How Steely Dan Inspired Dave Navarro to Play Guitar Again

Dave Navarro has shared how listening to Steely Dan played a pivotal role in his return to music after taking a break from playing guitar for over a year.

The Jane’s Addiction co-founder spoke about the benefits of experiencing periods of disillusionment. His most recent hiatus stemmed from contracting long COVID, compounded by the tragic passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Navarro and Hawkins had been collaborating on an album before Hawkins’ untimely death.

Only recently did Navarro return to Jane’s Addiction, with the band relying on temporary replacements until he felt well enough to rejoin them on stage.

Navarro explained his journey back to music in a recent episode of Kyle Meredith With…, stating, “Once we lost [Hawkins], I put the guitar away. I couldn’t touch that thing for well over a year.”

He described a turning point when he began to immerse himself in Steely Dan’s music. “I started listening to Steely Dan in my house, and it was like, ‘That is some weird playing!’ I started learning Steely Dan stuff, which I never really did a deep dive into. And then I just got into playing guitar every day. Steely Dan, Steely Dan, Steely Dan. [Then I] turned into Eddie Van Halen. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna go deep dive Eddie Van Halen.’”

Reflecting on his cyclical relationship with the guitar, Navarro noted, “I think a lot of it has to do with years of loving the guitar and then getting sick to death of it, and not touching it for a year; then hearing something inspiring, and falling in love with it again … then getting sick to death of it.” He further remarked, “I think that once you fall back in love with it, you’re like, ‘Let’s fucking go!’”

Navarro argued that this love-hate cycle had its advantages. “If I just loved it this whole time, you’d be hearing the ‘up close and personal acoustic album’ from me, where it’s like, ‘I’m gonna strip it back and get real now.’”

He concluded with a decisive statement, “That’s not me… We’re a fucking rock band!”

Watch Dave Navarro on ‘Kyle Meredith With…’

Source: Kyle Meredith With