towering talent, but the new track proves that Avery brings something unique to the group. “I’m trying to make something that sounds musical and complete by itself,” he tells Bass Player.

“Those are often the building blocks of what become Jane’s songs. I don’t think Jane’s has ever been a band known for chord progressions or doing a lot of clever things. It’s about grooves, vibe and feel.”

Some feared the reunion wouldn’t work out, but with Navarro back on stage after a two-year battle with long Covid, the band trekked across the UK and Europe, and they’re now crossing the States in a joint affair with Love and Rockets.

But Avery remains cautious: “I still don’t know if we’re a band that you ever assume will be here a year from now. That being said, yeah… there is a revitalization and a reconnection. Let’s hope it lasts.”

If you sat down to compose a bassline right now, what would that look like?

“There are two approaches. One is a basic approach that everyone knows. If I were to play in another band with pre-existing chord structures, I might try to find notes that exist in the chord progression that I could use to repeat and say very little while the chords are changing over it.

“But I think the defining way I do this is born from how I initially played bass, and not knowing about the bass. I was just in a room by myself and did a lot of chordal stuff, because I was trying to make something that sounded musical and complete with four strings. That’s still my approach. I want to make something that sounds complete.”

What are the keys to harnessing your bass tone?

“Early on, I wasn’t paying attention to tone. I just liked bass that sounded like my influences – Joy Division, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen. It was the '80s when it was very brassy chorusing, though I didn’t do a lot of choruses. But there was a brighter, brassier sound.”

Did you feel that sound lent itself to the chordal things you were interested in?

“I think that lends itself to doing chordal stuff. The double-stops, thirds, and fifths – the clarity really helps with that.”

But it’s changed. What are you doing now?

“In the last 10 years I’ve tried incorporating more overdrive and distortion into the sound. I was looking for more upper partials and things that lent themselves to showing up better in small speakers. The way people hear music these days on phones and headphones impacts the tone I’m working with now.”

Your bass rig must have evolved to accommodate that change.

“In the early days it was very sparse. What was on the floor, I can’t even remember. There were times when I tried things but they didn’t last for very long – the classic Boss chorus pedal and things like that.

“But in this version of Jane’s, there’s two separate signal chains I use. On a few songs, we do psychedelic intros, so one chain is distortion and reverb that’s expressly for doing more textual creation and drone things.

“My primary chain uses a chorus pedal, but sparingly – because, again, I don’t want to sound like the 1980s. I use it for some brightness here and there in the midrange. I’ll even use a bit of octave stuff for a couple of spots. I’ve got a boost pedal to give tone and a distorted, crunchy, almost compressed sound.”

Dave Navarro has made no bones about your importance as the backbone of the classic Jane’s sound. Can you explain the chemistry you two share?

“Dave, Stephen and I are interlocking parts that create a machine. Over the last couple of years we played without Dave – which seemed unthinkable. When Dave came back and we were writing and recording, even though he was physically diminished by his Covid struggle, it immediately sounded like Jane’s Addiction.

“The sound made sense. There was no explaining it. No conversations needed to happen; it just immediately sounded like Jane’s because he intuitively knew how to connect with us. The interlocking pieces approach is natural within the context of Jane’s Addiction. The parts come together somewhat effortlessly.”

You’ve recently played with Garbage and Nine Inch Nails. From what you were saying about your take on collaborating, are those scenarios like approach number one for you?

“They really are. I feel like I play a very plain version of bass when I’m playing in those other situations, because I’m there just to serve the traditional role of the bass – to be the bridge between the kick drum and the guitar chords. I’m not trying to express my voice in that; I’m trying to be of service to someone else’s idea of what they want.”

So you’re not really artistically tied to those sorts of roles?

“I’ve often made the distinction that I feel like, in Jane’s Addiction, I’m trying to be the best artist I can be. When I work with other people, I’m trying to be an artisan.”

If the cards had fallen a certain way, you could have ended up as the bassist for Metallica or the Smashing Pumpkins. Have you thought much about what your life might be like had those gigs panned out?

“I have. I’ve thought about what that would be like – and it’s not all to the positive. Well, I shouldn’t say that in both of those cases. For different reasons, I went into them thinking that I didn’t hope to get the gig because I really thought that I wasn't right for them.

“So I entered into them as experiences, like, ‘I’m gonna have a life experience; I’m gonna create a memory.’ Not every day does one travel to Santa Rosa [California] to play a few songs with Metallica, you know? I didn't see it as a job audition; and in that way, it really delivered. They were great to me, too. I came away with a great day from my human lifetime.

“In the case of the Pumpkins, at the time, I didn't know Billy Corgan, but I knew he wasn’t the easiest person to work with. And because of my tendency to have trouble not speaking truth to power, if power needs speaking to, I just thought, ‘This is not going to last, but it’ll be interesting. It’ll be an interesting week or two.’ And it really was.”

Did you find Billy easier to work with than you anticipated?

“I found Corgan to be quite an inspiring guy to work with for the two or three weeks that I did.”

What did you learn about yourself as a person and musician that you've carried with you since?

“One of the things Corgan made me see in myself is that all the gadgets, and all the ability to record digitally and change things up with plugins, had really made us lazy. Those things became standards for writing parts that you could always fix later with ProTools.

“I might have known that before, but working with Corgan, he would go over things, over and over and over, and he and Jimmy Chamberlin would be in pre-production and say, ‘Okay, let’s try it again, but this time with a cymbal crash here.’ They worked really hard; it certainly was about finding the right thing and not stopping until you got it.

“It cast a light on how lazy I had been in some of my decision-making; and how a lot of the people I’d worked with were sort of lazy in the same way of being able to stop and fix it up later instead of finding the right part. I found that inspiring.”

You make light of your tendency to challenge authority. But this time, Jane’s all seem to have reached a point where you can put your differences aside and focus on the music.

“Age has definitely played a part, you know? We’ve all gotten older and we’ve put aside some personal differences. And as a function of getting older, I’m really appreciative of the fact that there are still people who have come out and supported the band all these years, after having a relatively small output and certainly an inconsistency over the years. The short answer is that perspective played a big part in getting us here.”

Has less volatility changed the band’s creative process?

“Yes, definitely. The process is different in the details, but probably similar in the main because we can get things done from a distance. There’s less need to sit in a studio at the same time, wherein you can have those personalities emerge.”

Imminent Redemption is out and there’s more on the way. Singles are one thing – but what’s the latest on an album?

“I’m guardedly optimistic that we can get some new music done. The phrase that Dave and I were talking about the other day is: ‘If there is a Jane’s Addiction in 2025, then there will be new music for sure.’ But you just never know if there’s going to be a band at all.

“When people ask about what was special about Jane’s the first time around, I always say that there was an earnestness and an honesty to what we were doing that didn’t always exist in our peers. People picked up on that, and that’s still true.

“We don’t make decisions based on the usual reasons. That’s how we were – we left a lot of record sales and a lot of money on the table during Jane’s 1.0 because we made decisions based on what we thought was truly right.

“I think there’s some of that spirit still alive in us. There’s an intrinsic concern for all our actual human stories, not just our professional lives. Certainly, we would like those two to align, but we're not willing to decouple them.

“For me personally – and I know it is for Dave, too – I feel like honesty is an important part of the people that we want to be. That informs us today, as it did many years ago.”

It sounds like, if Jane’s exists or not, you’ve made peace with each even if you’re not making music together.

“That’s definitely true. That bodes well for us continuing to work together under any circumstance. Whether it’s with Jane’s or not, we soldier on. I can’t speak to what the legacy of Jane’s Addiction is. But I know I’ve been somewhat uncompromising; I’ve been determined to keep Jane's Addiction sacred to myself. I carry it like it means a lot when I have friends who are involved.

“On the fan forums, people send me clips of things and say, ‘This is truly, really meaningful to me.’ It’s inspiring for me to keep fighting for what I think is best for Jane’s Addiction. I define my life by that.

“Jane’s Addiction will be my personal legacy in a public sense. I’m aware of that, and it’s therefore precious to me in a way that’s worth fighting for.”

• Catch Jane’s Addiction on their current US tour.

Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery has never been one to shy away from musical projects. During his long absence from the band he helped co-found, he joined Garbage and Alanis Morissette's backing band, and even auditioned for Metallica.

However, Avery points to his brief brush with the Smashing Pumpkins, specifically Billy Corgan, as a core experience that made him a better musician.

“I didn't know Billy Corgan, but I knew that he wasn't the easiest person to work with. And so, because of my tendency to have trouble not speaking truth to power, if power needs speaking to, I just thought, ‘This isn't going to last, but it'll be interesting. It'll be an interesting week or two.’ And it really was,” says Avery in an upcoming Bass Player interview.

As it turns out, he found “Corgan to be quite an inspiring guy to work with for the two or three weeks that I did.”

“With Corgan, one of the things that he made me see in myself is that all the gadgets, and all the ability to record digitally, and change things up with plugins had really made us lazy,” he explains. “And that creatively, as players, those things became standards for writing parts that you could always fix later with Pro Tools.

“I might have known that before, but working with Corgan, he would go over things over and over and over, and he and Jimmy Chamberlin would be in pre-production for the record they were writing [2007’s Zeitgeist] and say, ‘Okay, let's try it again, but this time with a cymbal crash here.’ By doing that, they worked really hard, and it certainly was about finding the right thing and not stopping until you got it.”

Avery admits that working with Corgan was crucial in helping him become a better and more hard-working player. “It cast a light on how lazy I had been in some of my decision-making. And how a lot of the people I'd worked with were sort of lazy in the same way of being able to stop and fix it up later instead of finding the right part. I found that inspiring.”

Just last month, the original Jane's Addiction lineup of Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, Perry Farrell and Stephen Perkins released their first song together, Imminent Redemption, in 34 years. The band is currently in the midst of their North American reunion tour.

Bass Player's full interview with Eric Avery will be published later this month.

After the release of 1989’s Nothing’s Shocking and 1990’s Ritual de lo Habitual, Dave Navarro was a wunderkind teetering on guitar hero status with Jane’s Addiction.

The band had it all: a poet turned vocalist in Perry Farrell, a punk-loving bassist in Eric Avery, a technical monster on drums in Stephen Perkins, and Navarro, an alt-meets-metal player with an affinity for shreddy yet spanky solos. Jane’s helped usher in the alt-rock revolution with swagger, style, and a decidedly non-grunge sound.

Infighting, drugs and alcohol dogged them, leading to their 1991 breakup. But fame did come, as did Navarro’s hero status. In the years since, Jane’s has been on again and off again, resulting in 2003’s Strays and 2011’s The Great Escape Artist. Neither featured Avery, leaving the original lineup in the past until they regrouped in 2022.

Navarro had to sit things out for two years due to a battle with long Covid. While he healed, Queens of the Stone Age's Troy Van Leeuwen and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer stood in. And while he’s not entirely recovered, Navarro is back.

“I’m just excited,” he says. “I’m living in the moment right now. We’re having a good time. We’ve broken up like 30 times, so I’ve learned my lesson to be excited about where we’re at. It feels the best it felt in maybe ever.”

Good health and vibes are all around. There’s new music in Imminent Redemption – their first song with Avery since 1991 – and a new album to follow. Navarro says it’s not a rehash, but a rebirth. “The early days were really magical; we can never repeat that.

“The inner turmoil added to the angst and the ferocity onstage. That doesn’t exist anymore, so we’ve moved into this new realm of exploration in sound, which is much more healing.”

You’re back on the road after being laid up with long Covid. How did that impact you?

“I’d just completed making a record with Taylor Hawkins and Chris Chaney [as supergroup NHC]. We mixed and mastered it, and then we lost Taylor. That was in the middle of Covid, and it was actually very painful for me to pick up the guitar after that.

“I didn’t pick up the guitar for about a year. He was such an inspiring artist – not only was he a phenomenal drummer, he was an amazing songwriter and lyricist… just one of those humans that everybody loved.”

It must have been difficult to ramp up again after that.

“After losing Taylor I didn’t play for a long time. Then, about a year into it, I picked up the guitar, started playing some cover songs, and just kind of got used to the instrument in my hand again. Since I had the illness, I was housebound for a long time, and that’s when I really started getting into some out-there guitar players I normally didn’t study, like [session great] Jay Graydon.

“I started studying Jay, and I started diving deep into Van Halen, tone chasing, and reading everything I could about the gear he used, may have used, or that’s rumored to have been used.

“There are rumors that on the first Van Halen album he used a Plexi. There are rumors it was a Fender Bassman with Celestions and JBLs. Who knows? But I got really nerdy about that stuff and started traveling down those paths.

