When a veteran guitarist steps into a legendary band to replace a long-standing member, one of the biggest challenges they face is deciding whether to replicate the original solos note-for-note or add their own personal style to the music.
John 5 encountered this exact dilemma when he was chosen to take over for Mick Mars in Mötley Crüe in 2022. With an extensive background as a session guitarist who has worked with artists ranging from Avril Lavigne to Lynyrd Skynyrd, he certainly had the skill to reinterpret the songs. However, he ultimately chose a different path.
During a recent appearance on The Red Monkey Podcast (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar), John 5 reflected on how his mindset about playing was shaped early in life:
“When I was little, I saw this movie called ‘Session Man’, and I think it’s early ’80s, late ’70s,” he said. “And I just wanted to be a session player. I loved it. I just wanted to play perfect and I wanted to play on records.”
When it came time to prepare for playing Mötley Crüe’s material, John 5 made the decision to stick as closely as possible to the original recordings.
“So, when I started really dissecting the Mötley stuff, I wanted to play exactly what was on the record. And because the reason why is you and me, we’ve listened to these songs our whole lives, so we’ve heard it one way. So, when there is something different, it kind of makes you go, ‘Oh,’ and it kind of throws you a little bit. But I like playing them exactly how they were written and recorded.”
He went on to explain that modern technology makes it easier than ever for musicians to analyze recordings in detail and replicate them accurately.
“Now, if you listen, and you can listen to this on YouTube, like ‘Wild Side’ guitars only, those guitars are pretty clean. If you listen to the real recording, they’re pretty clean. I’ve always tried to play exactly what is on the record, and execute it just, like, as clean as possible.”
Although John 5 remains faithful to Mick Mars’ original parts when performing the band’s classic hits, his role in Mötley Crüe also gives him opportunities to showcase his own creativity. He contributed to three new songs on The Dirt Soundtrack in 2019 and played a significant part in shaping the band’s 2024 self-titled album Mötley Crüe.
By blending faithful renditions of the band’s classic material with his own fresh input on new projects, John 5 has found a balance between honoring Mötley Crüe’s legacy and helping to shape its future.
