Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee opened up about the shift in the band’s energy following guitarist John 5’s arrival as Mick Mars’ replacement. He shared his thoughts during a question-and-answer session at the “Sunset Strip” edition of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp.
Lee described the renewed enthusiasm John 5 brought to the group upon joining. He also praised his talent and character.
“When John came in, and with all due respect to Mick Mars, [John] brought this f*cking fire, this new fire and excitement to every one of us,” Tommy Lee said. “It was just this giant, like… I don’t know, man. Shit just got really, really good.”
“And he’s an incredible guitar player, and he’s a sweetheart,” he continued. “To me, that never happens. Like, you’re a really good musician, but you’re an asshole. And he’s… [John] 5 is everything.”
John 5 also shared his own account of how the transition unfolded, recalling the moment he received the call to join the band while on tour with Rob Zombie.
“I was on tour, and [the Mötley Crüe] guys were on tour,” John 5 said. “So they were doing ‘The Stadium Tour’, and I was on tour with Zombie. And then I got the call when I was on tour. And I was, like, ‘Yeah.’ And Nikki [Sixx, Mötley Crüe bassist] gave me [a list of] the songs [to learn] and he goes, ‘Okay, learn these.’ And I’m thinking to myself, ‘I know these songs. I’ve known [these songs] forever. I know these songs just like the whole world knows these songs.’ So it was wonderful. I was super excited.”
He went on to describe his first rehearsal with the band, including an unusual mix-up over the start time.
“[I would hang out] with [the Mötley Crüe] guys all the time [before], but [now] it was different,” John 5 continued. “And when I got into the room, I was, like, ‘All right, I’m excited for the first day of rehearsal.’ And it was the only day I was late. I was, like, an hour late. And everybody was there. And I’ve never been late ever in my life, because… I don’t know if Nikki did it on purpose and he said, ‘Hey, we’re rehearsing at 1:00,’ and everyone got there at noon. Yeah, but it was great.”
He concluded by describing the overall experience of joining the band as a highlight of his career.
“It’s just been a dream. It’s just been so much fun. All we do is laugh and have a great time. When we’re on stage and people watch us on stage, we’re, like, yucking it up even on there. So it’s just been a dream. It’s been an absolute dream come true,” John 5 said.
The chemistry Tommy Lee describes didn’t happen overnight. It traces back to how John 5 first stepped into the band and the circumstances surrounding Mick Mars’ departure. Both factors set the stage for the dynamic the members now credit for reinvigorating Mötley Crüe.
Mötley Crüe announced in October 2022 that Mick Mars would step back from touring due to his ongoing battle with ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative disease that had made playing live increasingly difficult for him. John 5 had spent 17 years as Rob Zombie’s guitarist before that point. The band tapped him almost immediately as Mars’ touring replacement. He made his live debut with the band in Atlantic City in February 2023. He tore through the band’s decades-spanning catalog as though he had been a member for years. He officially became a full-fledged member of Mötley Crüe in 2023.
The transition was not without friction behind the scenes. Mick Mars later filed a lawsuit against his former bandmates in April 2023. He alleged the band attempted to strip him of a significant ownership stake in the group and pressured him to exit rather than simply retire from touring. That legal dispute added a layer of tension to a lineup change. On stage, Lee and John 5 have otherwise framed the change as an overwhelmingly positive turning point for the band.
Despite the off-stage complications, John 5 has consistently spoken about Mars’ support during the handoff. He described Mars as encouraging throughout the process rather than resentful of the change. That account aligns with the celebratory tone Lee and John 5 struck during their joint appearance at the Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp session. Both men focused on the creative spark the new lineup has produced rather than the legal fallout that unfolded alongside it.
