EXCLUSIVE Q&A with guitar legend John 5 (Rob Zombie/ ex- Marilyn Manson)

On the upcoming tour of Australia taking place in April 2020

John: Yes, I'm super excited. We are all very excited. Actually me and my wife are coming early to just come hang out for a few days and just relax and enjoy Australia. We're super, super excited.

John: Well we're doing, we are going to record the shows in Australia because I'm working on a live record and called "Live Invasion". We're going to do all the songs from "Invasion" and record then you'll hear a bunch of stuff. And we do this really cool long medley of 60 riffs and it's going to be a very special show. I think people are going to be super excited and really happy how it turns out. We're going to work really hard on it and just hopefully come back to Australia all the time because it's one of my favorite places to play for sure.

On having a wide variety of guitar influences

John: Well, I'm just such a fan of music in general. I love music and it doesn't have to be metal or rock or country or anything. I just... Something's done really well I am really into it. And that's what I do and I just loved learning. So I would, I try to learn as much as I can, all different styles of music. And it just keeps me very, very in tune with music and try to push myself as much as possible.

Reflections on the "Educated Horses" album and as to why he didn't play many songs from the album last time he played with Rob Zombie at Soundwave

John: Well it's funny you say that because that's Rob's favorite album as well and I don't know, I think we were just supporting a different record and we were just playing and we just pick certain songs we want to play and we just keep going with it. We just make a new set list all the time. And maybe in Australia we didn't play, but you know, we love playing songs like American Witch , all of that stuff. Mostly just saying, I mean it's such a cool record. I love that record.

On auditing for Ozzy Osbourne

John: Well, it wasn't really an audition. I think that when I was with Randy Castillo, I just helped them. I don't know where Zakk [Wylde] was or what was going on, but I just played a little guitar. It wasn't really an audition. I've known Ozzy for a long time and so I think that might be the false Wikipedia. But yeah, I just would go in there and play a little bit and stuff. But it wasn't really an audition. Zakk was always the guitar player. So I think that's a little false information.

On whether John 5 still listens to Marilyn Manson since he left the band

John: Oh I think it's wonderful. I think he's really doing great. I mean we tour together all the time, the Zombie/Manson tour, but he's really singing well and his songs are great. He's... I think singing better than he ever has when I was back in the band with him in like 98, 99, 2000. He's singing just as well today as he did back then.

On why John 5 has abstained from drugs and alcohol his whole life

John: Well I always give honest answers. I saw a lot of people doing it and I just thought, "Eh, not really for me". I want to be able to play music and play it well and not be intoxicated. So I always thought to myself, "Eh, I just am going to go the other way and just not do it". And because it is so a big thing and I had so many friends and family members, I did do it and I just thought, "I'm going to just choose not to do it". And that's how I've always been my whole life.

On whether it is uncomfortable to hang out with people when they are drinking and partying

John: Oh no. Yeah, no, no. It doesn't bother me at all, because I never drank before. I never partied before, so it never bothered me. It's just like if there's a certain kind of food that I don't like, but everybody likes it, it doesn't bother me, I can find something to eat. And yeah, it's just, I never really had a problem with it at all, whatsoever. I just, I didn't find it...Any upward advantage to it. You spend the money, you don't feel well, you kind of regret things you did the night before. So, I don't really see an upside to it whatsoever.

Plans for tours and new music with Rob Zombie

John: Yes, we have a new record finished and we're going to just do a bunch of touring and all that stuff. Everything the same, same, same. We're just going to keep playing and touring and writing and having great times. John:It's going to be... I'll tell you about this record, it's heavy, super heavy. It's super funky and it's got really rad riffs on it. Everything, you know, great vocals, great melodies. It's a super heavy record. I'm a Rob Zombie fan before I got in the band and the White Zombie fan and if it came out. I'd be super, super psyched. So I'm really excited for people to hear it.

Listen to the full interview

Australian Tour Dates

I Want It All - John 5 and The Creatures

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