Taylor Hawkins’ Death Intensified Dave Navarro’s Health Struggles

Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, who recently returned to the band after a three-year struggle with long Covid, opened up about how the passing of Taylor Hawkins exacerbated his condition.

Navarro, Hawkins, and touring AC/DC bassist Chris Chaney had just completed work on their band’s debut album when Hawkins died in March 2022. This tragic event occurred four months after Navarro was diagnosed with the long-term effects of Covid-19.

“I’d just completed making a record with Taylor Hawkins and Chris Chaney,” Navarro shared in an interview with Guitar World, referencing the album by their band NHC. While the album remains unreleased, two tracks from the project were made public in 2021.

“We mixed and mastered it – and then we lost Taylor. That was in the middle of Covid, and it was actually very painful for me to pick up the guitar after that. I didn’t touch the guitar for about a year,” he continued.

Navarro described Hawkins as an extremely inspiring artist. “Not only was he a phenomenal drummer, but he was also an amazing songwriter and lyricist. He was just one of those humans that everybody loved. Everyone loved him.”

Navarro’s grief, coupled with his battle with long Covid, made it difficult for him to find the motivation to play music. “For the first year after losing Taylor, I didn’t play,” he added. “Then, about a year into it, I picked up the guitar, started playing some cover songs, and just kind of got used to the instrument in my hand again.”

This year, Navarro made his much-anticipated return to Jane’s Addiction. The band is set to release their new single, “Imminent Redemption,” on July 24. This marks the first recording featuring the original lineup since 1990.