Spun: The Panic Channel

By Jon Roe

It’s hard to remember a time when Dave Navarro was actually known as a musician. He’s spent the last few years playing reality star on our tubes with his now ex-wife Carmen Electra, and he recently hosted and produced the second go of Rock Star. This is quite a contrast from the early ’90s, when Navarro could be heard all over the radio as a member of Jane’s Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now he makes his return with (One), the debut album from his new band The Panic Channel.

The Panic Channel features ex-Jane’s Addiction members Steve Perkins on drums, Chris Chaney on bass and former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs on the mic. Overall (One) is a study in mediocrty, the sound being very simmilar to Velvet Revolver, but, y’know, worse. Though Navarro’s guitar work is decent, it doesn’t help to distinguish the tracks from so much average riff-rock polluting the airwaves.

Navarro hasn’t entirely lost his touch as a musician, but if The Panic Channel is all he’s capable of producing now, then he should probably stick to bad reality television and marrying D-list celebrities.

..Jon Roe