“Just learning the technical aspects of other players kind of got me interested in the guitar again. I started playing a lot more, and it was a lot of fun. When I grew up, I didn’t have YouTube, so it was impossible to search for a song or a part of a solo and learn how it was done or what gear was used.

“I got really deep into some of the Hendrix pedals that he used. I just kind of turned back to my favorite artists, and that re-inspired me.”

Jane’s had to work with temporary guitarists while you healed – that must have been difficult, too.

“Jane’s had to be on tour with, first, Troy Van Leeuwen, and then Josh Klinghoffer. I love both of those guys, and I was fine with that, but it was hard not to be with my original band.

“I’m glad they brought guys I liked. Since then, I’ve become friends with Josh – which is kind of ironic since I was in the Chili Peppers for a while, and Flea joined Jane’s Addiction [on tour in 1997]. Josh was in the Chili Peppers for a while and then joined Jane’s; it was kind of a weird, full-circle thing.”

How did you ramp up once you decided to get back on stage with Jane's?

“I spent most of my days during my illness just kind of woodshedding guitar and relearning things. I played Jane’s Addiction records front to back and tried to relearn things I’d played in the ’80s and ’90s that I’d forgotten. That was a challenge, and that was fun.

“And because I knew I was gearing up to join again at some point, the band wanted to start working on new music. I was well enough to go in a studio and sit in a chair. I’d sit for 10 hours, so that was easy, and we wrote some new music.”

How do you view yourself as a guitarist today versus the early days?

“I’m a little bit more confident in terms of my approach, and there are a number of reasons for that. In the early days, when we were in rehearsal, we’d be playing and writing, and I’d go home and I wouldn’t touch the guitar. Now, we’ll play in the rehearsal studio, then I’ll go home and work on parts, melodies, solos, and ambient sounds that I think might work well within the track.

“It's an exciting experience for me. In the early days I really enjoyed not knowing what was going to happen. That was on tape, too – they would hit ‘record’ and I’d just start playing. I’d listened to bootlegs growing up, and I heard guitar players improvise on the spot, not doing everything the same; I was under the impression that that’s how it was done.

“I never planned out a guitar solo in the studio. I’d just kind of hit ‘record,’ let it rip, and see what happened. I really think that accommodated the music at the time. I remember doing the solo for Three Days – we were tracking it live, and some executives from Warner Brothers came down. They were sitting in the studio and the whole thing was one take.

“I think that's the only song on that album [Ritual de lo Habitual] that was done in one take. And I think it's because the executives were sitting there. We were trying to be like, ‘Alright, you guys wanna see who you signed here? Here you go!’ As soon as [producer] Dave Jerden hit ‘stop,’ we were like, ‘That’s it. That’s the take.’”

“You know, that was all improv. I mean, the structure was written, but the soloing was improvised. And the time between vocal breaks and how we changed from part to part, that was all eye contact.

“I really love recording like that because you get to play with an experimental song. Imminent Redemption is more structured; it’s more verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. But the original concepts and structures were written on the bass by Eric.”

How important is Eric to Jane’s sound?

“I’ve always thought of him as the musical backbone of the band; you can remove the guitar and drums, but if you have his bass and vocals, you’ve got the song.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘You know you have a great song if you can play it on an acoustic guitar and sing it.’ But in our case, you have a great song on the bass and singing. So the song was written by Eric on bass, and I got to explore.”

So that element of exploration and improv is still there.

“I tend to record way too many tracks. I can sit there and have 100 ideas, and I like to throw them all down, and then I’ll sit there with the engineer and Eric and go through each part.

“It’s like, ‘Yeah, this is great; keep that,’ or, ‘This one, although it’s cool, gets in the way of the vocal.’ It’s almost like painting with too many colors then removing the colors to create the necessary contrast.

“I overplay in the studio. There’s no contrast; it’s all guitars and you don’t hear the bass or drums anymore. But everybody knows that’s how I work so nobody worries. They know we’re going to peel it back. In Imminent Redemption, there are two guitar tracks because I wanted the verses to have a real out-of-tune sound.

“I used the tremolo on the low E, and I kind of bent it and was like, ‘That’s cool, and that’s out-of-tune. But it’s not rubbing enough. There’s not enough attitude.’ So I doubled it, and obviously there’s no way to double the bends at the same time, so you get this really wobbly sound. I liken it to U2’s Bullet the Blue Sky – that might have been an influence there.

“It’s probably one of the more ‘normal’ rock songs that we have. But the way Perry approached it takes out the ‘normal’ world and puts it into the worlds of psychedelia, shamanism and outer space. Perry’s not going to ever write parts that are obvious. I’m really stoked on that song.”

You said you’d listened to Jane’s early records to relearn the tracks. Which are the most challenging?

“Actually, there’s a couple of times during the set where I’ll give Perkins a look over my shoulder, like, ‘Slow down – watch the tempo here.’ But the more we play, the less I have to do that, you know what I mean? It’s just muscle memory.

“We’ve also gotten really experimental live, where some songs are seven minutes one night and 12 minutes the next night. I think Eric and I have really boned on ambient, droning, spooky, vibey, weird things that go on for too long – uncomfortably long, if that makes sense!

“If we’re making a droning noise and you’re in the audience, you might say, ‘What the hell is going on here? Are they gonna play a song?’ But Eric and I are completely lost in another dimension. If you go with it in the audience you’ll kind of get into a trance.

“It’s really exciting. We’ve just extended Three Days and added an entirely new section that’s just a soundscape. It’s certainly been different every night, primarily because we’re just exploring. When we play these songs live, the majority of them, we don’t really know where they’re gonna go!”

Do you attribute that to the chemistry of the original lineup?

“We’ve been playing together for so long that we’ve managed to avoid train wrecks, which is pretty special. Stephen will play some bizarre pattern in a song that he’s never played, and me and Eric will look at each other and go, ‘Okay, I guess that’s how it’s going tonight!’

“It makes playing those songs fun again. You’re on the edge of a cliff and you don’t know if you’re gonna fall off. So far, we haven’t. And even if we did, that would be kind of a memorable moment!

“There was a time we played the Paradiso in Amsterdam, and I was standing on the edge of the stage with one foot on the barrier, and I fell into the audience. That’s what’s happening musically with us right now – although we haven’t fallen into the audience yet!”

Speaking of the unknown and unexpected, Tom Morello turned up on stage with you recently, which reminds me of when you unexpectedly jammed with John Frusciante. What’s it like for you in those moments?

“They’re nothing but exciting because these guys are great, and I have love and respect. I know they’re phenomenal guitar players, and it’s fun for me to hear our songs with a completely left-field take on the soloing.

“But there’s more than that: there’s a brotherhood and a unity among musicians, and with guitar players especially. The time with John was the first time I’d ever played with him. After all these years, and with me being in the Chili Peppers, I’d never got the opportunity to play with him.

“The Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction were playing a benefit. I called John and said, ‘Dude, you have to join us for a song. I’m not going to let you not play with us!’ He was like, ‘Yeah, I’d love to.’ And that’s how it happened. I was just floored to have him because he’s one of my favorite guitar players, and he’s a contemporary favorite.

“And then, Tom has been a friend of the band for years. We’ve played with him many times. Tom was in a band called Lock Up before Rage Against the Machine.

“One New Year’s Eve, as a prank, we had Lock Up come out as Jane’s Addiction. Tom had a Dave Navarro wig, the singer had a wig with dreadlocks, the bass player had a punky Eric Avery wig and the drummer, I think, had like a weird, crazy Phyllis Diller wig!

“We had them come out and open up with one of our songs, and Tom Morello was dressed as me – though, of course, he sounded nothing like me. Midway through the song, the four of us came out, stopped them, plugged in ourselves, and continued on with the song!”

How did the crowd take it?

“We thought it would be really funny, right? It did not go over well at all! They had no idea what was going on. Not one person thought it was funny or understood what happened! We were talking about the night the other night in Cologne with Tom. It was definitely a worthwhile gimmick!”

What’s been your most important piece of gear on the road?

“It’s always my guitar. I’ve been playing Paul Reed Smith guitars since 1991, the first Lollapalooza. It was the first show in Arizona, and back then, drugs and alcohol were a big factor in our band’s life. Sometimes we’d be at the same level and have a great time, and sometimes people would go in different directions.

“On that particular night I went in a different direction. Three songs in we got into a physical altercation and I decided, ‘I’m done playing this fucking show.’ I took all my Ibanez guitars and threw them into the audience.

“I looked at Perry and I was like, ‘What are you going to do now?’ Like, ‘Ha ha ha, I got you! I don't have any guitars to play now!’ Five minutes later, I was like, ‘Oh shit, what am I going to do now?’ I was so focused on getting back at him that I didn't realize I'd just cut my own feet off.

“The guitarist of the Rollins Band, Chris Haskett, was playing with Corey Smith. At the next gig he said, ‘Why don’t you borrow one of my guitars and see if you like it?’ So for the second Lollapalooza show I was playing a PRS, and I said, ‘I fucking love this.’”

What made the PRS feel different?

“I always ride the volume knob. I never like having my sound thin when I’m on the volume knob, but I liked the PRS. So, Chris said, ‘Let me introduce you to Paul.’ They overnighted two or three guitars; I used them for the rest of Lollapalooza and the rest of my career – with the exception of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”

Because their sound is so closely intertwined with Strats?

“I played Fender Stratocasters because I wanted to do their back catalog service. It would have been kind of impossible to play their old material with a humbucker. So with the exception of the Chili Peppers, I’ve been playing Paul Reed Smiths for about 33 years.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m going through effects pedals or what kind of amp I’m going through; it’s the way the strings feel on the neck. It’s the sustain within the body of the guitar. It’s the consistency of the volume knob. It’s the multitude of pickup selectors I have at my disposal.

“I can really make that thing sound like just about any guitar, you know? I was a Les Paul guy in the early days of Jane’s Addiction, and then I got into the Ibanez world because I was really focusing on my shredding skills. And then I found the PRS had the output of the Les Paul, but not the weight.

“I could get a single-coil tone out of it without getting any thinner as I turned down my volume. I really have to be able to do that based on where Perry is vocally.”

You’ve said effects aren’t as important – but are there one or two that you use most often?

“I would say delay. When I came down for my Jane’s Addiction audition, Perry had an Ibanez DM-1000 rack-mounted delay, and I had a DM-1000 delay. We looked at each other and said, ‘We use that, too!’ It was just like magic; we were both on the same page.

“Whenever I would go to do a solo, it always felt like a huge section of the band dropped out. It felt like, with no rhythm guitar, I really needed to fill up some more space. So I would use my delay. I think that my love of delay on lead guitar came from Wrathchild by Iron Maiden.”

Jane’s is putting out new music, while also being in the position of looking back. What’s the band’s legacy?

“You know, the fact that there could or might be a legacy of any kind is an incredible honor. I can’t tell you what it would be. That’s very difficult to ask somebody from the inside. I think if you asked Robby Krieger that question about The Doors, he wouldn’t know what to say.

“I would hope that part of the legacy would be that we were a band that didn’t fit any molds, broke rules, and got into the corners of all types of genres of music. And that we were led by an incredible poet and consisted of very efficient yet totally different musicians who somehow managed to make their differences work.”

• Imminent Redemption is out now. Jane’s Addiction kick off a new tour leg on August 9 – see JanesAddiction.com for full dates.

Back in February 2020, John Frusciante played his first gig with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in over a decade as part of a memorial show hosted by the Tony Hawk Foundation.

The event was also attended by ex-RHCP electric guitar player Dave Navarro, who – along with the rest of his Jane’s Addiction bandmates – was present to perform a four-song set for the gig.

During proceedings, Froosh was invited onstage to join Navarro and the LA alt-rockers to perform Mountain Song – a cover, it turns out, that marked the first time the two guitarists had ever played together, despite their close friendship and RHCP ties.

In a new interview with Guitar World, Navarro reflects on the experience, and recalls how the impromptu performance came about.

“The time I played with John was the first time I'd ever played with him,” Navarro explains. “After all these years, and with me being in the Chili Peppers, I never got the opportunity to play with him.

“We were doing a benefit for a guy who lost his son – God rest his soul – and the Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction were playing.

“I called John immediately and said, 'Dude, you have to join us for a song. I'm not going to let you not play with us.' He was like, 'Yeah, I'd love to.' And that's how it happened.”

Navarro joined RHCP to fill the space left by Frusciante, after the band’s most decorated guitarist left in 1992. Following brief tryouts with guitarists Arik Marshall and Jesse Tobias, Navarro – who had left Jane’s Addiction at the time – was recruited. He recorded 1995’s One Hot Minute with the band, before departing in 1998. Frusciante rejoined that same year.

