|
 |
John 5 is an accomplished guitarist, who started out as a studio musician, and is currently taking the music industry by storm with his innovative , unique guitar style. He got his name from being Marilyn Manson's fifth guitarist six years ago. John 5 is currently setting the concert stage on fire, playing guitar for Rob Zombie’s band. In the past, John 5 has worked with some of the top names in music today, including country star k.d..Lang, Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth, and Paul Stanley of Kiss.
John 5 has released two solo albums including "Vertigo" and most recently "Songs For Sanity" in which Steve Vai and Albert Lee were featured guest stars.
Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with Rob Zombie's right hand man, guitarist extraordinaire John 5. I saw Rob Zombie perform at the Worcester Palladium. The concert was by far one of the best shows that I have experienced in a long time. Rob and John are making concerts fun again with their showmanship and exciting new album, "Educated Horses."
It is an honor for GlamMetal.com TM to present to you another exclusive interview with one of the most exciting and talented guitarists in the music industry today, John 5. In this interview, John 5 gives us an in depth look at the success of the current “Educated Horses” tour, what Rob Zombie has taught him a musician, his latest solo album, "Songs for Sanity," the music industry today and much more.
 |
John, Last time we spoke you had just performed at the Worcester Palladium. You recently wrapped up the first leg of the East Coast Rob Zombie Tour. How was New York?
It has been great. All of the shows have been sold out. This is the first time that I have been on a tour where every single night is sold out. Everybody is having a great. time.
John that is awesome. Now you are on the West Coast performing. Tell me how do East Coast audiences differ from the West Coast? Have you seen any differences?
New York and all over the country has been sold out. It has been a true, true pleasure to be out here with Rob and the guys, were are just having a great time.
How long is the tour slated to run? Is this the last week of the tour?
Well the tour is going to continue on. We are going to keep playing probably till the end of October.
Great , so hopefully you will be coming back to Boston soon.
Oh yeah, we will.
During the show, my favorite part of the set is when you are featured on Thunder Kiss 65. I love how you whip into the Poison song, "Nothing But A Good Time." Are you a big 80's fan? Do you like Poison?
Of course, I think everybody is. I like them all. I also like Skid Row. I went to all of those shows when I was growing up. That was a great time. They were great bands. It was just so decadent and crazy. It was fun ya know.
It seems like the trend is going back to the 80's again. I am looking forward to the Poison 20th Anniversary Tour this summer. What do you think of the bands from that era, do you see a resurgence in 80's hard rock?
Sure, that is going to be a great tour. It will be a blast. I can remember seeing them back in the day. I love all different types of music. I can appreciate everything..
You can tell that you have a diverse taste in music from your performance onstage. What about Led Zeppelin and Hendrix? I love how you also throw in a Zeppelin and Hendrix guitar riff into the set.
Oh that is right. We change it up quite a bit, so it is always different.
Now I also enjoyed your rendition of the Star Spangle Banner. Have you ever performed that live at any sporting event?
No, I have never played that live, I played that at the shows here and people really enjoy it.
Rob Zombie is such a visual performer. How important is showmanship in your performance? I noticed that you and Rob Zombie are making concerts fun again. It feels like the audience is involved.
Sure. Rob is such a phenomenal performer. He knows that the crowd wants to be involved too. It is really great, the crowd really loves it, because you are not so untouchable as a idol. He is great onstage, we just have a blast bouncing things off one another.
The energy onstage is amazing. Now how do you feel Rob Zombie today compares to White Zombie? Have you ever seen White Zombie perform back in the day?
Oh sure, I went to see them all the time. I thought they were awesome. They were great live. I am just happy to be a part of the history of Zombie. It has been 20 years, and I just happy to have my name in the history books of Zombie.
Let's talk about the first time you performed with Rob at Arrow Head Pond. Did you click right away onstage the first night? Was the chemistry amazing onstage for you?
It was really amazing for some reason, I was a fan, I was playing his songs for so long. I think he could just sense that. We did click very well together, sometimes you can really sense that with someone you play with. It is real, it is not like I am just going thru the motions. It is real.
Did you have to rehearse much for the Ozzfest Tour last year? Or did everything just fall into place?
Actually it did seem like everything just kinda fell into place. We rehearsed some stuff but we did maybe two or three rehearsals. and then we could have done the tour, but we did rehearse quite a bit. It is great cuz I even love rehearsing. It is fun just to play their songs.
What is the most important thing that Rob Zombie has taught you as a musician? What have you learned from touring with him on the road?
What I have learned is that his work ethnic is incredible. I just try and work harder than I am right now, I always try and play a show if it is my last show I am going to play, because I just want to give it my all. That is how he is. He goes crazy up there. I just want to give the audience the best show I can. That is what he is doing every night . Rob gives is his all. We are exhausted at the end of the show.
