Dave Navarro is the guitarist for Jane’s Addiction, an American rock band founded in 1985.
Apart from being a guitarist, he is also a famous singer, songwriter, music composer, and actor. He gained a lot of limelight due to several tattoos on his body. Each tattoo of Dave is unique and has a specific meaning behind it. Let’s take a look!
1. ‘CONSTANCE’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘CONSTANCE’ tattoo on his lower back.
Meaning: ‘Constance’ was the name of Dave’s mother who died in March 1983. In an interview, he said,
It’s my mom’s name and was done in the early ’90s by Charlie McDonald. t’s more than likely my favorite because of what it stands for as a commemorative piece for my mom, who passed when I was 15. Second to that is probably the portrait of my mom on my rib cage done by Kat Von D. They are similar in nature, and both of those pieces are actually unusual for me because both of them required appointments. Generally speaking, I’m not the artwork-planning type. I prefer spur-of-the-moment tattoos, like, ‘Let’s just roll over and get something done right away.’ I like the instant gratification, hence I have a lot of smaller pieces.”
2. ‘Basquiat Crown’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Basquiat Crown’ tattoo on his left pec.
Meaning: ‘Basquiat Crown is a popular symbol used by an American artist, Jean-Michel. This crown symbolizes the difficulties the wearer went through in his life. It also denotes the influence of the wearer on the people.
3. ‘Eleven Twenty Two’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Eleven Twenty Two’ near his collarbone.
Meaning: This number symbolizes his marriage date, i.e. November 22. He got married to his now ex-wife, Carmen Electra on this date.
4. ‘Skull with Crossbones’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Skull with Crossbones’ tattoo on his back.
Meaning: ‘Skull with Crossbones’ tattoo symbolizes danger, warning, poison, and death.
5. Bat Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Bat’ tattoo on his back.
Meaning: Bat tattoo symbolizes good times, good luck, happiness, wealth, and prosperity.
6. ‘SURRENDER DOROTHY’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘SURRENDER DOROTHY’ tattoo on his right pec.
Meaning: He got this tattoo inked in July 2011. In an interview, he said,
There are a multitude of reasons, not all of them I can share with you. But I can tell you this. The word “surrender” speaks for itself. Certainly The Wizard of Oz is a pivotal film in my life. I think it’s a rite-of-passage film. It’s something that should be shown to children when they’re still at an age for it to terrify and horrify them. Because when I saw it for the first time, it was the scariest thing I’d ever seen. Anytime I talk to somebody in my age range about that film, they had a similar experience. It looked like this shiny, happy movie for kids, but at the end of the day, it’s no joke.”
7. ‘Leviathan Cross’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Leviathan Cross’ tattoo on his throat.
Meaning: Leviathan Cross symbolizes harmony, protection, balance, and eternal universe.
8. Skull Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Skull’ tattoo on his right shoulder.
Meaning: Skull tattoo symbolizes power, strength, danger, death, and protection.
9. Dagger Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Dagger’ tattoo on the backside of his right arm.
Meaning: Dagger tattoo symbolizes betrayal, cheat, danger, loss, grief, and sacrifice.
10. Bat Tattoos
Tattoo: ‘Bat’ tattoos on his shoulders.
Meaning: Dave’s bat tattoos were inked at Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co-located in Las Vegas, USA. Bats tattoos are the symbols of good luck, happiness, good fortune, good times, and prosperity.
11. Rose Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Rose’ tattoo on his right shoulder.
Meaning: Dave got this tattoo inked for a lady who was a Holocaust survivor. He got this tattoo inked by the tattoo artist, Mark Mahoney in July 2014. Rose tattoo symbolizes emotions, feelings, passion, true love, and mature love.
12. Spider Web Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Spider Web’ tattoo on his left shoulder.
Meaning: Spider web tattoo symbolizes the time spent in prison, balance, wisdom, and knowledge.
13. ‘Addict’ tattoo on his left forearm
14. Anchor Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Anchor’ tattoo on his left arm.
Meaning: An anchor tattoo symbolizes peace, stability, determination, safety, and security.
15. ‘SHE BEGAN TO CRY AND TRIED TO RUN DOWN THE STAIRS’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘SHE BEGAN TO CRY AND TIRED TO RUN DOWN THE STAIRS’ tattoo on his left torso.
Meaning: The tattoo is a line taken from the anonymous letter sent to Grace’s parents specifying the details of the murder of Grace Budd by an American serial killer and rapist, Albert Fish. Dave got this tattoo inked in 2019 by the tattoo artist, Doggie.
16. ‘Pair of Glasses’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Pair of Glasses’ tattoo on his left arm.
Meaning: This tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Dave Siddik. In an interview, Dave said,
I have a pair of glasses right here done by a guy named Dave Siddik, who’s in a band called Teeny on the radio and he worked with Jane’s Addiction on our last record and he is not a tattoo artist at all and he’s a terrible like may be 12 by the time we did this and you just pulled out the machine and just like went to work. And I said give me your glasses and you know there it is and you know it’s funny and it’s charming story I’m sure but I look at that and I think about the time we spent at the studio makin the record together.”
17. ‘Suits of Playing Cards’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Suits of Playing Cards’ tattoo on his left forearm.
Meaning: Suits of playing cards tattoo represents good times, good luck, fate, destiny, and cycles of life.
18. Celtic Cross Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Celtic Cross’ tattoo on his right forearm.
Meaning: Celtic cross tattoo symbolizes the faith and respect for Christianity. It also represents the event of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Bob Vessels.
19. ‘The Virgin of Guadalupe’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘The Virgin of Guadalupe’ tattoo on his left forearm.