The two guitarists remained close over the years, with Navarro previously recalling how he once brought a Les Paul for Frusciante to play in rehab after his first departure from RHCP. Frusciante ended up selling the guitar to buy drugs, but years later, he apologized to Navarro by gifting him a replacement Gibson Les Paul.

Reflecting on the pair finally sharing the stage after such shared experiences, Navarro continues in his GW interview, “I was just floored to have him because he's one of my favorite guitar players, and he's a contemporary favorite.”

Expanding on what it’s like to play with such high-profile guest stars such as John Frusciante and Tom Morello – another player with whom Navarro jammed recently – the Jane’s Addiction member adds, “They're nothing but exciting because these guys are great, and I have love and respect.

“I know they're phenomenal guitar players, and it's fun for me to hear our songs with just a completely out-of-left-field take on the soloing. There's like a brotherhood and a unity among musicians. And with guitar players especially, that happens. It's really special.”

Read the full interview with Dave Navarro, in which he recalls how he stopped playing guitar for a year after the tragic death of Taylor Hawkins, and discusses his battle with Long Covid.

Dave Navarro has revealed he and Taylor Hawkins had finished recording an album together before the Foo Fighters drummer passed away – and the loss was so painful for the Jane’s Addiction guitarist that he didn’t play guitar for a year.

Last month, Navarro finally returned to onstage action with Jane’s Addiction, having been sidelined for three years following his battle with Long Covid.

The electric guitar hero came down with the condition back in December 2021, mere months after he launched new supergroup, NHC, with fellow Jane’s Addiction bandmate Chris Chaney, and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

The band played live a handful of times together – including one occasion where they were joined by Pat Smear – but the trio continued their collaboration in the studio, where they recorded an entire album together.

However, Hawkins passed away suddenly in March 2022, and Navarro was so devastated by the sudden news that he didn’t play guitar for a long, long time.

In a new interview with Guitar World, Navarro was asked how his Long Covid battle impacted his guitar playing, responding, “If I'm being perfectly honest, I just completed making a record with Taylor Hawkins and Chris Chaney.

“We mixed and mastered it, and then, we lost Taylor. That was in the middle of Covid, and it was actually very painful for me to pick up the guitar after that.”

“I'll be honest – I didn't pick up the guitar for about a year,” he continues. “And because he [Taylor Hawkins] was such an inspiring artist… Not only was he a phenomenal drummer, but he was also an amazing songwriter and lyricist, and he was just one of those humans that everybody loved. Everybody loved him.”

A year after Hawkins’ death, Navarro – who was housebound with Long Covid at the time – slowly got back into the swing of things, and found himself returning to the instrument.

“For the first year after losing Taylor, I didn't play for a long time. Then, about a year into it, I picked up the guitar, started playing some cover songs, and just kind of got used to the instrument in my hand again.”

During their show in Cologne, Germany on Tuesday (June 25), Jane’s Addiction invited Tom Morello onstage to help them perform Mountain Song.

It was clearly an impromptu performance, though, as Morello arrived onstage following vocalist Perry Farrell’s introduction without his trademark Arm the Homeless custom model or even his Soul Power Fender Stratocaster, and armed instead with a PRS electric guitar.

Specifically, Morello – who has been a Fender player for much of his career – looked to have borrowed a guitar from Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro, who only returned to the stage with the band last month following a three-year long battle with long Covid.

And so, wielding Navarro’s Custom 24 signature guitar – the white finish, matching headstock, black humbuckers and gold bridge give it away – the Rage Against the Machine riffsmith helped hold down the see-sawing power chord progression.

Having dutifully allowed Navarro to take the first lead spot, Morello then got to grips with the unfamiliar terrain of the Custom 24’s fretboard, sizing it up with a solo of his own that was as Morellian as they come.

Open-string lines and some frantic reach-around harmonics looked to be the most exciting elements of the solo, but Morello took things up a notch by seizing Navarro’s guitar to his face and shredding with his teeth.

So, despite the impromptu gear change, it sounded exactly like Tom Morello. After all, tone is in the hands – or, in this case, the teeth.

The moment was captured by fan footage, and a post published on Jane's Addiction's Instagram, which was captioned, "Look what the cat dragged in."

While it is strange to see Morello playing something other than the Soul Power Strat, we don’t imagine he’ll be making the switch to PRS permanent, as his former fellow Fender signature artist John Mayer did back in 2018.

While he is best known for his Arm the Homeless model, Morello has often spoken about his affinity for Fenders, and previously discussed why the Strat is unlike any other electric guitar.

“One of the things that differentiates the Strat from other great electric guitars is the sound of those other guitars leading the player,” Morello explained. “With the Stratocaster, the player leads the sound.”

“I always knew I was going to spend my entire life dedicated to bass guitar,” Chris Chaney told Bass Player back in 2003. “From early on, I just knew. Maybe it has something to do with being born on Marcus Miller’s birthday.” 

For the third time in his whirlwind career, Chris Chaney has struck gold, earning one of bassdom’s most coveted gigs. This time it’s a slot replacing Cliff Williams in the revamped and re-energised AC/DC, the legendary rockers who are hitting the road with a European tour in support of 2020’s Power Up album.

“We are thrilled to finally announce the European Tour,” the band wrote in a statement. “Angus, Brian, Stevie, and Matt will be joined by Chris Chaney to carry the torch for Cliff.”

Rewind to the mid 1990s, the ever-humble, Berklee-schooled Chaney was gigging steadily in Los Angeles, playing jazz at the famed Baked Potato and R&B in the house band at Dragonfly. “That was an amazing gig. We played everything from Aretha to Soundgarden, and we backed 20 singers a night.”

As fun as it was, it all changed in March 1995, when Chaney was invited to go on tour with an obscure Canadian songwriter named Alanis Morissette.

“Taking the Alanis job was a hard decision. The ball was really starting to roll for me in L.A.; I had a variety of gigs, and I was playing almost every night. Lots of guys were saying, ‘You're finally playing jazz at the Baked Potato, and you're going to leave that behind to play pop music?’ But I liked Alanis, I liked her songs, and I liked the band so I took the gig.”

In between Morissette's ensuing success and his new job with AC/DC, Chaney's diverse chops and winning attitude have established him as a studio mainstay. 

The following interview from the Bass Player archives took place in June 2003.

You're often confronted with lots of fairly basic rhythms, but your grooves are never boring. How do you do it?

“I learned more about pop rhythms from Alanis Morissette drummer Gary Novak than from anyone else. Gary taught me that it's all about the subdivisions within the beat. I learned that even when you're just playing the root on the downbeats, if you understand the beats’ subdivisions and how they work together, you can make the shit as funky as hell. 

“Once you understand exactly where to place your notes, you can start building your grooves from the drums on up. That's a crucial skill in pop music. Grooving with a drummer is all about the space around the beat, and being able to control your notes – not just when you play them, but how you play them and for how long. Understanding that will allow you to do more with a simple groove.”

Many of your basslines have an almost vocal quality that supports the melody as well as the groove.

“Gary helped me develop that aspect of my style, too. He told me, ‘Don't attack every note. It's all in your left hand.’ And I realized you can control just about everything with your left hand and maintain a light attack with your right. That lets you control your dynamics a lot better, too. So now even my simplest basslines are full of pull-offs, slides, and hammer-ons.” 

“I really like what it does to my phrasing: Everything gets slinkier, and it gives my lines a much looser feel. This probably goes back to listening to Stevie Wonder's pentatonic Minimoog basslines when I was growing up; that stuff is not about the attack. To this day, I'll spend hours with Boogie On, Reggae Woman. Stevie is the Mozart of our day; no-one else stacks up musically.”

How did you end up joining Jane's Addiction?

“I had just finished recording Tommy Lee's first record with his band, Methods of Mayhem, and then I went back on the road with Alanis. When I finally joined Tommy to tour, I met Perk, who was playing Tommy's drum parts onstage. 

“We had a good connection right away; he's so open-minded and such a gifted musician, and he's incredibly fun to play with. Even if you're playing a simple groove on two and four, he'll move his beats slightly left of center, and all of a sudden a simple groove is full of texture and nuance. We continued to play together, and then I met Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell.”

What’s your favorite part about the gig?

“The fact that the door is never shut on a part. There's always room for change, even if I think I've found the perfect part. I was fortunate to be able to take home a song and listen to it for weeks, and if I wanted to go back and change something three weeks later, I could just do it. That's not a luxury you have as a studio player. I didn't actually end up changing any of my parts – but knowing that I could made me feel quite spoiled.”

How did you fill the shoes of original Jane's bassist Eric Avery?

“I take the weight of Eric Avery very seriously; I feel honored to be playing his parts, and to have the other guys open to me creating my own lines for new songs. Also, learning Eric's parts note-for-note forced me to get my pick playing up to speed. I had always wanted to be better with a pick, but I've always been primarily a finger player.

“I used a pick on I'm Still Here, the Johnny Rzeznik tune from the Treasure Planet movie, and on Andrew W.K.'s I Get Wet, but that was about it.

“The other amazing thing about Eric's playing is his feel. Stephen Perkins told me Eric would play tons of acoustic guitar, and I think that really contributed to the feel and texture of his basslines. He incorporates lots more into his playing than just basic chugga-chugga rock rhythms.”

How did the Jane's sessions lead to your playing with Michelle Branch?

“Michelle was recording in the studio across the hall from us. During some downtime in the Jane's sessions, her producer – John Shanks, who is kind of a legend around the old A&M Studios – asked if I'd like to come lay down some tracks. I was pretty much left to my own devices.

“Michelle had most of the melodies down, and the song structures were worked out, but the rest was a blank page. Since then I've done other stuff with John, from a big Celine Dion track to some edgy, grassroots pop with Will Hoge.”

Who were your early bass influences?

“In high school I had a couple of Rush buddies. The drummer was the biggest Neil Peart fan in the world, so I fell right into learning Geddy Lee's parts. That was a real challenge; he's such a progressive player, especially for rock. But now I think tackling that stuff right off the bat worked to my advantage.

“Geddy made me realize that I was gonna have to practice my ass off to be any good at this! It wasn't long before I was heavily into Zeppelin and Aerosmith, too. I came to McCartney and Jamerson later, and I spent hours with those Marvin Gaye records when I did finally discover Jamerson. Same with Jaco. I don't sound anything like him, but I could still probably play Donna Lee.”

When did jazz enter the picture?

“When I was 14 a friend's older brother turned me on to Miles Davis, and then came John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Charles Mingus, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Hank Mobley, and on and on until I discovered Marcus Miller. His playing on David Sanborn's Straight to the Heart blew my mind.

“He has this sound that nobody else can even touch. So I am heavily influenced by jazz, even though John Paul Jones' riffs and Stevie Wonder's pentatonic Minimoog synth-bass parts are usually the first things that pop into my head.”

Now that your technique has caught up with your early influences, what influences your playing these days?

“My influences have become more conceptual. I had the pleasure of hanging out with Gary Willis, and he opened up my head to a whole new process of approaching the bass. I don't know if my brain ever would have gone there. He made me realize how important it is to be able to play simply – to consistently come up with parts that work for the song. It's a cliché, but it's so important. 

“So even in the most basic musical setting, I'm always trying to hear more than just the whole-note. Even though that approach is important, and I can do that for days and be content if it's serving the music, I'm always trying to bring something different to the table.”

How much bearing does your time at Berklee have on your playing today?

“My Berklee education definitely opened me up, especially in terms of harmony, and applying that knowledge to bass expedited my creative process. Understanding right away what works and what doesn't, and being able to move around between chords, is certainly part of my foundation. I also learned to read and to understand written rhythms, and that really helps in the studio. 

“On the other hand, Berklee was much more about jazz education, so lots of the advanced harmony I learned stays in the background of my bass playing. I knew my pentatonic scales before I went to Berklee, and 90 percent of the time that's what I'm called upon to play.”

Say you've just been handed music for the first time in the studio. How do you come up with a part?

“Unless we're playing written parts, I use the same approach most of the time, regardless of the artist or style: I clear my mind, listen to the other instruments, focus on the progression and the overall song structure, and start hitting roots as the song passes by. 

“Then I begin searching for the part. The more the song passes by, the more I start hearing the part that should be there. I don't know where that comes from, but I always hear something. And that something gradually progresses until it becomes part of the song.

“Open-minded listening is the key. It's what helps me understand what is an appropriate part. It may not be the clichéd sound or part for that particular genre; it may be something totally different. But I can usually tell right away if it will work.

“It's tough to analyze, and it's hard to say exactly where that inspiration comes from. It's really cool that any other bass player, given the same song, would come up with a different part. I love that.”

Your open-mindedness is certainly reflected on your resume.

