One Hot Minute (1993–97)

Navarro first appeared with the band at Woodstock '94, where they wore enormous light bulb costumes attached precariously to chrome metallic suits, making it near-impossible for them to play their instruments. The band followed up their performance at Woodstock with a brief tour which included a performance as the opening act for The Rolling Stones. According to Kiedis, however, opening for the Stones was a horrible experience.[58] While externally, the band appeared to be settled, the relationship between the three established members and Navarro had begun to deteriorate.[59] His differing musical background made performing difficult as they began playing together,[60] and continued to be an issue over the next year. Kiedis was also struggling with his heroin addiction; he had been through a dental procedure in which an addictive sedative, Valium, was used; this caused him to relapse, and he once again became dependent on drugs.[61]
Navarro's joining and Kiedis's continued drug addiction had a profound effect on the band and the subsequent sound of their next album, One Hot Minute. With Frusciante no longer present for collaboration, songs were written at a far slower rate.[61] Working with Frusciante had been something Kiedis took for granted: "John had been a true anomaly when it came to song writing. He made it even easier than Hillel to create music, even though I'd known Hillel for years. I just figured that was how all guitar players were, that you showed them your lyrics and sang a little bit and the next thing you knew you had a song. That didn't happen right off the bat with Dave."[61] To compensate, Kiedis and bassist Flea took several vacations together, during which entire songs were conceived.
Navarro's only album with the band was One Hot Minute, released on September 12, 1995 after many delays and setbacks. Navarro's guitar work had created a stylistic departure in the band's sound, which was now characterized by prominent use of heavy metal guitar riffs and hints of psychedelic rock.[62] The band described the album as a darker, sadder record compared to their previous material, which was not as universally well-received as Blood Sugar Sex Magik.[60] Despite mixed reviews, the album was a commercial success. Selling eight million copies worldwide,[63] it spawned the band's third No.1 single, the ballad "My Friends", and enjoyed chart success with the songs "Warped" and "Aeroplane". This iteration of the band appeared on several soundtracks. "I Found Out", a John Lennon cover, was featured on Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon. The Ohio Players cover, "Love Rollercoaster", was featured on the Beavis and Butthead Do America soundtrack, and was released as a single.
The band began its tour for One Hot Minute in Europe on September 27, 1995 and played 16 shows. A US tour was to follow but was postponed after Chad Smith broke his wrist. The band spent most of 1996 playing shows in the United States and Europe. By 1997 the tour had all but ended and the band played just one show in 1997. This was at the very first Fuji Rock Festival on July 26, 1997. A massive typhoon hit that day but the band played anyway. They played through 8 songs including "Aeroplane," "Stone Cold Bush," and "Walkabout" for what would be the final time these songs have been played live to date before having to cut the show short due to the storm. No more shows were played in 1997.
In April 1998 it was announced that Navarro had left the band due to creative differences; Kiedis stated that the decision was "mutual".[64] Reports at the time, however, indicated Navarro's departure came after he attended a band practice under the influence of drugs, which at one point involved him falling backwards over his own amp.[65] Kiedis has since said that though the event should have been comical, it was instead pitiful and was the impetus for Navarro's departure.[66]