John 5
Latest about John 5

"The whole vibe of Ace Frehley was really special to me. I was so small, and Ace was this larger-than-life figure… I didn't even think he was a real person": John 5 names the guitarists who shaped his sound
By Andrew Daly published
From shred titans to riff-masters to an obscure, blazing country picker he thinks every guitarist should listen to, the Mötley Crüe man names the players who forged his virtuosic, hard-charging sound

“This guitar is, to me, the perfect guitar. The only thing I could do is create a song that shows all of its glory”: John 5 has written an instrumental masterpiece that’s literally dedicated to his new Fender signature model
By Matt Owen published
The Ghost is an ode to the Mötley Crüe guitarist's sleek signature Telecaster, and features the “kitchen sink” of his jaw-dropping techniques

“Buckethead made me want to explore the idea of using a kill switch. I love how creative you can get”: How John 5 revolutionized one of Fender’s oldest guitar designs with the Ghost Telecaster
By Amit Sharma published
The Mötley Crüe gunslinger explains how fashion brand Supreme inspired his latest signature guitar, what makes his favorite pickups ideal for everything from country to metal – and why no-one is a bigger Buckethead fan than he is

“It was obvious: John was the guy... we didn’t choose this, but since we had to be put in this position, we’re very happy with where we’re at”: Nikki Sixx opens up on the crisis talks to replace Mick Mars and how John 5 has re-energized Mötley Crüe
By Joe Bosso published
The Mötley Crüe bassist offers his own insight into the “horrible situation” that faced the Los Angeles rock stalwarts upon Mars’ departure, and how they rebuilt the band with the help of their hot-shot new guitarist

“Just like the Beatles or the Stones were for a lot of people, these songs have been in my head for as long as I can remember”: John 5 shares his Mötley Crüe story so far – and why he still can’t believe he’s landed his dream gig
By Joe Bosso published
He’s a top-billing guitar gun-for-hire who knew the entire Crüe catalog front to back – and that was before he got the call to replace Mick Mars. In this exclusive interview, John 5 reveals how it all went down, and what to expect from his future with the glam-metal mainstays

“I have to give credit where it’s due”: How fashion brand Supreme inspired John 5's Fender Ghost Telecaster
By Matt Owen published
According to the Mötley Crüe guitarist, we have the New York fashion powerhouse to thank for inspiring one of 2023's sleekest signature builds

“It’s like you’re looking at Mozart and you’re like, ‘I’m gonna improvise over this part.’ No. That’s how those songs should be performed”: John 5 shares his approach to learning Mötley Crüe’s back catalog
By Matt Owen published
The band's new guitarist said he wanted to show the songs ultimate respect – but has been given permission to go “berserk” on the fretboard every now and then

John 5, Nikki Sixx, Rob Halford and... Dolly Parton – metal's newest, and best, supergroup?
By Jackson Maxwell published
Bygones, a new single from Parton's aptly-named Rockstar album, features a star-studded cast of supporting players, and is perfectly suited to her vocal delivery
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