Dave Navarro has revealed that he and Taylor Hawkins had just recorded 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 the stage with “Jane’s Addiction” after a three-year hiatus due to his battle with Long Covid.
The electric guitar hero contracted the disease in December 2021, just months after forming the new supergroup NHC with bandmate Chris Chaney of Jane’s Addiction and drummer Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters.
The band performed live together a few times – including once with Pat Smear – but the trio continued their collaboration in the studio and joined forces to record an entire album.
However, Hawkins died suddenly in March 2022 and Navarro was so devastated by the sudden news that he didn’t play guitar for a very, very long time.
In an upcoming interview with Guitar WorldWhen Navarro was asked how his battle with Long Covid had affected his guitar playing, he replied, “If I’m being completely honest, I just finished a record with Taylor Hawkins and Chris Chaney.
“We mixed it and mastered it, and then we lost Taylor. That was in the middle of Covid, and it was really painful for me to pick up the guitar after that.”
“I’ll be honest – I didn’t pick up a guitar for about a year,” he continues. “And because he (Taylor Hawkins) was such an inspirational artist… Not only was he a phenomenal drummer, but he was a great songwriter and lyricist, and he was just one of those people that everyone loved. Everyone loved him.”
A year after Hawkins’ death, Navarro – who was housebound at the time due to Long Covid – slowly got back on track and devoted himself to the instrument again.
“The first year after Taylor’s death, I didn’t play for a long time. Then, after about a year, I picked up the guitar, started playing some cover songs, and somehow got used to the instrument in my hand again.”
Stay tuned Guitar World for the full interview with Navarro, who promotes his return to Jane’s Addiction Camp ahead of the new single Impending redemptionwhich will be released on July 24th.
