Is John 5 Having Second Thoughts About Joining MÖTLEY CRÜE? Guitarist Distances Himself, Books New Solo Tour

Guitar virtuoso John 5 is hitting the road in 2024 for his first solo tour since joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as replacement for ousted founding guitarist Mick Mars. There has been a lot of dirt slinging back and forth between Mars and the boys. John 5 finds himself in rather precarious spot while legal counsels for each side wage war like never seen before, and believe it or not, word coming out of the glam metal band’s camp now is that 5 has decided to distance himself during the ugliest legal battle in rock history. The shredder has booked a new solo tour outing, which kicks off January 26th in Santa Ana, California, and will see the six-string master play many different U.S. venues before finishing up on the West Coast on March 1st in San Diego, California.

John will be joined by his solo band, The Creatures, and some “unexpected special guests.”

Tickets went on sale Friday, August 11, and are selling fast. For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit John-5.com.

John was hired by the Crüe in 2022 in place of 72-year-old guitar hero Mick Mars, who launched a major lawsuit against his old band mates, contending he has been “ripped off” and is so angry he will no longer speak to Nikki, Tommy and Vince, due to the financial dispute over the band’s massive revenue earned off The Stadium Tour.

There is no doubt he has some big shoes to fill, and it hasn’t been an exactly smooth ride since he jumped aboard the biggest circus in rock n roll music. Nikki Sixx denied that he is using backing tracks at live shows, despite Mick Mars stating in his lawsuit Sixx did not play one note on the stage in 2022. And the ugliest part is Sixx keeps getting busted fake playing long to backing tapes at recent shows in 2023, a trick also called “finger synching”, wherein the musician is essentially clown miming on his instrument to pre-recorded tape running through the PA system.