“Well, being locked into, say, Metallica as the only cool band out there is just as harmful as the jazz snobbery that says you're not a real musician if you aren't playing Coltrane changes in all 12 keys at 300 BPM. Those outlooks really hinder your overall musicianship, and they can seriously affect your career.

“The more you know, the more you can add to the music. And you should always, always try to add as much as you can, whether you're playing with others who aren't as good as you are or players who have much more experience than you do. That's another thing – let the experience of others kick you in the ass. 

“Any way you can give yourself a push is great. Real players are inspired to seek out a kick in the ass; that's what moves me, every day. If I just sat on top of my own mountain, where would I be? Alone on my own mountain, looking down on my own stuff. That just doesn't sound fun to me.”

“I'm much more into climbing than sitting still and looking backwards. That's why it's incredibly important to be open-minded about your bass playing, to be into as many different styles as possible. All music is valid, and there's always another envelope to be opened.”

Dave Navarro returned to the Jane's Addiction saddle for the first time in three years after long Covid forced him to take a break from touring, with the band reuniting for an intimate UK warm-up gig last night.

The show on Thursday (May 23) at London’s Bush Hall boasted a cozy capacity of 400, and saw Navarro return to the stage in style. The occasion also marked the first time the classic lineup has performed together since March 2010. 

The rest of the band – bassist Eric Avery, who rejoined in 2022, vocalist Perry Farrell, and drummer Stephen Perkins – have all seen Josh Klinghoffer and Troy Van Leeuwen fill in for Navarro during various touring legs in recent years.

In May last year, Navarro revealed he’d “been sick since December” as a result of his illness, and that “nobody knows how long” it will be until he’s fit to shred on stage again. 

His message came after the band was forced to pull out of the Welcome To Rockville festival, with the guitarist adding “the fatigue and isolation is pretty awful”.

Long Covid – or post-Covid – can see people suffer from prolonged symptoms of the illness for weeks, or even years, after initial infection, with Navarro seemingly getting the worst of it.

It makes the return of the classic lineup all the more triumphant, and fans have been waxing lyrical about the show. 

The intimate gig – preparation for their Bearded Theory festival headline appearance in the UK this weekend (25 May) – saw the band hurtle headfirst into Kettle Whistle. It was the first time the song had been performed since 2001, and its opening bars rattled like a freight train out of Navarro's PRS electric guitar. 

There's a mix of joy, relief, and concentration etched on his face as he tears through the track’s wah-drenched solo. Scott Rowley, Content Director for Future's Music division, was at the show, and labeled the performance “peak-Navarro”.

“To me, he’s great because he’s a guy who grew up on Page and Van Halen, but also listened to the textures and stylists of the new wave,” he reflects. “He’s as influenced by Daniel Ash of Bauhaus and Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins, so his parts are weird, and angular, and delicate – and then he shreds like a bastard, which he did last night. Lots.”

But the band wasn't just there for nostalgia. The show also saw the live debut of a brand new song, Imminent Redemption, with the band currently working on a follow-up to their 2011 album, The Great Escape Artist – and it sounds like it will be well worth the wait.

Avery introduces the song with a rolling bassline, before Perkins provides thumping toms for assistance, with gut-punching rhythm guitars and pepperings of supple leads delivered by Navarro.

The band is speculated to release their fifth studio album later this year, having debuted another new track, True Love, at one of their Klinghoffer-depped shows last year. 

While the wait for official news on the album stretches on a little longer, it’s a joy to see Navarro back on stages where he belongs. 

Jane’s Addiction have announced they’ve recruited former Red Hot Chili Peppers electric guitar player Josh Klinghoffer for a string of upcoming live dates.

Klinghoffer, who played with Jane’s Addiction for some shows back in 2022, will once again return to the band’s lineup in place of Dave Navarro, who continues to recover from a particularly strong case of long Covid.

In a statement posted to social media, the band confirmed Klinghoffer’s temporary appointment, and ended speculation over Navarro’s future role in Jane’s Addiction by affirming he will return only when he’s “healthy and ready."

“We'd like to address the questions surrounding Dave and the upcoming Jane's shows,” the band wrote. “As a band we are in a great place, writing new music, and the bond is tighter than ever. We all hope Dave can be out playing with us; when he feels healthy and ready.

“For the near future, our brother Josh Klinghoffer will jump in for the upcoming shows on the West Coast, South America and some additional international shows to be announced soon.

“We want to thank you for being there with us over these thirty some odd odd years. You know, we're going to keep throwing down for you.”

Klinghoffer is the second guitarist to fill in for Navarro in recent months, after Queens of the Stone Age axeman Troy Van Leeuwen took up the role for the band's North American tour last fall.

Last November, Klinghoffer added to his impressive resume of live and session credits by joining Jane's for a handful of live dates – including a cameo at the group’s show at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.

Navarro continues to be absent from Jane’s Addiction activities after he announced back in May 2022 that he has been battling a case of long Covid – a condition that sees viral and other symptoms remain after the illness itself has gone.

The Jane’s Addiction guitarist has been battling the condition since December 2021, and told fans early last year that “nobody knows how long” it will be before he is fit to play and tour again.

As such, Klinghoffer will see action across plenty of dates in March, with Jane’s Addiction set to perform on eight nights across the duration of the month.

The short stint is set to commence on March 5 at the Mechanics Bank Theater in Bakersfield, California, and will conclude at Lollapalooza Brazil in São Paulo. Head over to Jane’s Addiction’s website for a full list of dates.

It's Klinghoffer's latest high-profile fill-in role with a legendary '90s alt-rock band, after the guitarist was recruited to the ranks of Pearl Jam as a touring guitarist in 2021.

Jane’s Addiction’s upcoming 2023 material could feature guitar contributions from Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and Bauhaus’s Daniel Ash, frontman Perry Farrell has revealed.

The trio of guitarists each filled in at various points on the band’s recent Spirits on Fire tour for Dave Navarro, who has been battling a case of long Covid since last December.

“I don’t know who will end up recording the guitar tracks [for the new material], but I’d love to see Dave, Troy, Josh and Daniel contribute – all the guys on the tour that really stuck it out,” Farrell says in a new interview with Alternative Press.

The band reportedly have three songs in the works at the time of writing, and are keeping an open invitation to Van Leeuwen, Klinghoffer and Ash to make contributions when it comes to recording the material. And Van Leeuwen, at least, appears keen to participate when the time comes.

“There’s a connection there, and it’s a no-brainer,” he tells AP. I’d like to see what they do with Dave, but if they have a plan, I’m going to show up when I can to be a part of it.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Farrell explains that the band are in a good mental space following the Spirits on Fire tour, which wrapped up at LA’s Hollywood Bowl on November 19, and explained how the trek has lit the flame of wanting to write new music.

“It was a shared sense of [camaraderie], which translated into us really feeling like a band again,” says bassist Eric Avery, who officially rejoined the band in August after 12 years out of the role.

“This time out, there was a real connection between the people onstage that I haven’t felt since 1986. We were all pulling in the same direction, and it was surprising in many ways. I think it’s really important for us to write new material.”

“I had one of the best tours of my life,” Farrell adds. “I just love at the end of the show seeing how many happy people there were. We got to them, and that’s the best feeling in the world,” Farrell says.

But while the tour was a resounding success, as Farrell explains, the band were selective about who they called up to fill Navarro’s position.

“At first, there was a lot of weight on my shoulders. This was our return tour right after Covid, and we didn’t have Dave," frontman Perry Farrell admits. "Jane’s is a unique band, and you can’t just grab any guitar player and they’ll pick it up. That’s Dave Navarro we’re talking about – those are big shoes to fill.”

There's currently no date set for new Jane's Addiction music, but with such an all-star lineup, it looks likely to be one of the guitar highlights of 2023.

Jane’s Addiction’s Spirits On Fire tour hit Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday (November 12) and Josh Klinghoffer dropped in to treat fans to a three-song guest spot with the group. 

Klinghoffer joined Perry Farrell and co “fresh from Los Angeles” for a run that included Ocean Size, Three Days and, later in the set, Mountain Song. Naturally, fan footage soon followed and you can watch Klinghoffer’s first performance with the group – on Ocean Size, from 1988’s Nothing Shocking – below.

Klinghoffer appears to have been playing with the band since mid-October, first guesting during Three Days at the group’s Boston show on October 16, and gradually adding to his repertoire in the dates since.

It’s not as if the band is calling out for heavyweight guitar talent, either. Troy Van Leeuwen is currently touring with Jane’s Addiction, filling in for the still absent Dave Navarro, who continues to struggle with long Covid. 

Meanwhile, fans may have been forgiven for considering Josh Klinghoffer hard done by, following his friend John Frusciante’s return to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

However, it seems the guitarist has skipped from one dream jam to another ever since. There was that all-star jam with Farrell, Eddie Vedder, Chad Smith, Andrew Watt, Robert Trujillo, Charlie Puth et al from 2021, then he backed Eddie Vedder’s solo work and now he’s kept busy as Pearl Jam’s touring guitarist. It’s hard to think of another player with such an unrivalled resume of ’90s rock icons…

Over the weekend (October 2), Jane’s Addiction kicked off their fall North American tour with the Smashing Pumpkins with a show at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Intriguingly, the band's lineup included – for the first time in over a decade – founding bass guitar player Eric Avery. Even more notable, though, was the absence of electric guitar ace Dave Navarro, who's been battling a nasty case of "long Covid" since last December.

In his place, Jane's have drafted longtime Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen. You can see fan-filmed footage of Van Leeuwen playing Three Days with the band – during their October 3 show at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas – below.

“When we booked this tour and Dave was sick, we didn’t know he’d take this long, to be honest with you,” Jane's frontman Perry Farrell said in a statement to Rolling Stone about the decision to enlist Van Leeuwen. “You have to be able to adapt. I really do have to consider everybody on the crew and their families. They have mouths to feed, and they haven’t had a paycheck in almost two years.

“I wish I could have waited longer for Dave. Maybe he will call me in a week and say, ‘I’m good to go.’ And what could happen is, he could just slide right next to Troy.”

Earlier this year, Navarro's ongoing illness forced Jane’s Addiction to pull out of a scheduled performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. In their place, Farrell reunited his post-Jane’s Addiction band, Porno For Pyros, for their first full performance in 26 years.

Smashing Pumpkins, for their part, debuted two new songs – Neophyte and Harmageddon – on the first night of their tour with Jane's.

For a full list of Jane's Addiction/Smashing Pumpkins North American dates, and tickets for the shows, visit the bands' respective websites.

Eric Avery has rejoined alt-rock powerhouse Jane’s Addiction after 12 years away from the band.

After speculation ensued following a post published on the band’s social media last week  – showing Avery playing bass while frontman Perry Farrell sings in the background – Avery has confirmed the news in a new post on his own Instagram profile.

“Today marks the end of our current sessions,” he writes, tagging Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins. 

“Four promising new song ideas. Big thanks to you all for all the kind words of support. It leaves me feeling inspired, honestly. It produces the best kind of pressure, your passion leaves me determined to do all I can for Jane’s Addiction.”

There are no snippets yet of the new material, as the original clip showing Avery and Farrell playing together features feedback as its audio backdrop.

Eric Avery has played intermittently with Jane’s Addiction since the band’s inception in 1985. After founding the group with Perry Farrell, Avery served a six-year stint until their hiatus in 1991, appearing on landmark albums Nothing’s Shocking (1988) and Ritual de lo Habitual (1990).

The band reunited for a brief tour in 1997, recruiting Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea in place of Avery.

Avery was again absent when the band reunited from 2001 until 2004, with both Martyn LeNoble and Chris Chaney serving stints on bass guitar during this time.

After another hiatus from 2004 until 2008, the band again reunited, this time with Avery assuming bass duties. He did, however, announce his exit from the band two years later in 2010.

The news that Avery is once again a member of the band effectively means the removal of Chris Chaney, who has covered low-end duties since 2010. Chaney no longer lists Jane’s Addiction in his Instagram bio.

Jane’s Addiction are set to embark on a North America arena tour from October with fellow alt-rock heavyweights The Smashing Pumpkins.

The trek – commencing October 2 – will make stops across the country Houston, Nashville, Boston, Chicago and more, before wrapping at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on November 19.

See The Smashing Pumpkins’ website for tickets and full list of dates.

Dave Navarro has revealed he’s been battling with “long Covid” for the past six months – a condition that sees viral and other symptoms remain after the illness itself has gone.

Writing on social media, the Jane’s Addiction guitarist shared he’s “been sick since December”, and said that “nobody knows how long” it will be before he is fully fit again.

The message comes less than two weeks after Jane’s Addiction were forced to pull out of their appearance at this year’s Welcome To Rockville festival as a result of Navarro’s recurring health issues.

Navarro wrote, “So yeah, I’m one of the ones who came down with the ‘long haul covid’. Been sick since December and supposedly will be back to my old self in… nobody knows how long.

