NHC is the new supergroup of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, Jane’s Addiction/Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, and Jane’s Addiction bassist Chris Chaney. They first met in the 90’s, when Hawkins and Chaney were part of Alanis Morisette’s touring band and Navarro had played on the album version of “You Oughts Know.”
During the pandemic, when their band’s respective tour schedules were being halted, they hit Hawkins’ studio in LA just to have some fun. Songs started emerging and as Navarro told Rolling Stone,” A light bulb went off and we realized we had an actual band and were going to make a record.”
So after their debut performance at Pearl Jam’s Ohana Festival in September, they played their first headlining show on Tuesday night at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. With Hawkins on the drums and as the group’s lead vocalist, they coursed through new songs that they’ve been working on for an album that’s due out next year, like the already released “Devil That I Know.” They also played tunes from Hawkin’s solo releases, a Queen cover, and not one, but two David Bowie covers. First, it was “Rock And Roll Suicide,” then they closed with “Ziggy Stardust.” “We’re gonna end with one more Bowie song,” Hawkins said to the crowd. “Cause… it’s f****** David Bowie!”
But it was more than just the trio on stage. Foo Fighters’ guitarist Pat Smear joined them on stage, as did Hawkins’ son Shane and Foo Fighters back-up singer Barbara Gruska for the final number. “We’re not supposed to make a big deal about what a badass he is,” Hawkins said of his son. Navarro, shirtless and wearing a pork pie hat, played a wicked lead guitar on the set-closing song for the enamored crowd.
Watch the video in 4K of NHC playing “Ziggy Stardust” at the top of this post, and be on the lookout for an NHC record in 2022.
Red Hot Chilli Peppers is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.