{"id":2231,"date":"2012-05-29T13:28:08","date_gmt":"2012-05-29T13:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/?p=2231"},"modified":"2012-05-29T13:28:08","modified_gmt":"2012-05-29T13:28:08","slug":"tulsatoday-interviews-john-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/05\/29\/tulsatoday-interviews-john-5\/","title":{"rendered":"TulsaToday interviews John 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JohnJust before the final show of the recent Rob Zombie\/Megadeth co-headliner, Tulsa Today<\/a> sat down with John to chat about ‘life, rock and Rocklahoma’.<\/p>\n

Enjoy!<\/p>\n

John 5 on life, rock and Rocklahoma<\/strong> Written by John Hall, Tulsa Today<\/em> <\/p>\n

With Rob Zombie headlining Saturday night\u2019s festivities at Rocklahoma, we recently sat down with guitarist John 5 to talk music, touring and other things that have kept him busy recently. Drawing influence from several genres of music, John 5 recently released his sixth studio album, \u201cGod Told Me To,\u201d and is in his seventh year as lead guitarist for Rob Zombie.<\/em><\/p>\n

ON ROCKLAHOMA AND TOURING<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait to get on stage and start playing and be there. It\u2019s tough when you\u2019re home and you have so much going on. I\u2019ve been working so hard and I\u2019ve got so much work. When I\u2019m on tour, it\u2019s kind of like a mini vacation. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve been more excited to go on tour than I am for these upcoming shows, just because I\u2019ve been working so hard. I am going to kiss the ground when I\u2019m in Oklahoma, I\u2019m going to be so excited.\u201d<\/em>
\n
\n\u201cYou get up on stage, you\u2019ve got people screaming for you, and girls taking their tops off. You\u2019re playing great, heavy rock and roll music and you\u2019re with your friends. You\u2019re seeing the country. It\u2019s actually a dream, it\u2019s amazing. The only really bad part is you\u2019re not with your family and things like that. It\u2019s like a fantasy land, it really is a dream.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

PLAYING FESTIVALS<\/strong>
\n
\n\u201cTo be honest, I really like doing the festivals. You pull up there, you\u2019re on your bus, but you\u2019re like after catering, I\u2019m going to go see this band or lets go walk around and see the fans. There\u2019s so many bands playing, you get to see people and get to watch all these bands you enjoy and admire. I like when we\u2019re headlining a festival because our gear gets to stay on, but the only stressful part is we don\u2019t get a sound check and things like that but I really enjoy the festivals.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

PLAYING HURT DURING MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2010<\/strong>
\n
\n\u201cI jumped off (a riser) when it was pitch black and I landed wrong and I broke my foot. It was awful because I\u2019m so physical on stage – I\u2019m running around and I like to move around and entertain when I\u2019m on stage. It really grounded me after I broke my foot. I\u2019m 100 percent better and no problems.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

ONSTAGE VS. OFFSTAGE<\/strong>
\n
\n\u201cI\u2019m very physical up on stage, I\u2019m going crazy up there. Offstage I\u2019m working like a dog, I\u2019m always working. It\u2019s more of a business, so I\u2019m not so crazy and wild. It\u2019s a lot of business trying to keep my ducks in a row.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

RECORDING WITH ROB ZOMBIE<\/strong>
\n
\n\u201cA lot of the music has been worked out and when we start going in the studio some things will get changed around, but we have the majority of the ideas ready to go. Luckily, we\u2019ve been doing it for so long – Rob has been making records forever and I have too. We know exactly what we want and how to do it. I really enjoy making albums, it\u2019s a fun process for me. I think anything is fun if you\u2019re prepared. If you\u2019ve prepared at school for a test you know \u2018okay, I can do this,\u2019 but if you\u2019re not prepared it makes things more stressful for you. We\u2019re pretty prepared and we\u2019re ready to do this. I believe it\u2019s a collective effort between all of us. Rob, of course, has incredible ideas, but we all put in our two cents and create music together as a band.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

WRITING THE SCORE FOR THE LORDS OF SALEM<\/strong>
\n
\n\u201cYou\u2019re dealing with oboes, bassoons, trombones, violins, cellos and orchestras and all that stuff. It\u2019s a completely different animal and it\u2019s a challenge, but I really enjoy doing it. I want to have a little celebration when I get on tour because I\u2019ve finished this big project and its gone really well. It\u2019s kind of a little reward for me and a vacation and I\u2019m really super excited. It\u2019s an amazing movie, I\u2019ve seen clips and the visuals are stunning. I\u2019m really excited for people to see it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

FAVORITE NON-ROCK ARTISTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a plethora. I love country music, I\u2019m a massive country fan. I love Doc Watson, he\u2019s an old bluegrass country guy, and I love Chet Atkins. I love, love, love country music. Dixie Chicks, of course Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, all those guys – I love listen to that stuff. Also, of course, Rod Stewart and Elton John, I\u2019m just a fan of music.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