“If there are any of you who are still suffering long after your negative results, I’m just saying you aren’t alone,” he continued. “The fatigue and isolation is pretty awful but try to spend your time with the ones you love and stay creative. 

“That’s how I’m trying to get through this thing. Also lots of spiritual practices, meditation and yoga have been very helpful. I’ll be okay, just don’t know when.

“Anyway, thanks for listening and don’t worry about me. All indicators are pointing to a full recovery at some point.

“There’s really no more to say on the matter so I’d appreciate not receiving a bunch of DMs or texts. Not out of disrespect for you guys, I’m just so tired of talking about this, I’m sure you can imagine.”

According to the CDC, long Covid – or post-Covid – is the continuation of a “wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after the infection”.

“Most patients’ symptoms slowly improve with time,” a statement on the CDC website states. “However, for some people, post-COVID conditions may last months, and potentially years, after COVID-19 illness.”

Jane's Addiction are set to hit the road with The Smashing Pumpkins for a North American tour later this year, which will kick off in early October.

The Smashing Pumpkins have announced an extensive arena tour of North America.

During the trek – which will criss-cross the continent from early October through mid-November – the band will be joined by another titan of '90s alt-rock, Jane's Addiction.

You can see the full itinerary for the Spirits on Fire tour – which will also feature Poppy and, on select dates, Meg Myers – below.

The Pumpkins will be promoting their most recent studio album, 2020's double-length, synth-pop-influenced Cyr.

The band are also reportedly hard at work on another project, though, a 33-song “rock opera” sequel to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Machina/The Machines Of God.

“It’s kind of a rock opera," Billy Corgan said of the in-the-works album in a YouTube video in October 2020. "We feel like in many ways this completes the circle on everything we started and weren’t able to finish at that time, so we’re very excited.”

Jane's Addiction, meanwhile, last embarked on a full-scale tour in 2016, and have performed live only sporadically since. Their last studio album was 2011's The Great Escape Artist.

Tickets for the Spirits on Fire tour go on general sale this Friday, May 13 at 10 a.m. local time.

To purchase tickets, visit the Smashing Pumpkins' website.

The Smashing Pumpkins/Jane’s Addiction 2022 North American tour:

10/02 – American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX
10/03 – Toyota Center - Houston, TX
10/05 – Moody Center - Austin, TX
10/07 – Amalie Arena - Tampa, FL
10/08 – Hard Rock Casino - Hollywood, FL
10/10 – Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN
10/11 – State Farm Arena - Atlanta, GA
10/13 – Mohegan Sun - Uncasville, CT
10/14 – UBS Arena - Belmont Park, NY
10/16 – TD Garden - Boston, MA
10/18 – Capital One Arena - Washington, DC
10/19 – Madison Square Garden - New York City, NY
10/21 – Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, PA
10/22 – PPG Paints Arena - Pittsburgh, PA
10/24 – Scotiabank Arena - Toronto, ON
10/26 – Bell Centre - Montreal, QC
10/27 – Centre Videotron - Quebec City, QC
10/29 – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse - Cleveland, OH
10/30 – Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee, WI
11/01 – Enterprise Center - St. Louis, MO
11/02 – Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, MI
11/04 – Xcel Energy Center - St. Paul, MN
11/05 – United Center - Chicago, IL
11/07 – Ball Arena - Denver, CO
11/09 – Spokane Arena - Spokane, WA
11/11 – Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC
11/12 – Climate Pledge Arena - Seattle, WA
11/13 – Moda Center - Portland, OR
11/15 – Chase Center - San Francisco, CA
11/16 – Honda Center - Anaheim, CA
11/18 – Footprint Center - Phoenix, AZ
11/19 – Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

Foo Fighters and Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell have joined forces for a live cover of Been Caught Stealing.

The band headlined Lollapalooza in Santiago, Chile on Friday night (March 19) and invited Farrell onstage to perform the song from Jane’s Addiction’s 1990 album, Ritual de lo Habitual. 

Farrell founded Lollapalooza in 1991. Initially, the frontman intended it be a farewell celebration for Jane’s Addiction and was reportedly inspired by UK rock weekenders like Glastonbury and Reading Festival. However, throughout the decade, it grew into an international juggernaut, gaining a reputation as one of the defining events in rock music.

“He’s the reason why we’re all here,” said Dave Grohl, introducing the frontman. “So please everybody, Lollapalooza, tonight, please welcome, with great respect, Perry Farrell from Jane’s Addiction.” 

Grohl’s respect runs deeper than many might realize. The Foo Fighters frontman has previously described the revelatory experience Nirvana had when they attended the LA date of the first touring festival in 1991, between Nevermind sessions. 

“When we arrived, there were more piercings, more tribal tattoos and more Rollins Band T-shirts than I’d ever seen in one place at one time,” Grohl told Time Out in 2011.

“It was a fuckin’ epic day. It really was. It was unbelievable. I remember sitting in my seat, watching the Butthole Surfers at a fuckin’ outdoor amphitheater! ...It was like the revolution had just begun… it felt like something was happening, that was the beginning of it all. That was early summer. By that fall, radio and MTV and music had changed. I really think that if it weren’t for Perry, if it weren’t for Lollapalooza, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

Foo Fighters will continue to play around South America throughout March, before their run of US festival dates resumes on April 29 in Memphis.

Head to Foo Fighters’ official site for tickets and tour dates.

In other Foos news, Dave Grohl has confirmed the release date for his full thrash metal album, recorded under the banner of Dream Widow, the fictional band from the Foos’ recent horror movie, Studio 666.

A few months ago, Jane’s Addiction's bassist and guitarist – Chris Chaney and Dave Navarro – teamed up with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins to form the supergroup NHC.

That group – sans Navarro and plus a staggering band of rock A-listers – came together on Friday, December 3 for the Bring Back The Arts benefit concert at Malibu Elementary School.

Featuring Hawkins, Chaney, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Tool drummer Danny Carey, super-producer Andrew Watt, and Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and Troy Van Leeuwen, the ad-hoc group covered a selection of late-70s/early-80s rock classics, plus a smattering of original material from their own bands. 

Hawkins took the mic for an appropriately rowdy cover of Rod Stewart‘s Hot Legs, while Homme handled lead vocals for a rendition of Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London and, naturally, Queens of the Stone Age's Go With the Flow.

All of the musicians also came together for a cover of The Clash's 1982 mega-hit, Should I Stay Or Should I Go.

Thankfully, attendee Shaun Conrad was on hand to capture the performances, a couple which he shared excerpts from on his Instagram page.

Though each famous in their own right, many of the one-off supergroup's members have previously collaborated and/or played together, in various studio and live contexts. 

As previously mentioned, Hawkins and Chaney play together in NHC – who have released a number of new songs in recent weeks – while Smith and Watt both worked with Eddie Vedder on his forthcoming solo album, Earthling, with Watt handling production and Smith contributing drums. 

Smith, Watt and Chaney, meanwhile, will all tour the US with Vedder in February 2022 as part of his solo band.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of song lessons get shared on YouTube every week, so the last thing you’d expect is for the original guitarist to chime in with a few pointers – yet that’s exactly what happened to one guitar teacher when he uploaded a tutorial on Jane’s Addiction classic Been Caught Stealing… and Dave Navarro got in touch.

The tutor in question is Matt from Let’s Play All, a YouTube channel dedicated to covering classic ’90s grunge and rock.

He first caught Navarro’s attention with a lesson on how to play Feed the Cruel, one of the debut singles from new supergroup NHC, featuring Navarro alongside Jane’s bandmate Chris Chaney and Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins.

The former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist got in touch with Matt to say he loved the video, but wanted to correct one small subtlety. He then sent the YouTuber a cornucopia of NHC-branded picks, before reposting Matt’s cover of Feed the Cruel’s solo via the NHC Instagram account.

But it was after teaching one of his favorite songs, Been Caught Stealing, that Matt truly got the lesson of his life, as Navarro – entirely unprompted – shared the secret to that elusive verse shuffle riff.

“It’s actually easier than you’re doing it,” Navarro says in the clip, revealing he lifts both fingers off for the track’s funky muted strums. Matt then breaks the part down, with Navarro-approved accuracy.

This isn’t the first time a guitar legend has got in touch with a YouTuber to share a correction – Tony Iommi once called out one channel for getting his tone wrong, commenting “Where do they get it from?”

Alice in Chains were honored with a Founders Award from Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture on December 1 with a virtual celebration that featured tribute performances and accolades from Metallica, Korn, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney, Mastodon, Krist Novoselic, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson and many others.

The Seattle-based non-profit museum, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary pop culture, held the event virtually for the first time. You can watch the full award ceremony, complete with performances, above.

The celebration was highlighted by a performance from Alice in Chains and a one-off supergroup jam featuring Corey Taylor, Taylor Hawkins, Dave Navarro and Chris Chaney covering Man in the Box.

Additionally, Metallica delivered a semi-acoustic performance of Alice in Chains’ 1992 hit, Would?, which you can watch below.

“Hey Alice in Chains, hey buddies, congratulations on the Mopar Auto band of the year award,” joked front man James Hetfield after the performance. “Just kidding. Congratulations on the MoPOP Founder’s Award. We’re glad to be a part of your journey in life.”

Other highlights from the evening included remaining Soundgarden members performing Angry Chair with Mike McCready, Billy Corgan tackling an acoustic version of Check My Brain, as well as Lily Cornell Silver, daughter of Chris Cornell and AIC manager Susan Silver, singing Black Gives Way to Blue.

MoPOP has also announced the release of MoPOP Founders Award Honoring Alice In Chains: A Benefit for the Museum of Pop Culture, a brand-new Amazon Originals compilation.

Available for streaming only on Amazon Music, the compilation features highlights from the event, including Mastodon’s cover of Again, City and Colour’s take on Rain When I Die, covers of Would? by Korn and Metallica, the Man in the Box jam, Alice in Chains’ performances of Your Decision and No Excuses and more.

The Founders Award event serves as the nonprofit museum’s principal annual fundraiser for youth development programs, access initiatives, community engagement, and world-class exhibitions. So far the celebration has raised more than $600,000 and counting, attracting more than 275,000 views online throughout the evening.

Said Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, “It feels truly special to receive the MoPOP Founders Award in our hometown of Seattle. It’s also humbling to be joined by so many of our friends, peers and heroes to rock some AIC tunes. I hope people watching enjoy the show as much as we did putting it together.

“A big hearty thanks to everyone who participated in making this virtual thing happen during these strange times. Music has the power to unite, heal and inspire. It is all of ours. Let’s continue to create and celebrate that which feeds the soul. Rawk on!”

Listeners can access the compilation album by asking, “Alexa, play the MoPOP Founders Award album” in the Amazon app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices.

The full show is available to view on MoPOP’s YouTube channel and contributions to support the museum’s exhibitions, programs, and educational work can still be made at www.MoPOP.org/FoundersDonation. 

You can check out the full tracklist below.

1. Your Decision - Alice In Chains
2. Rooster - Ann Wilson
3. Down in a Hole - Duff McKagan, Shooter Jennings, Ayron Jones, Martin Feveyear
4. Would? – Korn
5. Rain When I Die - City and Colour
6. Put You Down - Liv Warfield
7. Again - Mastodon
8. Black Gives Way to Blue - Lily Cornell Silver with Chris Degarmo
9. Nutshell - Mark Lanegan, Maggie Bjorklund
10. Man in the Box - Dave Navarro, Taylor Hawkins, Corey Taylor, Chris Chaney
11. No Excuses - Alice In Chains
12. Heaven Beside You - Aryon Jones
13. Check My Brain - Billy Corgan
14. Them Bones - Fishbone
15. Drone - Kim Thayil with Krist Novoselic, Giants in the Trees
16. Brother - Nancy Wilson, Mark Lanegan and Liv Warfield
17. Angry Chair - Members of Soundgarden with Tad Doyle, Mike McCready and Meagan Grandall
18. Black Gives Way to Blue - Eric & Encarnación
19. It Ain’t Like That - Kim Thayil with Shaina Shepherd, Bubba Dupree, Bill Herzog, Nathan Yaccino

Over the weekend, John Frusciante played his first gig with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in over a decade, as part of a memorial for aspiring film producer Andrew Burkle, hosted by the Tony Hawk Foundation.

Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins - who stepped in for an absent Chad Smith - played a three-song set, comprising Give It Away, I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges) and Gang of Four’s Not Great Men, likely a tribute to the band’s guitarist Andy Gill, who passed away earlier this month.

The show also played host to another surprising reunion, as Frusciante joined forces with ex-RHCP electric guitar player Dave Navarro for Jane’s Addiction classic Mountain Song, during a four-song stint by the LA alt-rockers.