I bet. Now congratulations on becoming Rob Zombie's permanent guitarist. That is so exciting.
Yeah, it is great.
There has been a lot of talk that you were being considered for the guitarist of Guns n’ Roses ?
Well, there has been a lot of talk about it, but I don't know who the new guitarist is. I don't know who they have gotten, I think they have some shows coming up New York.
Yeah, they are playing the Hammerstein Ballroom in May.
I love Guns n’ Roses. I saw them on the Appetite For Destruction Tour , I absolutely love that band. I would love to see them live again.
Let's talk about your new solo album, "Songs For Sanity." It has a country flavor to it. You have Albert Lee on it, and also Steve Vai. Do you like country music, do you think your new solo album will also be in that country vein?
I love playing country music because it is so challenging. I think if you are well into your craft , if you play drums or something you want to hear the drummer play a different kind of style. Drummers say I can really appreciate that. I think that is why on my instrumental album people can appreciate the country music , because they don't hear it all of the time. You want a different variety. It is like eating the same meal everyday for the rest of your life. I like the variety.
Now Buck Owens recently passed away. Were you a Buck Owens fans?
Oh absolutely. Ever since I was so so Young. I loved Buck Owens. I saw him all the time on Hee Haw. I was a huge Buck Owens fan.
Now with Rob producing movies , have you ever thought about an acting career?
Oh God No! (laughs ) I just play guitar, and that is what I will always just do.
Now let's talk about the new Rob Zombie album" Educated Horses". Tell me a little bit about the song writing process. You mentioned you worked with Scott Humpreys in the last interview.
Scott and Rob are a great writing team. Rob say hey why don't you come in and play guitar, so I did. Then they said hey do you have any ideas ? So we all just kinds just started bouncing ideas off one another. I have such respect Scott for and Rob. It was just great to be there. We had such a good time making the record, it was actually a huge pleasure to be part of that. I was just so happy to have that opportunity to make a record with them. it was the first time they asked someone else to write. I was so honored to be a part of it. It was one of the funniest times that I have ever had in the studio.
I noticed too that the record is radio friendly. They are playing the new single, "Foxy Foxy" here a lot on radio stations in Boston.
Yeah, we are really happy about it. We have a new single coming out called, "American Witch."
Did you ever study classical guitar? It is so amazing watching you perform onstage. I can hear everything from classical, country, to metal in your playing.
I like to study all types of music. I love play guitar so much, i just keep my knowledge up. I just keep learning and learning all the time, it doesn't matter what kind of music it is as long as it fun to play. I'll play anything.
Now recently you mentioned that you worked with Paul Stanley. Will you appear on his new solo album?
I did write a song with Paul Stanley and Desmond Child. I played on a couple of tracks on his new solo album. That was such a huge thing for me. I am a major Kiss fan and still am. it is an honor to be part of that too.
Do you feel that the Internet is an important tool in promoting bands today?
I hope it doesn't delete magazines or anything like that. I think it is just another plus. I think it just another cool thing, instead of going to the store and buying a magazine you can go into a room and read it on the Internet. I think it is just another us. I think of it as just another opportunity to write about their favorite artists whomever that might
be.
I know you were recently featured in Guitar Magazine last year. I can remember growing up and going to the store to read all of the latest news in Metal Edge.
I love all of those magazines, I also love going on the Internet and reading about my favorite artist.
Who are some of your favorite guitar idols?
I really can appreciate everybody. I love Dime, Bucket head, Chet Atkins, Doc Watson, and Steve Vai. Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains.
I know the fans are really looking forward to your new instrumental solo album, do you think it will be out this summer?
No I am going to put that out next year. I am going to be so busy working with Rob. I will probably put that out next year. I don't really have a title for that yet, if I did I would give it to ya.
What happened to your band Loser ? After I saw you perform with Rob last month, I was so looking forward about your new project. and getting to hear you play guitar with Loser. Why did record label drop you? What happened?
I was suppose to go out on a tour with Loser starting May 6. Now Rob Zombie is going to stay out to October touring. The label is like listen we have got to go promote this record, and they didn't want to wait to the Zombie tour was over. I even offered to hire another guitar player , and they said no it has got to be with you, so we are not going to do it. So I have to let that one fly.
Now what can the fans expect to hear from John 5 in 2006?
Hopefully a new solo album, more Zombie music, all sorts of things.
Thank you so much , John for doing this Exclusive interview with me for Glam-Metal.Com. The staff at GlamMetal.Com TM really supports your music, and Rob Zombie. It has been an honor to be able to interview with you again for your many fans here at the site. I hope to see you perform in Boston again real soon. Best of Luck on tour.
Thank you for the support.
www.john5.com www.robzombie.com
|
