As the lead axeman for Jane's Addiction, Dave Navarro is the epitome of the flamboyant 90s
guitar god.
But did you know he once wrote Fiona Apple a love letter in his own blood?
What did it say, and how did she respond?
Keep watching to find out.
While Dave Navarro might be known for his time in Jane's Addiction, he was part of another
seminal rock group in the '90s.
Navarro joined Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1993 and left in 1998 after contributing his funkadelic
licks to the album One Hot Minute.
Despite already being a guitar icon when he teamed up with RHCP, he wasn't as universally
beloved as the band's former guitarist, John Frusciante.
At the time of Navarro's departure, Warner Bros. released a statement from Chili Peppers
vocalist Anthony Kiedis, stating:
"This is a completely mutual parting based on creative differences.
We had fun and I love the guy."
Years later, Navarro opened up about the real reason for his departure on his Dark Matter
radio show, admitting that his struggles with addiction impacted him in such a way that
he couldn't even play guitar.
Navarro said on the show:
"I literally tripped into stacks of speakers and storage gear and whatever [...] And I
was like, pretty clear, that I wasn't going to be able to get it together.
So, they decided to go in a different direction."
"I definitely used drugs as an escape."
As the ax-slinger for Jane's Addiction and a bona fide showman onstage, Dave Navarro
has become one of the most instantly recognizable musicians in rock 'n' roll.
Plus, it helps that he's really good at what he does.
It should come as no surprise then that Axl Rose wanted Navarro to head on down to Paradise
City and join Guns N' Roses after the departure of their guitarist Izzy Stradlin.
Appearing on the podcast Appetite for Distortion, Navarro discussed his curious history with
Guns N' Roses.
He revealed that Rose reached out to him and they spoke about ideas "nearly every day."
Unfortunately, due to his drug addiction at the time, Navarro didn't show up for his audition
since he realized he wouldn't have been able to perform at the level required.
In 1999, Navarro finally collaborated with Guns N' Roses as he played guitar on the single
"Oh My God," which appeared on the soundtrack for the Arnold Schwarzenegger-versus-the-Devil
film, End of Days.
After that, it was hasta la vista between Navarro and Guns N' Roses.
Dave Navarro is no stranger to rocking out with large crowds.
Whether he was filling up arenas around the globe with Jane's Addiction or playing to
350,000 people at Woodstock '94 with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Navarro lived the dream
and graced some massive stages.
It wasn't always like this, though: he had to pay his dues in the early days.
Discussing his first gig with Louder Sound, Navarro revealed he was still in high school
when he played at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, saying,
"There were about 15 people there.
It was amazing, the highlight of my life."
It wasn't only an important day for Navarro: the drummer for his band was none other than
Stephen Perkins, who would go on to play for Jane's Addiction.
In fact, it was Perkins who would recommend Navarro as a guitarist to the band and encourage
them to bring him into the fold.
Jane's Addiction was a unique-sounding band for their era.
Even though they had one foot firmly planted in the alternative rock camp, they weren't
afraid to wear their different and often eclectic influences on their sleeves.
Dave Navarro admitted to American Songwriter that Jimi Hendrix was his reason for picking
up a guitar when he was child.
That said, The Jimi Hendrix Experience doesn't hold the distinct honor of being Navarro's
all-time favorite band, though — that accolade belongs to another group that has no need
for introduction.
Speaking to Los Angeles Magazine, Navarro discussed his love for a certain English psychedelic
band that drove the establishment up the wall.
Navarro told the magazine:
"Pink Floyd is my all time favorite band and David Gilmour is my favorite guitar player
of all time."
Even though Navarro doesn't play the same genre of music as Pink Floyd, there's no doubt
that Gilmour's desire to explore the sonic soundscapes of the six string encouraged him
to do the same.
Dave Navarro doesn't have much time for critics and their many opinions ​​— especially
when it comes to entertainment.
In an interview with Gothamist, Navarro revealed that he doesn't care what critics have to
say about his tours or albums.
"If things fail, which they can and do all the time, there's always the next thing."
It seems Navarro is only concerned with the opinion of his fans.
It doesn't stop at music, though: Navarro shrugs off film reviews and criticism as well,
choosing to watch what he wants and on his terms.
Internet rumors are pesky little things.
Quite often, they pop out of nowhere, and people end up believing them as gospel, even
if there's no factual evidence to back them up.
Case in point: Dave Navarro being Nicky Nightmare's father.
Nightmare, a TikTok creator, rose to prominence for his imitations of famous rock songs and
his claim that his parents are celebrities.
Since Nightmare also plays shirtless and utilizes the surname Navarro, his fans didn't even
need to call Mystery Inc. to form the hypothesis that Jane Addiction's guitar god must be his
father.
Insider reached out to Navarro for comment and his representative responded, saying:
"Dave is not familiar with this lad and not his father."
In 2013, Navarro confirmed to LA Weekly that he doesn't have children, nor does he want
any.
Gone are the days when rock stars looked like they'd smell like a nose-pinching combination
of stale beer and a public urinal.
Health is wealth, and it's become the norm for musicians to treat themselves to some
tender loving care.
As was revealed by Dave Navarro's ex-wife Carmen Electra to People Magazine, Navarro
had a bigger closet than her and took his sweet time to get himself looking good.
