In the middle of the hectic Use Your Illusion tour, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin left Guns N’ Roses. The rumors, then, started; stating the band and frontman Axl Rose was looking for a new hire.
So, Hit Parade magazine saw an interview with Rose in 1993 as an opportunity to ask about the rumors. While the frontman was discussing his love of Jane’s Addiction, the host asked whether it was true that Dave Navarro would join GN’R to fill in for Stradlin. Axl answered:
“Yeah, there was a lot of talk about that, and we were very open to it. But it just wasn’t the right time in Dave’s life for it to happen. He was kind of needing the time to just see where he was at, and he’s been very successful at that. But the idea of working with him excites me to no end because I still put on Jane’s Addiction and it always seems brand new, no matter how many times I hear it.”
Rose then revealed how much he’d like to see a blend of Jane’s Addiction and GN’R’s sound:
“I’d like to try to achieve a fusion of what they were trying and what GNR is doing. It could be a fuller thing than anyone’s done before. Dave and Slash together could be incredible guys very ‘out there’ on their own, working together. It’s like the first time I met Slash, I said, ‘The world’s gotta see this guy.'”
He continued by praising both Slash and Navarro:
“When he [Slash] plays with other people or does solo things it totally gets me off and makes me happy. It secures his place in rock history as a guitarist. I feel the same way about Dave. Obviously, I have a much closer bond with Slash, being involved with him for so many years, but I think the world kind of missed Dave. I’d really like to help fix that.”
Navarro missed out on the opportunity to join GN’R simply because he didn’t show up for the audition. Still, he collaborated with the band, though Dave later on described the studio session he had with Rose as ‘very strange.’ You can check out here to learn the full story.
