JANE'S ADDICTION's NAVARRO Comments On AVERY's Departure, MCKAGAN's Addition

JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro has commented on the departure of founding bassist and the addition of VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES member Duff McKagan.

When asked by a fan on Navarro's official web site why JANE'S ADDICTION isn't continuing under a different name now that Eric — who was such a huge part of the band's sound and songwriting on 1988's "Nothing's Shocking" and 1990's "Ritual de lo Habitual" — is no longer a member of the group, Dave replied, "Eric was and remains a huge part of JANE'S. He has decided to leave for his own reasons.

"The three [remaining members of JANE'S ADDICTION] have spent the majority of our careers in this band and have had several lineup changes over the years. Changing the name wouldn’t make sense for us. It would be another situation entirely had Eric been asked to leave or if we didn’t intend on playing music from 'XXX', 'Nothing's Shocking' and 'Ritual'. Had that been the case, I would totally agree.

"I have had experience being the 'new guy' in an already existing band that had only two founding members. Never in a million years would I have expected them to change their name."

Regarding McKagan's addition to JANE'S, Navarro said, "We have been going over back catalogue and writing with Duff several days a week. However, the process of introducing a new member requires more than that. There is a musical and personal education that must take place. Learning dynamics, sensibilities, personalities and many other details is essential. We have been having a great time with all of this and have been expanding on what we can do individually and as a group. It's deeper than just learning some songs for Duff. He has to learn about us and we have to learn about him. Playing the older stuff is like a crash course on JANE'S while writing is an accelerated class for all of us. It's pretty great to be in both classes at once, something we have really never done in the past with a new member."

The new lineup of JANE'S ADDICTION made its live debut on March 30 at singer Perry Farrell's 51st birthday celebration at Les Deux in Los Angeles, California. The band's set included a cover version of LED ZEPPELIN's "Whole Lotta Love", fan-filmed video footage of which can be viewed below.

McKagan stepped in when Avery dropped out of the group for a second time earlier this year.

Several photos of JANE'S ADDICTION working in the studio with McKagan can be viewed at JanesAddiction.org.

After JANE'S reunited for a third time in late 2008 — with bassist Eric Avery on board for the first time since the band originally broke up in 1991 — and toured last spring with NINE INCH NAILS, the group began feuding once again as it tried to record new music.

Avery did not participate in the 1997 and 2001 reunions, but was replaced at different points by Flea, Martyn LeNoble and Chris Chaney.

JANE'S ADDICTION completed its participation in Australia's Soundwave Festival on March 1 in Perth.