Meaning: This tattoo was inked by Mark Mahoney at Shamrock Social Club, Los Angeles. ‘The Virgin of Guadalupe’ is a Catholic title of Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
20. ‘Red Hot Chili Peppers One Hot Minute Fairy Logo’ tattoo on his right arm
21. ‘Japanese Kanji Fuku’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Japanese Kanji Fuku’ tattoo on his right arm.
Meaning: This tattoo represents wealth, prosperity, growth, good luck, fortune, and blessings.
22. ‘Don’t try this at home’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Don’t try this at home’ tattoo on his right forearm.
Meaning: ‘Don’t try this at home’ is the title of the book by Dave Navarro published in October 2004. This tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Thomas, at Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company at Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.
23. ‘Hope I Painting’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Hope I Painting’ tattoo on his right forearm.
Meaning: ‘Hope I’ is the painting of a nude pregnant woman by Gustav Klimt. According to the sources, he got this tattoo inked for his mother, thanking her for the gift of life to him.
24. ‘Spider with Web’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Spider with Web’ tattoo on his left hand.
Meaning: Spider with web tattoo represents destiny, balance, harmony, wisdom, and danger. This tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Mark Mahoney.
25. ‘Pig with Snake’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Pig with Snake’ tattoo on his left arm.
Meaning: Dave got this tattoo inked to represent the changes that have occurred in his life over the years. In an interview, he said,
When pigs are young they’re perceived as cute, and when they’re older they appear vicious and intimidating. I’ve since matured, so I view it as a continual reminder to evolve as a human.”
26. ‘Tribal Design’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Tribal Design’ tattoo on his left arm.
Meaning: Tribal tattoos represent the culture, family, heritage, and relationships of the wearer.
27. ‘Heart with Barbed Wire’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Heart with Barbed Wire’ tattoo on the center of his chest.
Meaning: Dave got this tattoo inked to cover up his previous ‘CE’ tattoo which he had got inked for his ex-wife, Carmen Electra. Heart with barbed wire tattoo symbolizes pain, sufferings, betrayal, emotional loss, and cheat.
28. ‘Portrait of Mother’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Heart with Barbed Wire’ tattoo on the center of his chest.
Meaning: Dave got this tattoo inked to cover up his previous ‘CE’ tattoo which he had got inked for his ex-wife, Carmen Electra. Heart with barbed wire tattoo symbolizes pain, sufferings, betrayal, emotional loss, and cheat.
28. ‘Portrait of Mother’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Portrait of Mother’ tattoo on his left torso.
Meaning: Dave got the tattoo of his mother, Constance Colleen Hopkins.
29. Sparrow Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Sparrow’ tattoo on his hands.
Meaning: Sparrow tattoo symbolizes freedom, new beginnings, true love, travel, journeys, and humanity.
30. ‘Trust No One’ tattoo on his right torso
Meaning: ‘Trust No One’ is the name of Dave’s solo album released in 2001.
31. ‘JANE’S’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘JANE’S’ tattoo on his right arm.
Meaning: Jane’s Addiction is the name of an American band of which Dave Navarro is a guitarist. This band was formed in 1985. Dave got this tattoo inked by the tattoo artist, Charlie McDonald, in Los Angeles.
32. Dolphins Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Dolphins’ tattoo on his left arm.
Meaning: Dolphin tattoos are the symbols of beauty, freedom, playfulness, rebirth, and enjoyment.
33. Spread Logo Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Spread Logo’ tattoo on his right forearm.
Meaning: Dave got this tattoo inked from the tattoo artist, Mark Mahoney, in Los Angeles.
34. ‘Love Fades’ tattoo on his right arm
Meaning: He got this tattoo inked by the tattoo artist, Charlie McDonald.
35. Pentacles Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Pentacles’ tattoo on his knees.
Meaning: Pentacles tattoos are the symbols of good luck, fortune, and protection from evil spirits.
36. Female Dominatrix Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Female Dominatrix’ tattoo on his right leg.
Meaning: Female dominatrix refers to a female who takes an active and dominating role in BDSM sexual activities. The tattoo of this defines the wearer’s interest and liking for such things. Again, this tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Charlie McDonald.
37. Ship Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Ship’ tattoo on his left thigh.
Meaning: Ship tattoo symbolizes journey, direction, new beginnings, path, honor, adventure, and exploration. He got this tattoo inked by the tattoo artist, Oliver Peck, in May 2013.
38. Nun Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Nun’ tattoo on his left leg.
Meaning: This tattoo was inked by the tattoo artist, Charlie McDonald.
39. Dragon Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Dragon’ tattoo on his right thigh.
Meaning: Dragon tattoo symbolizes power, wisdom, passion, strength, knowledge, and good luck.
40. ‘Pentacle’ tattoo on his right forearm
Tattoo: ‘Unicursal Hexagram’ tattoo on his elbows.
Meaning: Unicursal Hexagram tattoo represents freedom, luck, protection, power, love, and confidence.
41. ‘CE’ Tattoo
43. ‘CE’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘CE’ tattoo on the center of his chest.
Meaning: Dave had got this tattoo inked for his ex-wife, Carmen Electra, with whom he got divorced in February 2007. After the divorce, Dave got this tattoo-covered with the tattoo of ‘heart with thorns’ in November 2011. In an interview, he said,
I feel like at some point your body becomes like a walking diary and you’ve got to live with it. I still had that experience. It’s a part of my story and my life, so I celebrate that. I feel that to cover up something would be to deny having gone through it. I had a great time being married to [Carmen]. That’s my life. And the fact of the matter is, all those elements are things that, as human beings — not to get too spiritual — are collective pieces of who you are today. I probably wouldn’t be who I am today had I not gone through that marriage. I’m not going deny that marriage and then go get it lasered off and get a f—–g skull to cover up the scar. A skull means nothing to me. It’s similar to trying to un-ring a bell.”