You can see a compilation of fan-shot footage above, which shows Frusciante in fine form, with his ’62 Strat-into-Marshall Silver Jubilee pairing positively shining.

Frusciante last performed with the Chili Peppers at the UK's Leeds Festival back in 2007, although he didn't officially leave the band until two years later.

RHCP announced the guitarist's Frusciante in December last year, which resulted in the ousting of Josh Klinghoffer, who later reflected, “It’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band.

“If John coming back had happened five years ago, it would have been hard for me, temporally, to weigh against what they had.

“Now, after 10 years, two tours, and almost three albums of writing, I'm really proud of what I did with them. I feel like we did create something.

“John and Flea have a musical language. I'll never be able to contend with the history him and John had.”

The band’s first full shows are slated for May, with a run of festival dates in the US stopping at Hangout Music Festival, Bottlerock and Boston Calling.

28 years after he pawned it off for cash in L.A. during the first Lollapalooza tour, Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro has been reunited with his long-lost custom Ibanez guitar. 

"A lot of the great Jane's Addiction songs were written on this guitar, the music that just changed my life and put it in a different direction,” Navarro told guitarcenter.com. "When Ibanez signed me, it was a big deal unto itself, because I was a kid, self-taught listening to Hendrix and Page, and now I’ve got a sponsorship with the same guitar company as Steve Vai?"

Navarro pawned the instrument off in 1991, while Jane's Addiction were—on the backs of their multi-platinum album, Ritual de lo Habitual—in the midst of the inaugural Lollapalooza tour. Though he made a mental note to himself to go back and grab the instrument, he never did. 

Improbably, the guitar resurfaced late last year, in fantastic condition no less. 

"A couple of customers came into the store with the guitar, and I instantly recognized it," Eric Bradley, artist relations manager at Guitar Center Hollywood, said. "I was like, what? How do you guys have that?"

With the help of former Sex Pistols guitarist and Jonesy's Jukebox host Steve Jones, Navarro was soon reunited with the instrument. 

"An instrument like this is not unlike a relationship with a human being," Navarro added. "It's something you connect to, that hears you, understands you. It's your tried and true that's never going to leave you—unless you pawn it for drugs.

"At the time, I was really trying to get clean. These forks on the side represent the fact that heroin cannot be cooked up in a fork, because it drips through. I was trying to change my utensil of choice from the spoon to the fork. And pawning this, clearly, I chose the spoon. But luckily, it found its way back, and I'm clean and healthy now. I get to take this home with me today, which I'm super psyched about!"

Bands that burn hot and fast like Roman candles—they’re closer to the truth of rock and roll than well-adjusted veterans. Jane’s Addiction weren’t meant for the long haul.

They arrived like a stink bomb, jolting the giants of hair metal off their late-Eighties pedestals.

Anticorporate in nature, they nonetheless stole MTV’s limelight, cramming vegetables into unlikely places and dashing for the supermarket door in the legendary “Been Caught Stealing” video. They turned their fans into happy thieves. If you were into punk or metal—a culture-jammer or a tripped-out hippie chick swirling in the front row—you could love them. They pointed toward something rawer on the horizon, the flannel-checked shape of grunge.

Twenty-five years after their bitter, premature 1991 farewell (after only two studio albums), the band’s twin magnetic poles—volcanic lead guitarist Dave Navarro and soulful singer and lyricist Perry Farrell—still have disparate views about what exactly went down.

“As far as I know, we were just doing what we did,” a no-bullshit Navarro tells Guitar World from Los Angeles. “We wrote songs, toured them, played them, got them together and recorded them. The process was much truer and less product-oriented than it is now.” Navarro makes no mystery of his spotty memory, wrecked by serious drug use, the spoils of fame and musical exhilaration: “It was a very convoluted time,” he explains.

Farrell, soft-spoken and thoughtful, remembers something more ambitious. “What I was personally shooting for was greatness,” he says, aware of the immodesty but owning it. “I wanted to be in league with, you know, the Beatles and the Stones and the Who and Hendrix and the Doors. That was what my dream was.” Farrell, like Navarro, is a survivor. You can’t tell the story of Jane’s Addiction without a fair amount of haze. Both men will be hitting the road this summer to play 1990’s Ritual de lo Habitual, the album that crystallized their highest highs and ruinous lows. “We went for integrity,” Farrell says. “We wanted to live life and experience life and report about life on the wild side. And we didn’t apologize for it.”

We begin roughly four years in. Jane’s Addiction have already gone through four guitarists before a teenaged Navarro clicks with Farrell. They’ve commandeered the Sunset Strip club scene, particularly the sweaty stage at Scream, where Guns N’ Roses and the Red Hot Chili Peppers cut their teeth. Warner Bros. have signed them with an advance rumored to be the largest in the label’s history. The group quickly records a self-titled live album in 1987, then their first studio album, Nothing’s Shocking, the next year. Heavy touring commences.

“I somehow lucked out,” Navarro says, “being able to hook up with these guys who were coming from a really artistic place. I feel like I’m one of the rare guitarists who 'got away with it'—got away with being part of that technical metal world that was happening at the time, but also had a foot planted in the alternative world. I’m very fortunate.”

Farrell, for his part, saw a kind of artistic completion in Navarro. “The minute he arrived, I just had this feeling we were going to be able to do it,” he recalls. “We were going to be remembered. We were going to have parts that the world would air-guitar to.”

As complex as Jane’s Addiction’s music could be—loaded with calypso steel drums, strummy folk idylls and screaming solos in a Jimmy Page mold—it’s worth noting how out of step their lyrics were with the prevailing mood, one best summed up by Tawny Kitaen squirming on a car hood. Farrell was more liberated than most. “How about the fact that we were speaking about women not as ‘cherry pies’ but as ‘classic girls’?” he snipes. “How about we took the misogyny out of the music that was currently happening? And we made it important to be romantic and look at your significant other like a person you got ideas from.”

Farrell’s mother as well as his artist girlfriend took their own lives, the former when he was only three. It's a large part of his feminism. Suicide haunts Ritual’s powerful track “Then She Did…,” a standout on a collection of songs that was slowly coming into focus, alongside many cultural influences, especially the Angelino presence of Caribbean Santería art with its vivid mix of pagan and Christian. “I was really enamored and fixated on Santería stores that we have around here in Los Angeles,” says Farrell. “They’re very colorful and, at the same time, they have a great potency—a religious and magical potency. A lot of the artwork that I was doing was Latin-inspired.”

Keeping pace with the band’s artistic curiosity was a different kind of subcultural injection. “In those days, we were hitting speedballs really hard,” Farrell allows. “Our daily life would consist of waking up, going to a spoon, drawing back heroin-cocaine admixtures, slamming them and getting your day going. So that was our daily ritual. Originally, somebody came up with the phrase 'ritual of the habitual' and I thought it would be better if it came off the tongue ritual de lo habitual—again, the Latin influence made it that much more romantic and passionate.”

True to their process, the material shaped up in front of audiences, not in the recording room. “By the time we got to the studio, these songs were well-oiled, finely tuned packages,” Navarro says. “We ended up recording them pretty much live, and then Perry and I did our overdubs.”

“You can’t hide behind all the technology,” Farrell agrees. “Once you show up and you can’t sing, you’re as good as gone. We were smart in that we did it like the Grateful Dead. We built our career on our live appearances.”

Already, though, seeds of discontent were sown, unbeknownst to fans. Even as the band grew an unusually diverse audience by the millions, it was coming apart, its members the victims of an incessant touring schedule—13 months to support the new album (released in August 1990)—that wreaked havoc on an addict’s schedule.

“The breakup was based on emotional reasons,” Farrell disagrees. “I felt that I couldn’t go on expressing ideas because they were getting constantly knocked down. Everything I brought up was looked at with disdain, negativity. We were at the top—the top of our game, the top of the world. But artistically, I had run up against a wall. I just needed to go in a different direction. I wasn’t going to smash through the wall. I wasn’t going to try to climb over the wall. I would just simply walk in a different direction. And I knew I’d be okay, but I wish it never had to come to that."

Navarro is more blunt: “The 'why' isn’t the big mystery to me. We all know why.” He means Farrell’s intensity, but also the drugs, the fights that began spilling into their performances. “What’s unusual is that we never talked about it. I know that I went home and slammed a bunch of coke and heroin, and I know those guys did too, and we never picked up a phone again.”

But before that point, there was a tour to honor, one that was increasingly feeling like a farewell.

Ritual de lo Habitual was becoming that most unlikely of things: a multi-Platinum monster. Much of that was due to the low-budget video for “Been Caught Stealing,” a sensation when MTV still drove audiences to new music.

“You see in those close-ups, I put a stocking over my head,” Farrell notes. “I really didn’t like being even seen. I didn’t want people to know what I looked like. The idea that I would be in a pop category in any way, shape or form—other than an Iggy Pop category—made me want to slit my wrists.”

He sounds like an unlikely grocery thief, but it’s a true story. “You have to understand that we were essentially living in a house with 12 other musicians. So we didn’t have money. As a result, all the clothes that I had were thrift-store clothes, and a lot of them were stolen.”

On the phone with Guitar World, Farrell has moved into the room in his Santa Monica Canyon home where his MTV Video Music Award sits, the one for Best Alternative Video. “I’m staring at the award right now,” he says. “I didn’t go to the ceremony. To be honest with you, I thought MTV was a rip-off. They didn’t pay artists residuals. And they played the video all day. They made money off us. They got credibility off our video, they became hot shit, but they weren’t helping. As far as I was concerned, fuck them.”

Out on the road, crowds were lifting them higher anyway. “Rockers were coming to our shows,” says Navarro. “They were die-hard metal fans until they heard Jane’s Addiction. The guitar playing brought them in, but the band opened their mind to a whole other slew of music.”

The guitarist is moved by what he remembers as a spirit of change. “It was a celebration of music regardless of who you were and what you were supposed to be a part of and what you were supposed to like,” Navarro recalls. “It was more like a youth movement—that was the spirit that launched Lollapalooza.”

Farrell, widely credited with coining the term alternative nation, concurs. “We had a community of people who were not your typical Sunset Strip crowd of spandex and teased-up hair,” he says. “We were underground, hanging out with punks and gays and artists and rock and roll guys. You could look in one corner and there’d be rockabilly punk, and in another corner, there’d be hardcore punk: Minor Threat, Fugazi, straight-edge.

And then you’d look in another corner and there was us. And what was that? We were a lot of rock, but we weren’t derivative.”

Lollapalooza would become Jane's Addiction's goodbye. It was a roadshow that brought together a still-breathtaking lineup of musical nourishment: goth legends Siouxsie and the Banshees, Vernon Reid’s radical Living Colour, a pre-megafamous Nine Inch Nails, the crime-rhyme rapper Ice-T (and his controversial metal offshoot Body Count). Punks like Butthole Surfers, Henry Rollins and Violent Femmes were also represented. The Lollapalooza concept would also eventually give birth to the “second stage,” to the idea of choice within choice. You could see scary magic with the Jim Rose Circus Side Show. You could join an alternative-energy campaign. You could register to vote.

And closing out every night—at least that rudimentary first year—would be a band that, for all its internal dysfunction, was suddenly a symbol of utopian unification.

“It was crazy,” Navarro says. “We’d be playing and I’d look out and see a bunch of kids dressed like [the Cure's] Robert Smith, and I’d see a bunch of black kids, and I'd see a bunch of hair-metal dudes. And they were all just chilling together, having a blast. It was unbelievable. I’m from an era when heavy-metal kids and punk-rock kids fought each other—like fist fights! In high school, we were gangs. We would beat each other up. And then Lollapalooza happened and, all of a sudden, we were pals. God, I miss that time.”

After 40 sweltering summer days and 26 shows, the tour was over. So was the band, at least for then. Jane’s Addiction would reunite many times over the coming years, but in August 1991, the dialogue had ended. “We never had a conversation that said, ‘We’re not going to be a band anymore,’ ” Navarro recalls. “I don’t think I was really aware of that until I heard that Perry was doing Porno for Pyros.”

The guitarist is an interesting combination of old-school tech and relentless anti-nostalgia. He’ll be touring with the same gear he used back in 1991: his Paul Reed Smith guitars and pedal effects. “I actually spoke to Tom Morello recently about gear and he has the exact same amp and the exact same guitar that he’s always had,” Navarro says. “There’s something about being comfortable with things that you love. I love my Boss pedals because you can individually access them. I don’t like a bunch of rack-mounted bullshit, where I have to dig through parameters and do all kinds of math to get a sound I want. Dancing around on the pedal board is part of my performance and my playing. It keeps me on my toes, literally. There’s a Fender Twin onstage that I use for a clean sound, but that’s it, man.”

