Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis recently opened up about the band’s brief but memorable period with Dave Navarro, calling it an “interesting time” that challenged the group to rediscover its chemistry after the departure of guitarist John Frusciante.
Speaking about the One Hot Minute era on SiriusXM, Kiedis described Frusciante’s exit as “an absolute shattering, you know, breakup of all breakups,” leaving the band struggling to fill the creative void. Before Navarro officially joined, the Peppers tested out a few guitarists — including Xander Schloss, whom Kiedis called “a genius,” and Arik Marshall, who toured with the band during their Lollapalooza run. Still, Kiedis said, “The chemistry wasn’t what we were looking for.”
Anthony Kiedis talks about Dave Navarro joining Red Hot Chili Peppers
The solution came from a familiar circle — the Jane’s Addiction camp. “We decided to go for somebody kind of from our circle… and Dave showed up,” Kiedis recalled. “He was in a pretty good way at that point in time.”
Kiedis likened the process of working with Navarro to navigating a new relationship: “It was interesting to find a way to make music with another person, kind of like getting a divorce and getting a new girlfriend — like, how’s this going to work?”
Despite the adjustment, the collaboration yielded lasting results. “We did write some special songs with Dave, and I think ‘Aeroplane’ was one of the best songs we wrote with him,” Kiedis said, noting that the track remained a live staple even after Navarro left the band — a rare exception in the group’s history.
“It was unusual,” Kiedis admitted. “Usually if somebody leaves the band, we kind of leave those songs in the past as well. But with Aeroplane, we’re like, this one stays.”
One Hot Minute remains a singular chapter in Red Hot Chili Peppers history — a bold, experimental moment defined in part by the unique chemistry between Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and Navarro.
