John 5 recently shared insights about his approach to working with legendary bands like Mötley Crüe.
He explained his philosophy for winning over longtime fans explaining, “I think when I start working with someone, it’s so important to me — I mean, now I’m being so honest, it’s so important to me to make that band so happy and make their fans so happy. And sometimes it’s more than what the artist — sometimes I’m pushing more than what the artist wants. I just want it to be so great.”
He explained his approach to knowing when to step forward and when to hold back during performances saying, “And I’m not saying, like, ‘Oh, look at me, look at me.’ I will hold and stand back and listen, ’cause I’m not there for myself. I’m there for that band. So I will play when I’m supposed to play, but I think what’s most important, not play when I’m not supposed to play. And that’s why every artist that I’ve worked for has been good because I understand that. I understand my role. I’m not, like, ‘Hey, look at me.’ Not at all. That’s what the solo stuff’s there for.”
John 5 specifically addressed his work with Mötley Crüe and his respect for the band’s catalog saying, “Even with Mötley Crüe, I don’t play one lick extra that is not recorded on those records — except for the end of ‘Wild Side’, where there’s no singing going on, they said, ‘Okay, go a little nuts here,’ But everything else, I just play exactly how it’s recorded because it’s so important to me and to the fans because they listened to this for 45 years, these songs, and all of a sudden someone’s playing solos over it. They’re, like, ‘Hey, what’s that? I don’t recognize that or really like that.’”
The guitarist concluded by reflecting on his collaborative approach to working with established artists saying, “But I don’t know — that’s why I think I’ve had really good luck playing with artists, because if they say, ‘Hey, do this,’ then I’ll do it,” he said. “If they say, ‘Just play it like how it is,’ I’ll play it like how it is. I think it’s important.”
