Dave Navarro Tattoos

Some wear their hearts on their sleeves, as the expression goes. Others live their lives mapped on their bodies in indelible ink. Dave Navarro has tattooed the highs and lows of his own life into his skin. If you’ve always been curious about his tattoos, we’ll explore the ink from head to toe!

 

Who is Dave Navarro?
A brief bio

Born and bred in Los Angeles, Dave Navarro is most known as the guitarist for the seminal rock group Jane’s Addiction. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Panic Channel, and the cover band Camp Freddy. Dave has also done plenty of session work, with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Alanis Morissette, Marilyn Manson and Porno For Pyros. Navarro has played live with the likes of Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera

Navarro is just as infamous in his personal life as he is onsta

ge for his musical abilities. A recovering heroin addict, Dave has been married three times, his last being a very publicized union with actress/model Carmen Electra. The pair were married for four years before Electra filed for divorce in 2007.

Long involved in more then just music, Navarro used to write columns for Bikini magazine and has long maintained an official online presence at 6767.com. Dave has expanded his presence into the Spread Entertainment company, producing video clips about places and people in Los Angeles. He has also gotten involved in the adult entertainment business as of late. Navarro has also reunited with his Jane’s Addiction bandm

ates for a tour in 2009.

Neck
Back of the Neck
“Los Angeles” in script
Dave was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and considers it his home.

“CORE” in Old English style lettering
As one of the “core” members of the Camp Freddy group, Dave has this tattooed to reflect his membership. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo in Los Angeles, CA.

Chest/Shoulders
Shoulders
Bats, a pair on the front of each shoulder
These were tattooed at Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company in the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.

Collar Bone/Clavicle
“Eleven Twenty-Two” in script over his collar bones
The tattoo is reference to November 22nd, the date of his wedding to model/actress Carmen Electra.

Chest
The initials “CE” over his breast bone
These are in honor of his third wife, Carmen Electra. The pair were married from 2003-2007. This was covered up in November 2011.

 

Sacred Heart
A traditional sacred heart, ringed with thorns, dripping blood, and topped with flames. Rays of light extend outward, towards the fronts of his shoulders and down towards his nipples. Tattooed by Freddy Negrete.

“Surrender Dorothy”
Smoke-like writing from the sky writing of the Wicked Witch of the West, from the movie The Wizard of Oz, with tiny silhouette of the Wicked Witch of the West on her broom.

Traditional Black Cat with 13
A black cat with an arched back standing atop a red 13. Tattooed by Luke Wessman, in New York, NY.

 

Torso

 

Right Hip
The phrase “Trust No One” in script
Considered Navarro’s personal philosophy, it was also the title he chose for his solo album, released in 2001.

Left Side
Portrait of his mother, Constance
Dave chose a photograph of his mother from her days as a model to have tattooed as a portrait down his left side. The tattoo was done by Kat Von D of High Voltage Tattoo in Los Angeles, CA and featured on an episode of LA Ink on TLC in 2008.

Right Side
A pinup of a woman in black lingerie and stockings with g

 

arters holding what appears to be a riding crop(?); almost a Dominatrix-type pinup.

The name Constance in black and gray lettering
Tattooed by Charlie McDonald of Mayhem in Los Angeles, CA, the tattoo is a tribute to Navarro’s mother, Constance Colleen Navarro.

When Navarro was 14, his mother and a friend were murdered by one of Constance’s jealous ex-boyfriends. Dave was staying with his father at the time, and was convinced that he would have been killed if he had been at home that night. Subsequently, the murderer was captured in 1991 via the help of America’s Most Wanted, convicted and sentenced to death. Navarro testified at both the trial and an parole hearing.

The tattoo is a reminder of and a tribute to his mother

Left Arm
Upper Left Arm

 

Spider Webs
Traditional spider webs between/below the bat on the left shoulder that join the snake tattoo below .

A pig surrounded by a snake
No, Dave was not born in the Year of the Pig or even the Year of the Snake. (He’s was actually born in the Year of the Goat.) The pig is how Dave characterized himself: “When pigs are young they’re perceived as cute, and when they’re older they appear vicious and intimidating.” The snake represents how Dave’s view on the world: “I’ve since matured, so I view it as a continual reminder to evolve as a human.”

