Actions, they are saying, communicate louder than phrases. So it’s no surprise the workaholic perfectionist guitar phenom John 5 is elated when discussing his newest album, Ghost, on uncommon downtime.

After six days taking part in Vegas with Mötley Crue, he speed-shifted to prepping for a joint tour with Richie Kotzen. Music being his calling, Stage 10 enthusiasm is a part of his DNA.

“I’m 55 now, I really feel so good, and I’m grateful that I’m nonetheless so hungry,” he mentioned. “I by no means wish to get comfy, and it’s so essential for me to all the time be creating new songs. I prefer to push my limits and see what occurs.”

Additionally an unapologetic guitar collector, scenes from the twenty first century have taught him to dwell for the day.

“You concentrate on how guitars have been misplaced to fires, floods, and theft… I can’t assist however be reminded that increasingly, cool previous guitars can go away. Keep in mind that flood in Nashville in 2010 and all these guitars that have been ruined? And who is aware of what number of have been misplaced within the fires right here in California. That’s what makes classic guitars so essential, so particular.”

Ghost, which delivers the whole lot followers crave together with some twists that lean mainstream together with (virtually) straight jazz and heavy blues, is J5’s eleventh solo album. Born John Lowery, his profession now spans greater than 30 years bolstering the work of David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, and Rob Halford in addition to non-rockers KD Lang, Dolly Parton, Ricky Martin, and cellist Tina Guo. In 2022, he joined the Crue after Mick Mars retired.

What impressed the songs you created for Ghost?
Plain and easy – the need to make new music. I play lots; I sit on the sofa and give you riffs, licks, and concepts. I watch plenty of TV at night time and I’ll hear one thing that makes me keep in mind a track from after I was a child. That’s why I did [Benny Goodman’s] “Moon Glow,” which is a track my mother and father liked. Then I noticed a documentary on Robert Johnson and considered doing one in all his songs with a contemporary vibe, and that grew to become “You, Me And The Satan Makes Three.” I actually get pleasure from new concepts and new music. I love it.

Do you document when you’re sitting on the sofa?
Yeah, with my telephone. I don’t have a studio in my house as a result of I don’t need it to be too straightforward to do a bunch of takes. As an alternative, I simply put together. I’ll apply a track for weeks then go to a studio and document it prefer it’s a efficiency. Form of like how they did it within the ’30s and ’40s. Doing meaning I’ve to be utterly ready. Earlier than Professional Instruments, there have been execs. A number of bands don’t document a lot new music nowadays as a result of it’s plenty of work, it’s costly, and it’s time-consuming.

You adopted the growing frequent mannequin of releasing a collection of songs main as much as an album.
Main as much as Ghost, I launched a brand new track each month or two, and it labored splendidly. And when folks come to a present, they’ve had time to get to know the songs although the album could be very new. Hopefully, they’ve been having fun with the singles and are motivated to purchase the vinyl or CD as a result of they will get it signed at a present or no matter. I take advantage of myself for example; I need that stuff from artists I take heed to!

Coloured vinyl and old-school album packaging are an enormous a part of merch gross sales.
Yeah, folks find it irresistible – thank God! And it’s actually been working for me.

The primary single was “Strung Out.”
That got here out in 2023, which looks as if a very long time in the past, however that’s how cautious I used to be with this music. Once I was with Marilyn Manson, I keep in mind being up actually late making an attempt to complete a document as a result of it needed to be within the label’s workplace at 8 a.m. It’s unusual to consider that now, and I undoubtedly don’t work that manner.

“A Hollywood Story” is described within the publicity notes as biographical. That’s a daring factor to say about an instrumental.
Yeah, the video helps it make sense. Once I watch it, I feel, “Wow, I did plenty of stuff,” and I’m happy with it. I really like that track, and it’s fairly unorthodox, as properly.

It’s extra melody-driven.
Yeah. Most of my stuff is so frantic, however I like that it feels form of therapeutic, as a result of we’re all working, residing our lives. I don’t go to the health club, so I get all my loopy vitality out with my music.

What ought to listeners search for/admire within the guitar elements you created for “Strung Out,” “The Ghost,” and “Deviant”?
“Strung Out” is a really unorthodox guitar instrumental. It begins with all these unusual sounds not made with results, however simply from my palms working the guitar, like harmonics, taking part in behind-the nut, arpeggios… unusual appears like that.

“The Ghost” is the title observe, which I really like lots. It’s very quick, aggressive, and it simply by no means takes a breather. I feel folks get pleasure from this one essentially the most.

“Deviant” has a very cool, heavy groove to it and plenty of shifting arpeggios to associate with the chords. Stephen Perkins did a terrific job on it.

Is the intro to “The Ghost” an homage to “Eruption”?
It has form of a “Eruption” sort of intro, however actually it’s a really cool new approach referred to as “selective choosing,” then I’m going into leads going up the neck and happening the neck then ending with a really vast arpeggio.

Is there a distinction between a ghost and an affect?
I feel there’s a massive distinction between a ghost and an affect. I consider we’re all the time surrounded by ghosts. We don’t actually even comprehend it. Not dangerous ghosts, however good ghosts. I consider that we get our influences from all over the place – at the least I do; music, films, TV. I feel being influenced is among the most essential issues in life as a result of it could possibly change you and your life.

