For more than 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. 

Best known for his time playing alongside Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, John 5 turned heads in late 2022 when he was chosen as the replacement for legendary Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars. After quickly winning audiences over during Mötley Crüe’s 2023 Stadium Tour, the guitarist looks to build on the momentum with a series of headlining solo dates. 

Among his solo tour stops will be a show at The Eclectic Room in Angola on Tuesday, Feb. 6, with opening band Liliac.

Joining the CrÜe

Impressing the Mötley Crüe faithful would have been a difficult task for just about any guitarist trying to replace a legend. In a recent interview with Whatzup, John 5 said that even though he knew he had big shoes to fill, audiences were quite accepting of him from the beginning. 

“It was wonderful,” he said of the experience. “They were all so kind and supportive, and all the comments have been so positive.”

John 5, aka John Lowery, said he and Mars are friends, so the support the former Crüe guitarist gave him made the transition much easier for everyone. 

“He had been there for 40 or 41 years, which is incredible, but with his retirement, he was very supportive of me taking over the role,” John 5 said. “He knows I respect him and I respect the music. 

“It’s been an absolute dream to be a part of that band.”

John 5 has toured the world many times over the years, and there are very few things he hasn’t seen in the way of that lifestyle. However, he said, touring the way Mötley Crüe tours was an entirely new experience. 

“It’s private planes everywhere, even if it’s a very short distance,” he said. “Then you jump in SUVs and go to the show. It’s an incredible way of touring that I had never experienced. The guys are great and the fans are great, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Keeping listeners’ attention

While most rock fans had known him previously or, at least, had been aware of him through his stints with Zombie and Manson, many new fans were made shortly after John 5 joined Mötley Crüe. 

With 10 studio albums from which to choose, it could be difficult to find a starting point when diving into his solo material. When asked which record best represents him, John 5 said look no further than his latest album, Sinner. 

“I think that would be a good one,” he said of the 2021 album. “With all of my records, I try to incorporate a wide array of styles that I enjoy playing all the time, but I would say Sinner would be a great introduction to who I am.”

Not one to be inactive for any length of time, John 5 is working on music for his next album, already having released two singles, “The Ghost” and “Strung Out.” 

He said he has had to adjust his strategy to releasing singles as people have changed the way they digest music. 

When he was growing up, he said, “We loved going to the record stores and getting our music like that, because it was so much fun. Nowadays, if I put out a full record at one time, people aren’t going to listen.” 

Instead, he theorizes, he has a better chance of getting their attention by releasing music in small bites. 

“Just imagine if Van Halen put out Fair Warning today, and you just heard ‘Mean Street,’ and you’re like, ‘What about “So This Is Love” or “Hear About It Later”?’ ” he said. “Those are great songs that people wouldn’t even know today. 

“When that album came out (in 1981), we bought the album, cassette, or 8-track and we listened to every single song. But if that album came out today, maybe people would listen to one track or two tracks and miss the rest of those great songs. That’s why I put out singles. It is so people will have the choice to listen to all the songs over time. Then, I’ll put all the songs together into one album.” 

Coming home

Besides the aforementioned artists, John 5 has worked with many other superstars from all walks of music, including Rod Stewart, KD Lang, Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dolly Parton, Meatloaf, and even Ricky Martin. 

When asked to name his favorite, John 5 was non-committal because, he said, he is always thrilled to work with anyone who will have him. 

“Everybody I’ve played with has been incredible,” he said. “When I first started performing, I didn’t know I would someday be on stage with Marilyn Manson or Mötley Crüe or Rob Zombie or anything like that. 

“So, it’s all been incredible. What a life. What a dream. It’s been wonderful. I just hope I don’t wake up from the dream I’m having.”

A native of Grosse Pointe, near Detroit, with family in Noblesville, John 5 said he is always thrilled to come back to the area, giving him extra inspiration to put on some of his best performances. 

“Whenever we get to Indiana or any place in the Midwest, we always have a blast,” he said. “It is always a pleasure to get into your neck of the woods.”

So, when John 5 and his band make their way to the stage of The Eclectic Room, expect a night full of guitar histrionics, high-flying performances, and, he said, some things you might not expect. 

“I’m going to be playing mandolin, I’m going to be playing bass, and there’s going to be a Mötley Crüe medley where I’m going to try to squeeze 15 songs into eight minutes,” he said. “It’s going to be a really fun, fun experience.”