A tribal band designed under/around the snake’s tail
Represents the month Red Hot Chili Peppers spent in Hawaii in 1994 after Dave joined the band.

A band of dolphins
Dave says of this tattoo: “One of the most spiritual, beautiful and enlightening experiences of my life was when I got a chance to swim naked in Hawaii among 100-150 bottle-nosed dolphins.”

Anchor
A traditional style anchor.

Lower Left Arm
Luca in script
The name of Spread Entertainment’s co-host Todd Newman’s son. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo, Los Angeles, CA.

Portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Although Dave is not Catholic, religious icon imagery is very much a part of the Los Angeles-area. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo, Los Angeles, CA.

Skull and Cross Bones Moth
Traditional Sailor Jerry art, of a skull and cross bones with moth wings.

The Four Suits (heart, club, diamond, spade) and the word “addict”
Navarro is a recovering heroin addict.

Right Arm
Upper Right Arm (Outside)
A rose with “I have one but not by choice” in script
A woman on a plane remarked on Dave’s tattoos, and said to him “I have one but not by choice.” Rose revealed her arm with a number tattoo from Auschwitz, as she was a Holocaust survivor. Dave got her words and a rose as a tribute to her. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo, Los Angeles, CA.

Skull and Rose
A grey skull and rose fill in around the above script and between the bat, towards the front of his right shoulder.

The fairy logo from the 1995 Red Hot Chili Peppers album One Hot Minute
Dave joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1994, and One Hot Minute was the album he recorded with them as a guitarist during his time in the band.

Arabic or Sanskrit armband
Meaning unknown.

The phrase “Love Fades” in script
Taken from the movie Annie Hall by director Woody Allen. Tattooed by Charlie McDonald of Mayhem in Los Angeles, CA.

Portrait of a woman
“Tribute to my dear friend…” Possibly Nina Diaz, singer/guitarist for Girl in a Coma. (Unconfirmed.)

Skull and cross-utensils (a spoon and fork)
Originally an image on Navarro’s 6767.com website, it was shown with the acronym “SSRI” below. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are anti-depressants like Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, and Prozac.

Upper Right Arm (Inside)
The text “Der Zeit Ihre Kunst, Der Kunst Ihre Freiheit” in outlined letters
Taken from above the entrance to the Secession of the Association of Viennese Artists building, which was designed by Joseph-Maria Olbirch. Translated it means “To every age its art, to art its freedom.” The Secession was created by Austrian artists in 1897 with Gustav Klimt as the first president.

“Jane’s” in a Old English-like style
For Jane’s Addiction. Tattooed by Charlie McDonald of Mayhem in Los Angeles, CA.

A stylish “V”
A reminder of a now ex-girlfriend. It is noted that she had a “D” tattooed on her backside to remind her of Dave.
The Japanese kanji for “fuku”
“Fuku” in Japanese means “luck, fortune”.

Black work Spade
Likely a Sailor Jerry-inspired “traditional” type spade, on the inside of his elbow. Probably tattooed by Oliver Peck, during the filming of Ink Masters season 1, in NYC.

Lower Right Arm (Outside)
“Don’t Try This At Home”
In a former home, Dave kept an old photobooth from a Rexall Drugstore. Over the course of a year he photographed everyone that visited him then compiled a book. Originally scheduled for release in 2001, it was not published until 2005. He chose “Don’t Try This At Home” for the title. Tattooed by Thomas Pendelton (formerly of Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company in the Palms Hotel, Las Vegas, NV.)

Spread logo (unicorn head with an “S”)
Spread was the band formed by Navarro and RHCP drummer Chad Smith. Dave used to keep an extensive collection of unicorn figures and imagery. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo in Los Angeles, CA.

Playboy Bunny
The iconic bunny-head logo of Playboy. Navarro spoke to Hugh Hefner before he got it and received permission from Hefner. Jokingly claims it to be the first and only “endorsed” tattoo of the logo.

Gothic Cross
Free-handed by Bob Vessels of Funny Farm in Silverlake, CA.

