In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro admitted it felt strange to see someone else filling in for him. When asked if he watched any YouTube clips of the band playing without him, he said he didn’t. Instead, he focused on his art, participated in a few art shows, and kept himself busy during that time.
“I never really got a chance to see any of that stuff,” he said, “and frankly, I don’t really want to, because whether it happens subconsciously or consciously, I don’t want my approach to be altered by something I hear.”
“That’s because Josh is an incredible player,” Navarro added. “If Josh played something that I like, and I’m like, ‘F*ck, I should do it like that,’ I don’t want to do that. I want to stay true to what the original lineup was. So in a way, I think it’s good that I didn’t hear those shows, but I heard they went well.”
While Dave Navarro was sick, bassist Eric Avery, vocalist Perry Farrell, and drummer Stephen Perkins performed with different guitarists. Navarro had been sick since December of the previous year and wasn’t sure when he would be able to return. However, the classic Jane’s Addiction lineup played their first show in 14 years this past May.
The original lineup played tracks from ‘Nothing’s Shocking’ and ‘Ritual de lo Habitual’ during their first show on the tour. They also included last year’s ‘True Love’ and their latest song, ‘Imminent Redemption.’