Dave Navarro recently shared how Steely Dan and Eddie Van Halen reignited his passion for guitar playing. During a conversation with Kyle Meredith, Navarro was asked how he continues to find joy in playing heavy music after all these years. The Jane’s Addiction guitarist admitted that he had stepped away from the guitar following the passing of Taylor Hawkins (as noted by Ultimate Guitar):
“Honestly, it’s been a cycle of loving the guitar, getting tired of it, putting it aside, and then hearing something that reignites that love,” Navarro explained. “I’d dive back into it, learn something new, and then the cycle repeats.”
Navarro mentioned his time playing with Taylor Hawkins and Chris Chaney in the band NHC, but after Hawkins’ passing, he couldn’t bring himself to play the guitar:
“I put the guitar away after losing Taylor. It stayed untouched for over a year.”
However, Navarro found his way back to the instrument, thanks to Steely Dan and Eddie Van Halen:
“I started listening to Steely Dan at home, and it really caught my ear. Their music has some unusual guitar work that drew me in. So, I started learning their songs, something I hadn’t really explored before. Soon, I was back to playing the guitar daily—Steely Dan, Steely Dan, Steely Dan. That quickly shifted to Eddie Van Halen. I decided to dive deep into his work.”
“Everything became about Van Halen—reading up on gear, tones, pedals, and all the technical stuff. Even though it’s bittersweet to say, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with playing. But once you fall back in love with it, you’re all in.”
Navarro added, “If I had stayed in love with it all along, you’d probably be hearing a stripped-down, acoustic album from me, where I ‘get real’ and all that. But that’s not who I am. We’re a rock band, through and through.”
