Ruben Mosqueda of KNAC.com spoke with guitarist John 5, excerpts from the interview appear below.
KNAC.com: Has John 5 ever been approached about doing a “guitar based tour: like in the vein of G3 or Generation Axe?
John 5: Believe it or not I have not. Isn’t that crazy?! [laughs] Yeah, I’d love to do something like that.
KNAC.com: Would you ever consider putting on a tour like that yourself?
John 5: Oh, I haven’t seriously thought about something like that, but I’m doing a show in L.A. with The Aristocrats on September 1st. That’s a band that I’d love to do an entire tour with. They’re a super cool band in my book.
KNAC.com: I was looking at your official Instagram page and saw that Peter Criss stopped by the show a couple nights ago and presented you with a Canadian gold Peter Criss solo record plaque.
John 5: That’s right! It’s from 1978. It’s incredible dude! It’s a birthday gift. My birthday isn’t until July 31st, but Peter thought he’d surprise me, and he did. [laughs] I always see Peter around my birthday, but this really blew my mind. He also gave me a ticket from 1975, I mean, I’m so honored and grateful. It’s crazy.
KNAC.com: I saw there was just a KISS book, Hottest Brand In The Land that was just released, which features photos of all the KISS merch from over the years. I thought of your collection that I have seen on your Instagram.
John 5: Well, funny you should mention the book, because they used some of my collection for that. So some of the merchandise that you see in the book is from my personal collection. It’s a great book.
KNAC.com: With KISS winding down, how would you feel about KISS continuing without any original members? Do you think there’s value in something like that? Or how about the classic KISS line-up holograms?
John 5: The hologram thing…I haven’t seen it, so I can’t really judge it. I’ve never seen a hologram of anyone. Now the KISS line-up without Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley]? Let’s see, people want to go out for a good time, they want to hear the songs, they want to see the show and it’s produced by KISS? I don’t know. That’s a really tough question, I have no idea. I think I’d have to see it for myself to give you an answer.
KNAC.com: I spoke with you back in March, with Van Halen in a holding pattern, Roth looks to be getting a little restless starting up his podcast and working on EDM music. Has there been any progress on the album you cut with him?
John 5: I haven’t gotten anything on that record being released, all I can say is that time will tell…time will tell…
To listen to a clip of unreleased John 5 and David Lee Roth material, please click here.
Read more at KNAC.com.
4 Responses
Holograms and tribute bands ain’t for me, but whatever gets your rocks off…
As far as Kiss goes, I see them more as a theatric spectacle than a band. I can certainly see Kiss continuing without any of the members. People will pay to see it.
Not me, I won’t.
Now, I would pay good money to see a hologram of a tribute band!