John 5 has addressed the uncertainty around new Mötley Crüe music, cautioning fans against taking Nikki Sixx’s public statements about future plans too literally, in an interview with Music Radar.
The guitarist was asked about the band’s plans for a new studio album. He explained that Sixx often changes his mind about what the band will do next, making it difficult to know what is really coming.
“Well, with Nikki, it’s funny, because he’ll say, ‘Oh, nothing in the future.’ Y’know? ‘We don’t have any things booked.’ And then all of a sudden, we’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe we’ll do this, we’ll do that.’ Which is great,” John 5 said. “Oh, we’re not gonna do any more new music or anything like that, but Nikki calls and he goes, ‘I have this great song.’ And so, I’m like, ‘Okay, great.’ So, you never know.”
He added that this unpredictable pattern means fans should stay alert to sudden announcements. “You never know. But I don’t know. I’m super excited for Mötley’s future. We have a show booked in Europe right now, but there’s probably more to follow, so I’m excited.”
John 5 made these comments while discussing the band’s upcoming activities, noting that despite the absence of confirmed plans for a new record, changes could come at any time.
John 5 joined Mötley Crüe in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for co-founding guitarist Mick Mars, who retired from touring with the band due to worsening health issues. The band has already recorded original material with John 5. Two original songs, “Cancelled” and “Dogs of War,” along with a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right,” were recorded in early 2023 and released in October 2024.
Sixx’s pattern of changing his mind about the band’s direction is longstanding. In August 2026, Sixx stated that he does not believe in making full-length records anymore, preferring instead to record individual songs when creative inspiration strikes. However, in 2024, Sixx said the band had two more singles already recorded and ready to release, showing the flexibility he applies to the band’s recording approach.
The band’s recording philosophy has shifted away from committing to full albums. Sixx has compared their current approach to how they worked on material for “The Dirt” film soundtrack in 2019 and the “Cancelled” EP in 2024, when they recorded songs whenever creative moments arrived rather than planning extended recording sessions for longer projects.