Your rig is fairly simple – just a few very important Boss pedals and VH 5150 amps. How did you land on the 5150s and why have you ever caught with them?
I talked to Eddie Van Halen rather a lot on the telephone concerning the 5150 album, and I used to be all the time so amazed by his consideration to element. I used to be utilizing Marshalls for a very long time, however I actually liked how EVH all the time sounded. Eddie gave me one in all his early heads and I nonetheless assume it sounds superb. It might be a prototype, truly.

What did visitor drummers Stephen Perkins, Marco Menneman, and Kenny Aronoff deliver to the tracks?
Effectively, Marco is a superb all-around participant and I knew he’d be good for “Moon Glow” as a result of jazz is a distinct type for me, and it ain’t straightforward – you must be educated on it. I assumed Marco could be good, and so was Matt Bissonette on upright bass.

I knew Kenny could be nice on the driving rock of “Fiend,” and he killed it, in fact. And Stephen Perkins… I wished this jungle-y tom-tom factor on “Deviant,” and he was completely sensible. And naturally, my common drummer, Alex Mercado, is so good that he can play all these things dwell. He actually shines on “L.A. Categorical,” with the rad drum solo.

What impressed your inviting company?
Effectively, I really like, Steely Dan… truly, I worship Steely Dan. I hear to each story that anybody has to inform about Steely Dan (laughs).

What’s the draw?
The perfection, as a result of I’m such a horrible, horrible perfectionist (laughs). I’m speaking past perfection. It’s actually a factor. That’s what Steely Dan was about; it took them six weeks simply to discover a good chair for the studio (laughs). And after they’d document, they’d say, “You understand what? Larry Carlton could be nice on this track. Jeff Porcaro could be nice on this track. Bernard Purdie could be nice on this track.”

That’s how I began to consider my very own music: “I’d love to listen to Kenny on this, Marco on that, and Matt on that.” Similar with Gregg Bissonette. So I assumed, “I’m going to do that Steely Dan-style,” and that’s how I carried out it – with utter perfection. If I screwed up, I’d begin over from the start. I didn’t ask the blokes to be there for that, however that’s how I tracked it. It was fantastic, and I’m tremendous enthusiastic about it due to all of the onerous work.

I’m happy with the paintings, too. I acquired this unimaginable photographer, Jen Rosenstein, who is totally sensible. The image on the quilt is chrome, so it form of seems to be like Double Platinum by Kiss, however a bit of higher, I gotta say. It’s simply lovely.

Apart from “Moon Glow,” did you do bass elements your self?
I did! I’d lay down a bass observe proper after, normally doubling my guitar half, which I feel is de facto cool. A number of jazz gamers try this – double the horn or another half. I actually love how that sounds, which is why I really like the best way Billy Sheehan performs.

Is there a observe the place you notably dig your bass half?
In all probability “L.A. Categorical” simply because it’s a very cool track.

Which bass did you utilize?
I used a Nelson Devices Paramount, and it’s actually nice. I additionally used a ’68 Precision that’s simply lovely. We had plenty of enjoyable with it.

Which guitars can we hear on the album?
Largely you hear my Fender Ghost Tele. However on a pair songs I used a brand new signature mannequin referred to as the Phantom, which will likely be out subsequent 12 months with Fender. It’s what I’m utilizing with Mötley proper now.

What are the small print on every?
Each have been completely impressed by classic Telecasters; the highest binding is from early-’60s Tele Customs and the massive one-piece pickguards are from the Thinline.

The Ghost has DiMarzio Tremendous Distortions, the pickup toggle close to the highest – like a Les Paul – and one Quantity knob with the kill change under it. I’m so grateful for that guitar. The Phantom is all black and has a stupendous neck cutaway and physique contour that’s simply unimaginable.

It’s been a decade or so since we talked about your amassing a Telecaster from yearly. What’s the newest?
Effectively, it occurred, and I’m tremendous blissful as a result of I’m a completist; I’m so OCD, I’m simply such a large number (laughs).

Which items completed it?
A black ’72 Thinline and a ’69 sunburst. Each are actually fairly.

Different swanky classic bits you’ve acquired embody a goldtop and an SG with the ebony block.
I really like classic guitars. Teles are my favourite, however after I see one thing superb, I’m going to leap on it. I really like the look of the SG – it’s so cool – and Les Pauls are simply such artistic endeavors. Traditional guitars are like basic vehicles – they’ll by no means exit of favor. They’re lovely and made with such perfection. I particularly love to seek out West Coast guitars as a result of they normally aren’t weather-checked.

You’re set to do an intensive tour with Richie Kotzen. By way of October and November, you barely have any days off.
Isn’t it fantastic (laughs)? I hate days off a lot. Subsequent 12 months, I’m hoping to do 50 reveals in 50 states in 50 days. I’ll have backups for the whole lot; there’ll be a van following the bus with backup gear and I’ll have backup techs in case one can’t make a present, as a result of nothing can cease the present (laughs)!

Are you taking a bass participant on tour?
I’m not. The way in which I tour is grueling, so as an alternative of asking one other musician to undergo all that, I’ll have bass tracks popping out of a bass amp. I noticed Buckethead on the Dolby Theater in L.A. with only a guitar amp, cab, and a few pedals. He performed to bass and drum tracks, prefer it was a clinic, and it was unimaginable. The place was packed. It was inspiring – and sensible. So, this tour will likely be simply me and Alex, who’s an incredible musician and might deal with the trials of the street. I love feeding off a drummer, so I feel I’ll all the time have one to play dwell.

This text initially appeared in VG’s December 2025 difficulty. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.