But provocatively, he has no regrets—even regarding the dangerous stuff. “It’s not something I do anymore, but back then, as a younger man, it wasn’t all bad. I’m grateful for the band because I’m the kind of guy who would have been a drug addict no matter what I was doing,” Navarro admits. “Had I been a drug addict without a job, I probably would have died. I know it’s a unique perspective but for me, my truth is that the band saved my life.” (These days, Navarro calls himself a political junkie: “My girlfriends aren't really excited about catching the new O’Reilly Factor when they come over to my house. 'Honey, the new Rachel Maddow is on!' ”

Farrell strikes a different tone. “If I'd slowed down just a little, I would have been more productive. I would have had more to say. I just kind of disappeared, you know?”

Both see Jane’s Addiction as a moment and a movement, one they let slip away but one that still shines on, darkly. Farrell tells me he's grappled with his decision to break up the band for years.

“We were just hitting our stride,” he says. “It was the worst timing. It’s like my wife always says, ‘You’re where you are now, Perry, because you chose to sing about ménage a trois and heroin. That’s your fan base, that’s your audience. If you had sung about silly love songs, you’d be bigger.' But I just couldn’t do it. I had to be who I was.”

Perry Farrell—frontman of Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros and founder of Lollapalooza—recently announced Kind Heaven, a new Las Vegas entertainment complex he masterminded with Caesars Entertainment, Star Wars visual effects pioneer Ed Jones and Walden Media co-founder Cary Granat. It is....well, it's something.

A press release described Kind Heaven as “An active and dynamic world extending across multiple levels and more than 100,000 square feet, offering the best of Southeast Asian culture, music, food, danger, fashion, exoticism, exploration, legendary mysteries and spiritual enlightenment."

Forbes reports that a cool $100 million has been invested into the venture, with some of the money coming from Farrell himself. Farrell told Forbes that the complex was inspired by a dream where he "saw Kind Heaven as a city from overhead as if I was a bird or an angel. I came down upon the city, landed on the city, watched a girl pickpocket someone who was passed out on the street, run away and there I was in this place."

According to the report, the five-story venue will feature multiple musical stages, 40 food stations, bars and alleyways that "might have some pickpocket who jumps over your head trying to escape the local police. So there’s never a moment that doesn’t fill your ears or your eyes or your palate."

"Everything that you see [there], except for my wife, is for sale," Farrell added.

The Las Vegas Reivew-Journal reported that the venue will also feature virtual monkeys that wrestle each other. According to the report, patrons can bet on which monkey will win, and win prizes.

If you were wondering, after all this, if holograms played into Kind Heaven somehow, don't worry, they do.

When asked if he would often be at the venue in person, Farrell said "My hologram might." When pressed if Kind Heaven's holograms would be of the performance type—á la the recently announced Frank Zappa and ongoing Ronnie James Dio touring holograms—Farrell said "When I talked to you about the holograms I didn’t mean performance, I meant acting, like scenes. I don’t know if I’ll get to do this but it would be killer to have a holographic porn of myself. I haven’t pitched that one to them yet."

Kind Heaven is currently scheduled to open in August 2019. It will be located in the Linq Promenade shopping center on the Las Vegas Strip.

Alt-rock legends Jane's Addiction have officially added a third leg to their current "Theatre of the Escapists" tour.

Dates have yet to be announced, but you can find a list of cities and venues below. Tickets are expected to be available for presale later this week.

The band's current tour sees them playing more intimate, theater-style venues and bringing along an elaborate, visually stunning stage setup. Support thus far has come from Belgium's Black Box Revelation, with the additional dates seeing the band supported by Mutemath, Band of Skulls, Die Antwoord and more.

Jane's Addiction are on tour in support of their most recent album, The Great Escape Artist, which was released this past August.

Jane's Addiction Theatre of the Escapists Tour — Additional Shows

• Cleveland, OH- Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
• Syracuse, NY- Landmark Theatre
• Boston, MA- Bank of America Pavilion
• New Brunswick, NJ- State Theatre
• Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center for the Performing Arts
• Brooklyn, NY- Williamsburg Park
• Ledyard, CT- MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino - MGM Grand Theater
• Pittsburgh, PA- Stage AE
• Bosie, ID- Idaho Botanical Garden
• Reno, NV- Grand Sierra Resort & Casino

Last summer, Jane's Addiction asked fans in attendance at their July 25 show at New York City's Terminal 5 to help them film the concert in 3D using the Thrill 4G devices from LG.

One of the results of the fan filming is the below video for the band's 1990 hit "Been Caught Stealing," which comes from their sophomore album, Ritual de lo Habitual.

Jane's Addiction are on a tour of theaters across the country in support of their latest album, last year's The Great Escape Artist.

Listening to eclectic garage-rock sound of Black Box Revelation, you might be tempted to peg them as being either from posh London or the ultra-hip revival scene of Brooklyn. You'd be wrong on both counts.

Hailing from Brussels, Belgium, the duo of guitarist/vocalist Jan Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck manage to combine the catchiest elements of the Black Keys and Oasis with a grab bag of influences that range from hip-hop to folk to good old-fashioned blues.

Black Box Revelation just kicked off an intimate run of theater shows as direct support for Jane's Addiction of their "Theater of the Escapists" tour, which aims to hit smaller, older venues across the country.

I recently caught up with Paternoster to talk about the tour, guitars and the rock scene in Belgium.

GUITAR WORLD: What does it mean to you to be hitting the road with Jane's Addiction on a tour with such an interesting concept behind it?

We are super excited to start this tour! It's a great opportunity for us to play with such a legendary band in this special setup: beautiful theaters in loads of cities where we haven't been before.

We've toured a lot through the States already. I think we've been to almost every state besides maybe five, but this time we hit a lot of cities and theaters where we haven't been yet, which makes it even more exciting. We are really curious to see how the new audiences react. I think it's going to be great.

Based on your sound, a lot of fans might be surprised to find out that you're from Belgium. How is the garage rock scene over there?

You can't really speak of a big garage rock scene in Belgium. Our country is so small that it's more focused on smaller local music scenes, mainly with loads of unknown bands and a couple bigger fish who get a lot of airplay on national radio. Ghent probably has the biggest local music scene, with Antwerp in second place. In Brussels, our hometown, most bands are French speaking, and because of the language barrier we're not really familiar with that scene. We were -- and still are -- one of the only Flemish Brussels bands, which makes us really proud. It's cool to be the mascot of the capital.

Aside from rock bands, BRR seem to take a good deal of influence from a lot of other genres, even hip-hop. What sort of music is inspiring you these days?

We get inspired by loads of genres, and even beyond that, just by everything we see while traveling and living our lives. I think right now, by crossing the States so much, we've been listening to a lot of pop music. [laughs] But that's not the stuff we listen to at home. I love playing vinyl on my record player at home, mainly the more bluesy kind of music. A cool band I discovered a couple of months ago is Timber Timbre, great music to hang out and chill to. Great atmosphere.

Next to that, I listen a lot to the great ones like Howlin' Wolf and Neil Young -- especially his On the Beach record. Another great artist I got to know because a friend from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was listening to him is Michael Hurley. Really cool stuff!

Who were the bands/musicians that first made you want to pick up a guitar?

I guess that was The Datsuns, a rock and roll band from New Zealand, and The Kills with their Keep On Your Mean Side album. I saw both bands playing on one of the biggest festivals in Belgium when I was 12 years old. I was so amazed by their extraordinary live performances that I wanted to do the same. And it just feels great to be touring all over the world now, like a dream come true. The funny thing is that we played that festival where I fell in love with music five times already. Isn't that great?

As the sole guitarist in a two-man band, what steps do you take to beef up your guitar sound?

I started playing live shows with only one combo amp and no effect pedals. Right now, six years later, I'm playing on a three-amp guitar rig with a dozen effects pedals! By playing more shows and evolving as a guitar player, I started to discover different sounds and started experimenting with my wall of sound. You wouldn't be able to do this in a four-piece band. The other band members would get mad because of my guitar sound taking up too much space. [laughs] That's why it's so great to play as a duo; the possibilities are endless.

Talk about your live rig a bit. What guitars are you taking on the road with you?

I have two rigs: one here in the States and another almost identical one in Europe. Here, I'm playing a Gibson Firebird V, a custom (Belgian-made) Strat and a James Trussart Steelmaster. Those James Trussart guitars are my favorite, and I have four of 'em in Europe. James is a good friend of ours; his guitars play amazing. It's so much fun to have endless possibilities while building a new one.

Next to that, I've got a couple of Gibson ES models and some other, more rare guitars. A guitar is my favorite instrument; it's great to feel the different neck finishes and shapes, and every guitar has its own character. Some of them play really smooth, some of them are a hassle to play, but that might just be more exciting. Depends what you like, right?

What does your pedal board look like?

I split my guitar signal and send it through three different effect series. Overall, I'm using a lot of the main effect pedals, just looking for the one with the right sound color that I like, or fits my sound best. Those I like most are the EH POG, the Colorsound fuzz box, that big green delay pedal from Line6 [Editor's Note: The DL4] and the Phase 90. Maybe a good reverb is a winner as well, but I don't have one on my board right now. Still looking for the right one!

Your latest album, My Perception, sounds like a more relaxed record for the band. Did this have to do with getting to work with your producer, Alain Johannes, in his home studio?

It definitely has to do with that. Al is such a lovely guy and such an unbelievable good musician that we felt really comfortable in the studio. Also, because me and Dries have so much more experience than when we recorded album one and two.

We didn't bring any of our own gear to the studio, except for my guitar pedals, because they are so important to my way of playing the guitar. His studio is great: drums in the veranda, guitar amps in his master bedroom and cables all over the house, straight to his control room. Nothing more than we needed, except loads of foreign and crazy instruments from India, China and all over the world. On "New Sun," we used a UFO-shaped instrument from Switzerland. His studio was not just a home studio. It really felt like home when we were recording, and I guess that's why you feel this record is more relaxed than the previous ones.

Do you prefer working in a small space like that as opposed to a big recording studio?

Yes, definitely! I think it made us more focused on playing and writing music than in a big, clean studio atmosphere. Our music needs to sound as pure and raw as possible, and the best way to do that is to record in a small studio with a comfortable feeling. It makes everything more authentic, and that's what we want to show our fans: the real us, and the purity of our music.

What were your main guitars in the studio for My Perception?

I brought one of my own guitars to the studio, an old Hofner Galaxy something. I don't know the exact name, but it worked out differently. I ended up playing all of Al's guitars and not using my Hofner. Most songs were recorded on a semi-acoustic Harmony from the '50s. Alain gave me this guitar afterwards. I really couldn't believe it. That was one of the best presents someone ever gave to me!

Next to that, I used a Motor Ave Belair for the song "Shadowman," a modified Fender Jazzmaster with the same pickups Brian May plays, and a couple of James Trussart's guitars.

How does your songwriting process work? Based on some of the longer instrumental sections, it definitely sounds like a lot of the songs are born out of improvised jams.

I always come up with a new idea, record it in demo version, really rough, on a four-track cassette recorder. Once the structure gets clear, we start jamming and fooling around with all the ideas. Depending from song-to-song, this can turn into hour-long jams and improvisation. A good example of this is "Sealed with Thorns," which turned out in a seven-and-a-half-minute version on the album. It's just so great and pleasing to forget about everything and let those instruments tell their own stories.

Black Box Revelation are on tour with Jane's Addiction. Get all the tour dates here. Their latest album, My Perception is out now.

Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins told Billboard.com that the band has already starting thinking about music for their next album.

“We had a discussion on the flight home from the Super Bowl about, ‘Okay, new music – do we visit it while we're touring?" he said. "Do some stuff on the bus and in sound check and go that route, or do we wait till the tour’s over and take a break and then go head-first?’ We are talking about music, so that’s important.”

Perkins added that the band, which also includes Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro and
Chris Chaney, has several leftover song ideas from their 2011 album, The Great Escape Artist. However, he likes the idea of scrapping those and starting out fresh.

"I think it’s always a wrong idea to do [use old ideas],” he said. “Hopefully you’re different musicians and the world has changed. It’s always good to do something new to see what you’ve been through the last year and reflect that.

"But a great melody and a great guitar riff stand forever. They’re timeless. It’s like Van Halen; if you can't find anything, go to the old days.”

Jane's Addiction have just premiered a new music video for their track "Underground," which can be seen below courtesy of Vevo.

On the concept behind the video, vocalist Perry Farell explains: "Jane's Addition perform in a Los Angeles brothel built in the 1920s. There are Siamese Gargoyles, séances, card games and a man in a white fedora who was also on the cover of In Through The Out Door. People get made love to and murdered in the backrooms while the band plays on."

