Guitarist JOHN 5, who joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 following Mick Mars's retirement from touring, has opened up about his meticulous approach to performing the band's decades-spanning catalog — and why he views note-for-note faithfulness to the original recordings as a form of artistic respect.
"I wanna play it exactly, exactly like how it was recorded," JOHN 5 stated in a new interview. This philosophy extends to his previous work with Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, but with MÖTLEY CRÜE it takes on particular weight given the iconic status of songs like "Looks That Kill," "Girls, Girls, Girls," and "Dr. Feelgood."
The guitarist spent months learning every solo note-for-note, paying close attention to the sonic details that define each track — the squeals in "Looks That Kill," the harmonics in "Dr. Feelgood." For him, these elements are not optional decoration but essential components of the composition. "If someone worked on a song for so long and so hard, you should play it how it was written and recorded," he explained, comparing it to receiving a piece of sheet music and refusing to arbitrarily rewrite it.
During instrumental passages — moments without vocals — JOHN 5 allows himself some improvisational freedom. But his personal artistic expression is reserved for his prolific solo output, where no such constraints apply.
Some critics have called his MÖTLEY CRÜE performances "too perfect." He wears that as a badge of honor.