John 5 recently opened up about his current relationship with Mick Mars following his decision to replace the longtime guitarist in Mötley Crüe. He shared his thoughts in an interview with Teraz Rock.
The guitarist addressed how his close relationships with the band members led to his recruitment. He also discussed the transition process with Mars.
“I’ve known [the guys in Mötley Crüe] for years and years and years and years. I was very close with them. Actually, I would talk to [Mötley Crüe bassist] Nikki [Sixx] every day — multiple times a day. I don’t think there was a day that I didn’t talk to him, for years and years and years. So we were really close,” John 5 said.
He explained how the opportunity arose when Mars decided to retire from touring.
“And Mick was retiring, and they said, ‘Would you wanna join?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely.’ Because I want to experience as much as I can in life. I just want to experience as much as I can. And I think that is important in life, because you don’t wanna miss certain opportunities,” he continued.
John 5 also addressed the broader context of band member changes. He spoke about his ongoing friendship with Mars.
“Every single band, every single band you can think of, has a different member, like not all original members. Every band. Every single band. I can’t think of any from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s or early 2000s that have the same bandmembers. But Mick has been in the band for 40 years, and he gave a lot to the world. He gave 40 years of his life. And me and Mick, we would talk all the time too. We were really good friends, and we still are. So it was good,” he said.
The guitarist emphasized the positive nature of the transition. He expressed his excitement about performing with the legendary band.
“When they asked me to join and he was happy it was me, it was all good. It was so exciting, though, because we all love Mötley Crüe, and it was very, very exciting to be up on that stage with those guys. Even though I talked to them all the time, it was different being up on stage with them,” John 5 concluded.
John 5’s appointment as Mars’ replacement came after a significant health-related decision by the veteran guitarist. Live for Live Music reported that Mick Mars, 71, announced his retirement from touring in October 2022 due to his ongoing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic inflammatory condition. The band’s remaining members acknowledged his decades-long management of the condition “with utmost courage and grace” before accepting his decision to step down.
The transition wasn’t entirely unexpected, as John 5 had already established professional ties with the band before officially joining. Metal Wani noted that prior to becoming the full-time replacement guitarist, John 5 wrote three songs that appeared in Netflix’s 2019 film adaptation of Mötley Crüe’s autobiography, The Dirt. He also had a long-standing personal relationship with band members, frequently attending their shows and spending time in Mick Mars’ dressing room backstage.
Despite taking on the demanding role with one of rock’s most iconic bands, John 5 has managed to maintain his individual artistic pursuits. Metal Wani revealed that after completing a Las Vegas residency with Mötley Crüe, John 5 planned to pursue his solo instrumental music on a fall 2025 tour before returning to perform with the band. This demonstrates that both projects can coexist successfully.
The guitarist’s approach to honoring Mars’ legacy while bringing his own style to the band has been well-received by both fans and critics. MetalSucks observed that the announcement of John 5 as Mars’ replacement was considered “the least surprising move in a while,” given his extensive resume that includes work with David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie.
