John 5 learned Motley Crue after joining the band.
The 53-year-old guitarist joined the glam metal group in 2022 to replace Mick Mars, but John revealed he studied their old concerts to overcome his nerves.
The musician, whose real name is John Rowley, told Australian Guitar magazine: “I went to set every day. I was prepared for everything because I didn’t want to be nervous. I don’t like that feeling.”
John paid particular close attention to the details of the band’s shows.
He explained: “I’m going to study their stadium concert tour – what Vince is doing [Neil] I’m really going to study where to go during this time, where to go during this time.
“At rehearsals, Nicki would say, ‘At the end of the song, let’s do 10 hits here.’ I knew all these endings.”
The former Rob Zombie guitarist impressed his bandmates with his deep knowledge of the band’s shows and on-stage routines.
But he has no regrets about his preparation.
“They were looking at me like I had the memory of a crazy elephant. I didn’t want to get nervous, I was familiar with their show.”
John was a fan of the ‘Home Sweet Home’ rockers before joining the band and believes their fans will appreciate his efforts.
He said: “I did it every day for months. I wanted to play the solo exactly as it was written.”
“Those solos are very important to me as a fan and very important to the audience.”
