Who the hell are?

The Panic Channel

Don't panic: You can't keep a good guitar man down. When Jane's Addiction broke up in 1991, guitarist Dave Navarro wasn't exactly left twiddling his thumbs - his fingers were kept busy doing session work for Nine Inch Nails, playing on Alanis Morissette's mega-selling Jagged Little Pill, and being drafted in to replace then-drug-addled John Frusciante in Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also helped out his former boss, Perry Farrell, in his Porno for Pyros project, and when Jane's Addiction reformed in 1997, Navarro happily went back to the old job. Inevitably, it all fell apart again, but now Navarro is back, with two other former members of Jane's Addiction, and ready to turn the world on to The Panic Channel.

Who are you: The Panic Channel are Navarro, original Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, and bassist Chris Chaney, who played with the latterday version of Jane's Addiction. Completing the quartet is singer-guitarist Steve Isaacs, who, says Navarro, is a very different person to Perry Farrell. "Steve comes from a singer-songwriter back- ground, whereas Perkins and I come from more of a jamming and experimental background, and I think what we came up with is a great combination of songs and musicianship." Isaacs had already been an MTV VJ, and also starred in the stage show of The Who's Tommy.

Win XS: The band's name, says Navarro, comes from "creating music as a way to channel the panic into something tangible" and also from Navarro's view of the media: "If there was a channel that showed nothing but hysteria and panic, it would be the highest rated channel on TV." He should know; as the star of hit US TV series Rock Star, Navarro is regularly in the eye of the storm. The first series followed a group of wannabe rock stars as they competed to replace the late Michael Hutchence and become the new singer for INXS (I kid you not). Navarro acted as a mentor and guide to the young musicians. For the second series, Navarro formed a "supergroup" with ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newstead, ex-Guns N'Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and Motley Crue's Tommy Lee. The winner.

Multi Channel: The Panic Channel have just released their debut album, and will be announcing tour dates, but, true to form, the members will keep up their extracurricular activities. Navarro will continue with his internet radio station, Spread Radio Live, and he and Chaney will carry on with Camp Freddie, their covers band. Meanwhile, Perkins will rock on with Hellride, his Stooges tribute band.