In a recent chat with Jerry Swanson, John 5 shared his thoughts on playing Mick Mars’ guitar solos during Mötley Crüe’s shows. He spoke about the importance of the guitarist’s parts and his approach to performing them:
“Mötley Crüe songs are very important to me. We all know the drum fill, the lyrics, the cool bass parts, and, of course, the guitar riffs and solos. I think the solos that Mick did are just as important as anything else. ‘Cause it’s important to me, and I know it’s important to the fans; I want to play them exactly how they were written.”
Expressing his respect for the former band member’s contributions to their music, he added:
“You don’t go and improvise over music that has been written. To me, it’s just not the right thing to do. I wouldn’t want to hear ‘Home Sweet Home’ or ‘Dr Feelgood’ or something like that with a different solo because you’ve heard that solo your whole life. And we all love Mick Mars. So, he deserves the respect.”
The Guitarist Reworked His Sound To Perform The Guitar Parts Correctly
After replacing him in the lineup in 2022, John 5 often mentioned Mick Mars’ influence on his music. He also shared details about adjusting his sound to fit the original guitarist’s style, saying:
“Mick’s tone is incredible, and his playing is incredible. I had to change [guitar amp] heads; I adjusted my sound. I still use a Telecaster, but Mick also used Telecaster during ‘Girls, Girls, Girls.’ He used the Telecaster quite a bit. I have such a respect for and a love for Mars, and he knows that.”
The Two Crüe Guitarists Expressed Respect For Each Other
Despite Mars’ tense relationship with the Mötley Crüe members following his departure, the two guitarists have kept a good relationship. Talking about the topic in a chat with Eddie Trunk, John 5 revealed having mutual respect with the 72-year-old artist:
“Me and Mick, we talk all the time. We exchange Christmas gifts and things like that, and when I was announced as the guitar player, he was one of the very first texts that I got, and he said, ‘You’re gonna kill it!’ It’s good; it’s not like it’s some stranger coming in. We have great respect for each other.”
For more on John 5’s experience with Mötley Crüe, check out his full interview below.
