John 5

Photo by Jack Lue

John 5 Unveils Sinner

Interview by Ken Morton - Photos by Jack Lue

Iconic guitarist John 5 has released his highly anticipated new solo album Sinner via Big Machine Records and it’s a thoroughly stunning manifesto of auditory artistry. Known for his work with the likes of David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, and of course Rob Zombie, John 5 has unleashed an equally compelling solo career. Sinner finds John 5 collaborating with the likes of Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Carla Harvey of the Butcher Babies, and Peter Criss formerly of the almighty KISS, and the results are absolutely thunderous to behold. Highwire Daze recently caught up with John 5 doing a photo shoot with Jack Lue at The Jesus Wall in Downtown LA. Read on...

We’re here with John 5. We’re both in our masks because we’re in the middle of COVID-19. Let’s talk to John about Sinner. Is there any overall story or concept behind the Sinner album title, first of all?

Well, I believe, to be honest, we all try to be good people and we are good people, but we’re all sinners a little bit. We don’t talk about and deep inside, it could be anything. It could be just little white lies if you will, so we’re all sinners a little bit, some more than others.

The first single is with Dave Mustaine, like Que Pasa. Tell me about the experience working with Dave and how that all

came about. Well, I was, of course, a huge Megadeth fan just like anyone else. And back in the day, I saw them the first time on the “So Far, So Good...So What! Tour.” I bought Peace Sells when it came out and have always been a huge fan. I have always loved his voice, his writing, and his guitar playing, everything. I mean, the guy’s amazing. And I always wanted to do something with Dave and I thought, “Oh my God, this is a great opportunity and hopefully he’ll like it.” But he did like it. And he was like, “Okay, cool. Let’s do this”. We had a James Brown sample in there before Dave’s part was in there and Dave just like killed it. You know, he just had that attitude and that perfect voice. It’s just so Mustaine, and I was so happy and I’m completely honored to have him a part of the song. It really is an honor.

Another guest that you had on was Carla Harvey from the Butcher Babies who we actually did a photoshoot with too. What was it like working with Carla on the album?

Well, of course being really good with Charlie, her boyfriend, I said, “Hey Charlie, you think Carla would like to do this?” And you know, it’s just one-word, “Euphoria,” but we went through a bunch of other people to do it and it just wasn’t right. And something so simple as one word, but it’s complicated to really get that part, that deliverance, that perfect tone, and the attitude, just with one word. Carla knocked it out and it really is just a perfect, perfect delivery, if you will.

Georgia on My Mind features Peter Criss formerly of Kiss. I know you’re a big Kiss fan. What was that like working with Peter Criss in particular?

I’ve known Peter for a very, very long time, and I’m very close to him. I talk to him all the time on the phone and we’ll chitchat about music, and life, and everything. He loves cats and movies and documentaries. But he talks a lot about growing up and loving jazz music and loving playing jazz and an appreciation he has for Gene Krupa and appreciation he has for Buddy Rich. And he just loves that style, and he played like that. And with Kiss, you can really listen to those drum fills that he does, it’s very jazzy in that feel.

So, I was just going to have a solo guitar playing Georgia on My Mind just to end the record from all this crazy chaos - just some nice solo guitar. But then I thought, “Oh my God, it’d be great to have Peter on this.” And so I said, “Peter would you like to do this?” And he goes, “That’s one of my favorite songs. I would love to.” So, I flew my producer out there and, my producer whose name is Barry Pointer, how he mic the drums was just like back in the day like in the 40s. Just a couple of mics.

It’s not like a mic on every drum set like they do today. And before he started recording him, those microphones were live and he was talking and he was talking to the producer about the song. And the mics were on and it was being recorded what he was saying. So before the song starts, he talks a little bit about the song, and a little bit about me, and that’s how we started the song - about him talking. And we asked if it was okay if we use that and he said, “Absolutely.” So he got behind the drums and it was just like when he was a kid. It’s just like if you haven’t gotten on a bike for a while. But right away, you start riding. And that’s how he said it was. It was like when he was young, he would just play like that all the time and he killed it.

There was a new single that was released with David Lee Roth. Tell me about that song and how it came about.

I’ve been friends with Dave forever, like since the mid-90s and he would always say, “Hey come on over, and let’s get some food, and write some songs.” And we would go into the studio that night after writing these songs. And we’d have so much fun. It was no stress - it was just like a couple of friends get together, playing music, recording it. And it was wonderful because there was literally no stress with that. And he’s been releasing these songs and they make me so happy. I’ll tell you about, like one song that is not released yet. And I don’t talk about this in any other interviews, but it’s called, Nothing Could Have Stopped Us.

And in my eyes, it’s such a wonderful song. Dave did an unbelievable job and it’s about Van Halen, and it just literally is one of my favorite songs that Dave has ever done. I hope he releases it.

Now, of course, David Lee Roth said that he’s going to retire. Could one really ever retire from Rock and Roll? Is that something that would even enter your mind?

No, I really don’t - everybody’s different of course, but I really believe that, I play guitar so much, you know, I’m always picking, I’m always playing. I really believe I will probably perish on stage or with a guitar in my hand for sure. It’s just retirement is something that’s not in my vocabulary. But if I was a singer or a drummer - that’s a different story. But I’m a guitar player and I will never retire. You’ll never hear those words coming out of my mouth. But, you know, everybody’s different and Dave has given us so much great music. Oh my God, so much great music. Thank you, David Lee Roth, for all the great memories and all the great music.

What do you think is made your collaboration with Rob Zombie so successful over the years?

Well, I think there’s such a mutual respect. I love Rob, we get along so well. He’s an amazing person. And of course, playing live with him and recording with him. It is incredible. It’s an honor and we’ve been doing it for so long now. We’ve made a lot of great music and a lot more to come. You know, I don’t see an end in sight at all or a slowing down. We are at the top of our game right now, and I just love the guy so much.

Now you’ve also worked with Marilyn Manson. A lot of people see him as an icon, legend. How do you see Marilyn Manson as?

Well, you know, Manson changed. I loved Manson when he came out. I was like very inspired and I loved all of that just like Kiss, or Alice Cooper, or anything like that. And I just loved everything about it and the music, and the vision, and all of that. I was really really into it. When I was playing for KD Lang, I would listen to it before I went on stage and it was just so much fun, all that stuff, the videos, all that. I really really love the albums he did and the albums that I did with him. It was a wonderful experience.

What do you hope that the rest of 2021 and 2022 brings for you?

Well, I’m so happy, because I never wished upon any of this. When you’re little, you’re like, “Oh, I want to do this. I want to do that.” This is far beyond my dreams, and I’m so happy with how everything has been going. I’m so happy to be doing the interview with you and it’s just wonderful. It’s a Wonderful Life just like the movie, but I am so appreciative of everything. I just want to keep playing and hopefully inspire some people and just keep enjoying life. It’s been absolutely wonderful.

And last question, do you have any messages for your fans who are reading this interview right now?

I would say, if you want to go after your dream, do it. Because if you don’t do it, someone else is going to do it. If you want to be a musician or a sports figure or anything like that, just like the Nike ad says, “just do it!” Because if you don’t do it, I guarantee somebody else is going to do it. And why not you?

www.john5.com

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