In the new book “Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival” by Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour, Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro recalled performing at the first Lollapalooza festival in 1991.
Navarro admits in the book that at the time, he was struggling with substance abuse. “I was really wanting to get clean, but it was really hard on that tour,” he said, adding that he went “back and forth.”
He went on to explain that before taking the stage at the first show on that tour in Chandler, AZ, he got so high he nearly couldn’t perform.
“I had gotten too high on h*roin and couldn’t really get up,” he said. “So then I was given c*caine.” He then added that the mix of the two drugs made him “speedy,” so in an attempt to come down he “took a handful of pills and drank a bunch.”
“By the time I got onstage, I didn’t know which way was up,” Navarro continued.
But he wasn’t the only one under the influence at that show. According to the book, frontman Perry Farrell was also extremely high. Witnesses reported that once the two walked out on stage, they got into a fight. However, as Farrell recalls, he didn’t realize their altercation had taken place in front of the audience.
“I thought we were off the stage. I didn’t know that we were on the stage. Were we?” Farrell says in the book.
“I don’t feel good about that at all,” Farrell added. “That was a stupid thing to do and I really regret it.”
While Farrell may “regret” his onstage fight with Navarro, this 1991 incident seems to have ironically repeated itself.
In September 2024, Jane’s Addiction were forced to cancel their reunion tour after Farrell punched Navarro on-stage in the middle of their concert in Boston.
“Due to a continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell, we have come to the conclusion that we have no choice but to discontinue the current US tour,” Navarro posted on Instagram following news of the cancellation.
“Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs.”
“This weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday’s show,” Farrell wrote on his Instagram Stories at the time. “Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation.”