An explicit version of the video is expected to air on Playboy.com this Friday.

"Underground" is taken from the band's latest studio album, The Great Escape Artist, which was released last fall.

Epiphone unveiled their new Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric guitar at last week's 2012 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California.

Navarro visited the Epiphone booth on Friday meet fans and demo the new guitar, and you can check out some photos in the gallery below.

As for the guitar, here are some details from Epiphone:

Neck Species: The neck of the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric is constructed from one solid piece of solid, lightweight mahogany.

Headstock Angle (Pitch): The Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric’s headstock is carefully angled at 14 degrees to increase resonance and sustain.

Tonal Characteristics: The wood, construction, and headstock pitch all contribute greatly to the superior resonance, sustain, and overall tone of the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric.

Truss Rod: Epiphone’s traditional truss rod, found in nearly all of our guitars, is highly responsive to the individual adjustments you’ll want to make to personalize and optimize string action and sustain. The truss-rod cover is engraved with the Dave Navarro “Jane” logo.

Neck Profile: The neck of the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric is carved to the popular SlimTaper™ “D” profile.

Neck Joint: Epiphone uses a compound dovetail joint fixed with TiteBond glue to attach the neck of the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric to the body at the 14th fret. This technique, traditional in cabinet making and high-end luthiery, creates a joint with superior strength to that of a single piece of wood.

Logo: The Epiphone logo is inlaid in across the top of a bound headstock carved to the traditional Epiphone shape.

Adhesive: TiteBond wood glue is used to attach the dovetail joint, which is the strongest glue in use in guitar-making today.

Joint Angle (Pitch): 3° (+/- 15 seconds)

Nut Width: The width of the nut on the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric is approximately 1.725", which contributes to a roomy, comfortable fingerboard, suited to all playing styles.

Fingerboard Radius: Epiphone’s traditional 14" fingerboard radius is used for this guitar, which offers excellent comfort for both chording and single-note runs, and avoids any “choked-out” notes when strings are bent for blues, country, and rock playing.

Frets: The fingerboard of the Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric carries 20 medium frets.

Nut Material: The Dave Navarro Signature Acoustic/Electric carries a bone nut, a traditional component of quality flat-top acoustic guitars.

For more details about (and photos of) the guitar, check out its page at the Epiphone/Gibson website.

Alt-rock pioneers Jane's Addiction have announced a unique tour in support of their new album, The Great Escape Artist.

Called "Theatre of the Escapists," the trek will see the band hit classic-style theaters to put on an "immersive" new stage show. Support for the dates will come from Black Box Revelation.

"We chose to play as many of the great theaters that we could find because we wanted to immerse the audience in a unique experience unlike any they have ever seen at a rock show," said vocalist Perry Farrel of the tour. "Expect an orgy of musical and visual delights. We like orgies, and hope you do too."

The tour will kick off February 22, and while no venues have been announced just yet, you can check out a full list of stops below. Tickets go on sale January 14, with a pre-sale set for 10 a.m. EST this Wednesday, January 11.

Jane's Addiction "Theatre of the Escapists" Tour Cities

• Saint Louis, MO
• Detroit, MI
• Columbus, OH
• Toronto, ON
• Rochester, NY
• Albany, NY
• Portland, ME
• Long Island, NY
• Wellmont, NJ
• Waterbury, CT
• Richmond, VA
• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Atlanta, GA
• Tulsa, OK
• Kansas City, MO
• Minneapolis, MN
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Milwaukee, WI

"Supergroup" is a word that gets tossed around a lot, but it's hard to deny the musical prowess of the members of Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, a new band featuring Brent Hinds (Mastodon), Ben Weinman (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Eric Avery (ex-Jane's Addiction) and Jon Theodore (ex-The Mars Volta.)

The band has been rumored for some time now, but were only recently christened as G.T.O. Weinman announced Jon Theodore as the band's drummer only a few weeks ago.

"G.T.O. is a true collaborative effort," said Weinman, "which in my experience rarely works, so I think we have something pretty special here. It just so happens to be with some of my favorite people and musicians. Almost every day this experiment seems to take on some new characteristic, and I think some of the people we've been talking to about contributing vocals would be a big surprise to many. It's even surprised me!"

There are currently no concrete plans for a release from G.T.O.

Just over a week after the release of their latest album, The Great Escape Artist, the boys in Jane's Addiction took the stage on Late Show With David Letterman to perform the opening track from the album, "Underground." You can check out footage from the performance below.

We spoke to Dave Navarro about The Great Escape Artist for the December issue of Guitar World (which you can buy here,) and you can check out outtakes from the chat here.

Back in the late Eighties, Jane’s Addiction burst onto the scene with two massively influential records, 1988’s Nothing’s Shocking and 1990’s Ritual de lo Habitual. Hit singles like “Been Caught Stealing,” “Jane Says” and “Stop!” delivered a unique blend of metal and art rock to the masses and helped set the sonic standard for the alternative Nineties.

But over the years, the band was beset by raging egos, drug abuse and infighting, resulting in a revolving cast of bassists, periodic breakups and one lukewarm studio album, 2003’s Strays. Now the band—which includes founding singer Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro and drummer Stephen Perkins—has reconvened once again for The Great Escape Artist, an album that by all accounts may return Jane’s to their former glory.

In the following Q&A — taken from our full Jane’s Addiction interview in our December issue, on sale now — Navarro weighs in on the finer points of The Great Escape Artist.

There’s been quite a break since the last Jane’s record. Has your approach to guitar changed in that time?

DAVE NAVARRO Well, as a rock-and-roll, soloing guitar player I’ve pretty much maximized what I can do. I’m not the type of player to sit home and practice scales and work on runs. I love that stuff, but I know myself and I just won't do it. At this point if I’m spending time with a guitar I’d rather write something than work on technique. It’s arguably a downfall for me, but on the flipside it allows me to work on music. I wish I was a shredder that could play everything, but I don’t have the patience. So I guess this time I was more concerned with space, layering and creating beds and atmospheres than soloing techniques.

You do pull out a few gems, though, like the fluid lead on “Underground.”

The truth is that I was really resistant to putting any solos on this record. But [producer] Rich Costey and Perry were both pushing me. So, the solo that ended up on “Underground” was longer than I originally wanted. Basically there’s two times around where I wanted it to end but they forced me to continue into that fast riffing. I guess I felt the initial melody sounded more like something from The Spiders from Mars [David Bowie’s backing band from the early Seventies], especially with the doubled-guitar, Randy Rhoads–style lines. It’s a little dissonant and it works. That said, when we play it live I’ll probably extend that solo even more. I love to solo live, because we’re having a blast onstage and it’s all about the moment.

On “Irresistible Force” your guitar is definitely a focal point, but it’s arranged in such a way that it never takes away from the song.

That song came together in the studio. It’s probably the most disconnected in terms of how it was written, which is strange because it sounds the most like a Jane’s track. I grabbed an acoustic guitar, found a tempo with a click, went into the room with a mic and I just played it. I didn’t write it. I just intuitively came up with all the parts. But I didn’t really know what it was going to turn into, sonically. Then Stephen and Dave Sitek tracked a rhythm to what I played. I had this melody in my head for a keyboard part, which I wanted to sound like an early Joy Division song. So Dave Sitek found a patch that fit. Then we sent it off to Perry as an MP3. The amazing thing about Perry is that he recorded the vocals at his house and sent it back the next day. And that’s what’s on the record. That song pretty much came together in a day’s time.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "IRRESISTIBLE FORCE" BELOW:

Have you guys collaborated like that on past records?

No. It’s never been that collective. In fact, on the last record [Strays] nobody was around when I tracked guitars, which I liked back then. But this time, the whole point was to do stuff I don’t normally do. And it turned out great.

A signature element of Jane’s sound is the great rhythmic interplay between Stephen’s drums and your guitars. Can you talk about where those rhythms are coming from?

The tribal thing goes way back for us. One of Stephen’s strengths and weaknesses is that for the life of him he cannot play a simple drumbeat. It’s amazing to me. He cannot play four bars of a drumbeat twice, without it being different. [laughs] He doesn’t want to do a standard drum-time thing, he wants to do something unique. So when the song will call for kick, hat and snare [sequence]. He won’t play the hat or he won’t play the snare, because that’s what everyone would expect him to play. That’s always been our thing. Even on the intro to “Irresistible Force” he’s playing the rhythm on the rim of a snare. I didn’t expect that. So even though a certain song may be crafted and written by me, when Stephen approaches the part…well, that’s what makes the band, the band.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "END TO THE LIES" BELOW:

There’s been a lot of press about the contribution from TV On the Radio’s Dave Sitek on the album. Now that Sitek’s back with TVOTR, Chris Chaney has been touring with you. Is he in the band now?

I think of Chris as always having been in the band. The only reason he wasn’t on our last tour was because [original bassist] Eric [Avery] came back. I also play with Chris in my cover band Camp Freddy, so we still played together all the time. Anyway, for this album, he was really the glue that brought all these ideas together. Perry and I are both high-register musicians, and not very grounded. Like Stephen with the drums, we never do the same thing twice either. If Perry and I could be in a studio and turn knobs forever, I think we would. Chris is the guy that takes all of our tweaked elements and glues them together.

Seems like the band is in a pretty healthy place.

As far as the internal structure of the band goes, we’ve never been on more solid ground. I think that’s because of the fact that we all have our own interests and lives outside of Jane’s. That actually allows the band to breathe and have more life, because we’re not all sucking from it because it’s the only thing that matters. In a weird way, when you make it the only thing that matters it sucks out some of the life force. Perry’s got his electronic music and DJ stuff. He and Stephen both have families…and I’m pretty psyched I’m the guy who doesn’t. [laughs] It’s just not my thing…but I definitely have a lot of other things to keep me busy.

Also, we’ve never blown up to the point where people would tire of us. We’ve never sold the amount of records as most of the people on your magazine’s cover did. We’ve never been connected to a genre of music, other than alternative, like grunge that blew up and then dissipated. So as a result of that we’ve never gotten enormously successful, and we’ve also taken extended breaks. But the thing is I would rather be moderately successful for a long period of time than hugely successful for a short period of time.

For more of this interview, check out the December issue of GW, which is available now at the Guitar World Online Store.

Photos: Angela Boatwright

Alt-rock pioneers Jane's Addiction have partnered with iTunes to stream their new album, The Great Escape Artist, in full on iTunes. The stream as advertised as being for a "very limited time," to head here now to listen. (You must have iTunes installed.)

Their first album since 2003's Strays, The Great Escape Artist is due out next Tuesday, October 18.

If you haven't already, you can check out the video for the band's new song, "Irresistible Force," at this location.

While Facebook insists that it didn't remove the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album for violating its terms of use, the social networking giant seems to have a new alternative rock icon in its censorship cross hairs: Jane's Addiction.

It looks like the cover of the band's 1988 classic Nothing's Shocking has been pulled down, presumably for featuring a sculpture of a pair of nude female conjoined twins.

The band recently posted a censored version of the cover -- featuring "not safe for Facebook" bars over the offending areas, seen at left -- to their Facebook page with the message: "In 1988, nine of the 11 leading record chains refused to carry Nothing's Shocking because of its cover. (In 2011, Facebook joined them.)"

Just because, you can see the full, uncensored cover below.

This news comes on the heels of a story about the London Underground banning the album artwork for the new Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration, Lulu, for supposedly resembling graffiti too closely.

Jane's Addiction will release their new album, The Great Escape Artist, on October 18.

Alt-rock pioneers Jane's Addiction have just unveiled the cover art for their upcoming new studio effort, The Great Escape Artist. You can check out the cover, in all its claymation glory, below.

As previously reported, the band have moved the release date of the album back, and The Great Escape Artist won't see the light of day until October 18.

In case you can't wait, there are still two new songs floating around out there. You can check out "End to the Lies" here and "Irresistible Force" here.

Jane's Addiction have just released their new music video for the song "Irresistible Force," which you can check out below.

The song is the first single taken from the band's upcoming album, The Great Escape Artist, which is now set for release on October 4.

As previously reported, the band are offering fans a chance to remix "Irresistible Force" for a chance to win $1,000 and a digital single release of their remix from EMI.

More details can be found here.

As previously reported, Jane's Addiction filmed their recent concert at New York City's Terminal 5 for what would become a 3D concert film. Over 100 fans also filmed the show from all angles on the 3D LG Thrill 4G (the show was in partnership with LG.)

Now, the finished product has been posted online, and can be seen below.

Jane's Addiction recently released the first official single from their upcoming album, The Great Escape Artist. Titled "Irresistible Force," you can stream the song here.

The Great Escape Artist will be released on September 27.