Electra told the outlet:
"He had hair, and makeup, and he would get into the vibe.
Yes.
He loved it."
She added how Navarro had a specific appearance at the time with his leather pants, eyeliner,
and shirtless look, but she couldn't deny it worked for him, saying Navarro looked "amazing."
All's fair in love, war, and rock 'n' roll, right?
When it came down to Jane's Addiction, the tumultuous nature of the band proved to be
one of its greatest drivers, as they channeled that explosive energy into their music.
As described by Spin, there was already "an unspoken standoff" between vocalist Perry
Farrell and bassist Eric Avery during the recording sessions for their now-legendary
album Nothing's Shocking.
In 1991, during a Lollapalooza show, Dave Navarro and Farrell got into it in the middle
of their concert.
While Navarro doesn't look back on the incident fondly, he can't even remember what led to
the pair coming to blows.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Navarro recalled:
"We were kids and we were volatile.
We had different forms of expression than we do now.
I'm sure that some of those altercations were chemically induced in one way or another."
Ironically, the whole purpose of the first Lollapalooza was meant to serve as the band's
farewell tour, so, of course, they had to go out with a big swing.
"Jane's Addiction.
One of the classic, great groups from Los Angeles."
Even though Dave Navarro's highest profile relationship was his marriage to Carmen Electra,
he decided that he needed to go above and beyond to make a striking first impression
on singer-songwriter Fiona Apple.
The two musicians were announced to appear at the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas gig
in 1997.
Upon finding out that Apple was performing at the same show, Navarro penned her a love
letter on the wall in his own blood.
The crimson note read:
"Dear Fiona, have fun.
Love, D.N."
The story sounded so outrageous that even KROQ's DJs couldn't believe it.
Deciding to put the rumors to rest, Navarro phoned in and confirmed it was true, adding,
"[The love letter to Apple was] a little note that comes from the beauty and pain that flows
from within my heart [...] Literally."
Apple never responded to the bloody love letter, probably thinking it best to never be discussed
again.
Many people turn to heavy music as catharsis after a long, hard day at work.
Yet, despite all the rage, there's also comfort in looking to the composers of the past for
relief — particularly in the classical music genre.
In an interview with Revolver, Navarro unpacked the songs he listens to when he has a dark
day.
While Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and David Bowie's tunes all made it onto his list, Navarro
showcased his diverse taste by tipping his hat to Beethoven's "Symphony No. 7," which
he described as a "heavy" track.
Navarro told the outlet:
"That's one piece that's so dark, moving, cinematic and beautiful [...] If you're going
about your day at your house and that's playing, it makes everything heavy."
For a lot of guitarists, losing their six-string would be like losing a limb.
It isn't just a musical instrument; it's an extension of their creativity.
In fact, some guitars hold personal meaning to musicians, reminding them of key and inspirational
moments in their journey.
Dave Navarro felt exactly the same way about his custom Ibanez guitar — which accompanied
him to the recording sessions of some of Jane's Addiction's most iconic tracks.
Navarro told Guitar Center:
"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?!"
During the first Lollapalooza festival, and at the height of his addiction, Navarro pawned
his guitar for some quick cash.
In 2018, Guitar Center Hollywood's Eric Bradley recognized the legendary guitar when it was
brought into the store.
He bought it, and through several connections, it made contact with its original owner.
Navarro was over the moon to be reunited with his guitar 28 years later, saying,
"An instrument like this is not unlike a relationship with a human being.
It's something you connect to, that hears you, understands you."
MusiCares is a humanitarian foundation that was started in 1989 to assist musicians who
are struggling with issues such as mental health and addiction.
It's also an organization that holds a personal connection to Dave Navarro, as he revealed
to Inked.
After Navarro got clean, he partnered with writer Neil Strauss to publish a book titled
Don't Try This at Home: A Year in the Life of Dave Navarro, an honest memoir about his
trials and tribulations as an addict.
However, there was something that made Navarro uneasy about the release of the book.
Navarro told Inked:
"Before the book came out, I began to feel it wasn't right to [be] making money off the
stories revolving around the darkest times in my life — and other people's misery.
So, the one solution I had was all the proceeds from that book went to a greater good, and
that was MusiCares."
Since then, Navarro has been actively involved with the foundation as he tries to assist
other musicians and normalize asking for help when one is struggling.
Through his association and work with MusiCares, Dave Navarro wants to raise awareness not
only for addiction struggles but also mental health and suicide prevention.
"Depression is the loneliest, saddest, you know, most isolating thing."
It's an important cause, with the World Health Organization reporting over 700,000 people
take their lives every single year.
Navarro admitted to Yahoo! Entertainment that he considered taking his own life in the past.
In the same discussion, Navarro detailed how the deaths of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington
were harrowing reminders of the importance of mental health and reaching out to others.
Navarro told the outlet:
"I would say that going to Chris Cornell's funeral and seeing Chester Bennington sing
a beautiful song for his friend, and then [Chester] taking his life a month later, really
had a massive impact on me."
Navarro and fellow musician Billy Morrison started a MusiCares benefit concert series
called Above Ground as a way to show that there is help and hope for those who are suffering.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.