“Angel” in Theban script
For a former girlfriend, who had the same tattooed on the inside of her wrist.

“JMFL” in capitals
Could possibly stand for Jamie Langford.

Panic Channel logo
The symbol for the Panic Channel, a band consisting of Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins, Chris Chaney, and Steve Isaacs. The band went on hiatus in 2007 after releasing their album (ONe) in 2006.

Inner Forearms
Left Inner Forearm
Spade with Skull
A traditional-style spade, with a skull in the center. Tattooed by Dr Woo.

Hope I, a painting by Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt
The depiction of a pregnant women was chosen to symbolize the gift of life his mother Constance gave to Dave. Tattooed by Henk Schiffmacher of Hanky Panky, Amsterdam.

Right Inner Forearm
Death and Life, a painting by Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt
Only part of the original image, this depicts “Death”, in the shape of a human figure with a skull for a head. Tattooed by Henk Schiffmacher of Hanky Panky, Amsterdam.
Elbows
Both Elbows
Unicursal Hexagram
Aleister Crowley’s adaptation of the unicursal hexagram placed a five petaled rose, symbolizing the divine, in the center. Five petals of the rose plus six points of the hexagram make the symbol as a whole an eleven, the number of divine union.

You can see it on the card of The Hermit in Crowley’s Thoth Tarot Deck. The symbol was used by Psi Com and during the Jane’s Relapse era.

Contrary to what was “reported” by TMZ, the symbol is not Masonic and Dave is not a Freemason. Don’t believe everything you see on TV.

 

Hands
Back of Both Hands
Spiderweb design between thumb and index fingers
Although there is no evidence of their meaning, sometimes the spider web imagery is used to convey the feelings of being trapped in drug addiction. For years, Navarro was a drug addict but is presently clean and sober. Tattooed by Mark Mahoney of Shamrock Tattoo, Los Angeles, CA

Swallows
Traditional-style swallow tattoos. Likely tattooed by Oliver Peck.

Right Knuckles
VI VII VI VII
Roman numerals representing “6-7-6-7”. Navarro’s birthday is June 7, 1967.

Left Knuckles
X III X III
Roman numerals representing “10-3-10-3”, which represents “13 13”. When added together as “6+7”, the month and day he shares as a birthday with his grandfather and father.

Left Thumb
Cross
A simple cross. Tattooed by Tommy Montoya.

Right Thumb
LA Logo
Combined LA logo for Los Angeles. Tattooed by Tommy Montoya.

Right Fingers
Black Star – Index and Middle Fingers
Rx Symbol – Ring Finger

Left Fingers
Dagger Thru Heart – Index Finger
Skull and Crossbones – Middle Finger
Bat – Ring Finger

Palm
Marriage symbol over pagan hand-fasting scar on right palm
This tattoo was part of a hand-fasting ceremony when Dave married his first wife, make-up artist Tania Goddard, in 1990. The pair broke up shortly after and the marriage has never been recognized as a legal union.
Left Leg
Outer Calf
“Sexy” nun pinup
Possibly inspired by a photo taken by friend Justice Howard. Tattooed by Charlie McDonald of Mayhem, Los Angeles, CA.

Inner Calf
A traditional Sailor Jerry style tattoo of a pin up in a martini glass, with a pair of aces and a pair of 2’s, with dice, a skull and cross bones, and a bottle of liquor with a banner that reads “Man’s Ruin”, surrounded by stars. Tattooed by Megan Massacre of New York, NY.

Knee Cap
Pentacle
A five-pointed star pentacle in black and grey.

 

Right Leg
Thigh
Dragon
A traditional Asian-inspired dragon tattoo, that runs to just above his knee. Tattooed by Small Paul.

Outer Calf
Female dominatrix pinup
Dave loves the ladies! Elements of bondage have featured in several videos Dave has made over the years. Tattooed by Charlie McDonald of Mayhem, Los Angeles, CA.

Inner Calf
Pinup
A traditional Sailor Jerry style tattoo of a pin up with a banner. Nothing more is known about this tattoo. Tattooed by Megan Massacre of New York, NY.

Knee Cap
Pentacle
A five-pointed star pentacle in black and grey.