PLAYING WITH ROB ZOMBIE<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve played with a lot of people and I\u2019m coming up on seven years playing with Rob, I\u2019ve been in a lot of bands and I\u2019ve learned a lot. Definitely, by far, Rob has been a blessing in my life. I\u2019m so happy to be in a band with him and to be associated with him and having gotten to know him. He\u2019s such an amazing person and such a hard worker. It has been the best seven years I\u2019ve had in the music business, playing with Rob Zombie.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGOD TOLD ME TO\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s another instrumental record that I\u2019m doing and I wanted to chance it up a little bit. I\u2019ve been putting country, rock and instrumentals (on albums) but I wanted to change it up. Half of the album is acoustic, I\u2019m keeping the audience guessing so it\u2019s not just the same old record again. It\u2019s half acoustic guitar and half crazy, shredding, electric guitar. Rob Zombie painted the color art for it, which I\u2019m very proud of, I\u2019m very happy and honored that he did that. I\u2019m doing a cover of Michael Jackson\u2019s \u201cBeat It\u201d on the album and I\u2019ve put a lot of time and effort into this record.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a DVD that comes with it showing the studio during recording, me on the road and in everyday life. Back in the day when there was a horror movie on, when they showed these movies there was a horror host. I have someone like that, hosting the DVD. It\u2019s a really great DVD that I\u2019m proud of and I think that people will enjoy it. I offered them a little bit more than just music. I wanted to give them their money\u2019s worth where you get an hour-long DVD and the CD as well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

POSSIBILITIES OF A SOLO TOUR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to have to get a little bit of time to do that, I\u2019ve been very busy. I have to plan my bathroom breaks, that\u2019s how busy I am. Maybe in the future if we take a little break. At some point I\u2019ll get to do it and I\u2019ll make a big event out of it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

PERCEPTION OF SOLO WORK FROM YOUR ROCK FANS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI put out my first CD \u201cVertigo\u201d around 2004 and I got such a massive response. This is my sixth album now, and people really love it, it\u2019s widened my range of fans to a degree. I have the goth kids, who I love, musicians, older gentlemen who love country music and young kids. My demographic is pretty wide, which I\u2019m very proud of.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

WHAT TO EXPECT AT ROCKLAHOMA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you come to a Rob Zombie show, it\u2019s definitely an experience, that\u2019s for sure. Just be ready for a massive show and to have a great time. Please, if you see me walking around, yell out my name and I\u2019ll come and shake your hand. I love to talk to the fans and meet the fans and listen to the fans. When people come up to musicians and they say \u2018I really like this\u2019 and \u2018I like that,\u2019 I always listen to what people have to say. I love meeting all of you, and talking to everybody, I really enjoy it. I can\u2019t wait to be there!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Photo by<\/strong> Kevin Pyle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just before the final show of the recent Rob Zombie\/Megadeth co-headliner, Tulsa Today sat down with John to chat about ‘life, rock and Rocklahoma’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[129,620,13,14,241,248,298,297],"class_list":["post-2231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interview","tag-god-told-me-to","tag-interview","tag-john-5","tag-rob-zombie","tag-rocklahoma","tag-the-lords-of-salem","tag-touring","tag-tulsa-today","tw-post-no-content"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1qFj4-zZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2594,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/08\/24\/watch-this-interview-with-john-5-conducted-by-eddie-trunk\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":0},"title":"Watch this interview with John 5 conducted by Eddie Trunk","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"August 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier in the year Eddie Trunk of That Metal Show, caught up with John 5 at the last show of the Rob Zombie\/Megadeth tour which was at this years Rocklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1920,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/02\/21\/zombie-and-megadeth-announce-co-headlining-tour\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":1},"title":"Zombie and Megadeth announce co-headlining tour","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"February 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Metal heavyweights ROB ZOMBIE and MEGADETH have just announced a co-headlining tour guaranteed to raise the temperature on the planet.","rel":"","context":"In "Tour News"","block_context":{"text":"Tour News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/tour\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/rob-zombie-megadeth.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":836574,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2021\/06\/08\/john-5-and-the-creatures-to-play-at-this-years-rocklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":2},"title":"John 5 and The Creatures to play at this year’s Rocklahoma","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"June 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 will be heading to Rocklahoma, not only with Rob Zombie where they will be headlining on September 3, but also to play with his band The Creatures.","rel":"","context":"In "Tour News"","block_context":{"text":"Tour News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/tour\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rocklahoma 2021 John 5 and The Creatures Rob Zombie","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ROCKLAHOMA_2021_STORY_TEASE_JOHN_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ROCKLAHOMA_2021_STORY_TEASE_JOHN_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ROCKLAHOMA_2021_STORY_TEASE_JOHN_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ROCKLAHOMA_2021_STORY_TEASE_JOHN_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ROCKLAHOMA_2021_STORY_TEASE_JOHN_5.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1902,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/02\/16\/rob-zombie-announced-for-rocklahoma-2012\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":3},"title":"Rob Zombie announced for Rocklahoma 2012","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"February 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Rocklahomahave announced their line-up for this year and yes you\u2019ve guessed it, the ears will be bleed with the sound of \u201cZombie, Zombie, Zombie\u201d.","rel":"","context":"In "Tour News"","block_context":{"text":"Tour News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/tour\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/rocklahoma-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2240,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/06\/04\/chicago-music-magazine-interviews-john-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":4},"title":"Chicago Music Magazine interviews John 5","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"June 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Chicago Music Magazine Assistant Editor Alex Kluft has sat down with John 5 during the Zombie\/Megadeth co-headliner for an interview. Read it here and see below some of the images Alex took of the recent shows.","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/MG_6082-copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1958,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2012\/03\/02\/new-zombie-album-production-starting-in-june\/","url_meta":{"origin":2231,"position":5},"title":"New Zombie album production starting in June!","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"March 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"With the end of production on the new film The Lords of Salem coming soon, Rob will be returning to the studio with fellow bandmates John 5, Piggy D and Ginger Fish for a brand new album.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/423492_10150602761938323_126545588322_9139301_2001677186_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2231"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2231\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}