1986 - 1991

Jane's Addiction was formed by Perry Farrell and Eric Avery. Eric had joined Perry's former band, Psi Com for a very short time, and then they decided to form another band. They got their drummer through Eric's sister, Rebecca, who pleaded that they should hire her boyfriend, Stephen Perkins. When they were in need of a guitar player (the first left after a short time), Stephen suggested his friend Dave Navarro. He brought Dave to Perry's house, and after a jam it was clear that Dave would fit the band like a glove. "As for Jane's, I think we all just kind of found each other in a roundabout way," Dave remembers. Jane's Addiction was the first professional band, unlike Dizastre or South Dakota Railroad.

Jane's Addiction released 4 albums in this period of time; the first self-titled Jane's Addiction, on Triple X, the second ,Nothing's Shocking, third, Ritual De Lo Habitual on Warner, forth Live And Rare, a compilation of b-sides and live songs. Nothing Shocking and Ritual De Lo Habitual both earned a lot of controversy because of the cover art. Nothing's Shocking featured a nude sculpture of Perry Farrell's then-girlfriend Casey Niccoli as siamese twins. Ritual went a step further and featured not only a sculpture of Casey, but of Perry and Xiola Bleu as well, all nude.

Some record stores refused to sell this album because of the cover, so Perry created a plain white cover with only the 1st Amendment printed on it. The band broke up in 1991, due to personal and drug problems. "There's definitely a tension and an inner struggle within the band ... I want it to be over and have it be just a chapter in my life. I don't want to be 'the guitar player from Jane's Addiction for my life".

Their last tour was Lollapalooza, an idea put forth by Perry Farrell. It was a kind of travelling alternative-rock circus. On the bill, along with Jane's Addiction, were bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Siouxie & the Banshees, Ice T, Nirvana, and other up and coming alternative acts. During this last tour, Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro had such severe problems with each other that they even got into a fistfight onstage. It seemed clear that this band would never again come together nor perform live.