\n
Truly one of those mythical, often talked about, but rarely realized Hollywood success stories, John Lowery moved to The Sunset Strip at the age of 18 with a singular ambition \u2013 to become a session guitar player.\u00a0 And with a little good luck, a number of big breaks and an astounding amount of skill, Lowery eventually moved has way up through the rock n\u2019 roll ranks, snagging coveted spots playing live and studio guitar for everyone and anyone (Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Springfield, Lita Ford, k.d. lang, etc) before eventually earning the chance to not only play with, but co-write with Diamond David Lee Roth.<\/p>\n
This pivotal gig with DLR then paved the way for Lowery\u2019s most well-known career work \u2013 six years as guitarist for Marilyn Manson.\u00a0 It was this period, during the height of Manson\u2019s notoriety, where Lowery was rechristened John 5, toured the world and co-wrote two certified Gold records (Holy Wood<\/em>,\u00a0The Golden Age of Grotesque<\/em>).<\/p>\nNow, currently at the helm as Rob Zombie\u2019s guitarist and collaborator for the past 10 years, John 5 has far surpassed his childhood dreams of becoming a mere session guy and moved into the realm of bona fide \u201crockstar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week 5 returned to the place where it all began, his old stomping grounds on The Sunset Strip, where along with his band The Creatures, he performed to a packed to the rafters crowd at the landmark Whisky A Go-Go \u2013 a showcase that proved to be the culmination of a hard earned and much blessed career grinding out his axe.<\/p>\n
You moved to L.A. when you were around 17 or 18 years old\u2026 Share with us your recollections of the scene at that time.<\/strong><\/p>\nMy whole life was The Strip. \u00a0I mean my\u00a0whole<\/em>\u00a0life was The Strip! \u00a0I lived on Fuller in an apartment complex right behind Ralph’s (so-called \u201cRock n\u2019 Roll Ralphs\u201d).\u00a0 My friend and I worked at Penguin’s Frozen Yogurt on Sunset and La Brea, and we would just go down Sunset every night and go to the Whisky. \u00a0In the late 80\u2019s there used to be this great Monday night jam thing\u2026 Bands would get up and play a few songs, and it was so much fun!\u00a0 We would do that on Monday nights and it was packed, it was awesome… and then we’d go see shows at Gazzarri\u2019s (now 1OAK), The Roxy, or just go to the Rainbow.\u00a0 It was such a great time!\u00a0 Of course everybody tells you this, but it really was…\u00a0 There were so many people you couldn’t even walk on the street, I mean literally it was impossible to walk down the street!<\/p>\nYou would see Nikki and Tommy (M\u00f6tley Cr\u00fce), Slash, David Lee Roth and everybody hanging out at these clubs. \u00a0It was amazing!\u00a0 I cherish those times, and I am so lucky that I got to be a part of them because it’s never happened ever since then, and it never will again. \u00a0That time that I was on The Strip was magic. \u00a0It was absolute magic!\u00a0 There was electricity in the air, and it was an electricity of strippers and sleazy music, and you know just debauchery and amazing, amazing fun. \u00a0I didn’t have a care in the world, not a responsibility in the world and it was unbelievable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sunset Strip website interviewed John 5 before he and The Creatures performed last week in LA. John 5 reminisces about his own experiences, what The Strip mean to him as a fan and a musician, takes a walk back to his days in Manson and what its like to be playing with his “brother” Rob Zombie<\/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":[620,559,608],"class_list":["post-4737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interview","tag-interview","tag-john-5-and-the-creatures","tag-the-sunset-strip","tw-post-no-content"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1qFj4-1ep","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6123,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2017\/02\/17\/interview-it-is-not-even-work-to-me-i-am-so-lucky-to-be-doing-what-i-am-doing-john-5-speaks-to-tattoo-com\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":0},"title":"[Interview] “It is not even work to me. I am so lucky to be doing what I am doing” – John 5 speaks to Tattoo.com","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"February 17, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Tattoo.com speaks to John 5 about the upcoming release of \u2018Season of the Witch\u2019, getting tattooed at Sunset Strip Tattoo, balancing artistic mediums, and more","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"John 5 Interview Tattoo.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/tattoo-john-5-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/tattoo-john-5-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/tattoo-john-5-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":542763,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2019\/05\/22\/listen-john-5-speaks-to-riki-rachtman-about-the-infamous-cathouse-in-hollywood\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":1},"title":"[LISTEN] John 5 speaks to Riki Rachtman about the infamous ‘Cathouse’ in Hollywood","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"May 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 joins Riki Rachtman's Cathouse Hollywood Podcast to talk about one of the epicenters of \"the Hollywood Rock scene\".","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"John 5 Cathouse Hollywood podcast","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/cathouse_john_5.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/cathouse_john_5.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/cathouse_john_5.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5739,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2016\/11\/08\/interview-john-5-talks-to-tv-of-the-lost\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":2},"title":"[Interview] John 5 talks to TV of The Lost","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"November 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Check out this great interview with John 5 while he was in Germany for his recent John 5 and The Creatures tour.","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"TV of the Lost John 5 Interview","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/john-5-land-lost-tv-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/john-5-land-lost-tv-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/john-5-land-lost-tv-interview.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4696,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2015\/02\/13\/review-john-5-and-the-creatures-the-audience-through-a-diverse-journey-of-music-at-a-sold-out-show-in-la\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":3},"title":"[REVIEW] John 5 and The Creatures take “the audience through a diverse journey” of music at sold out show in LA","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"February 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 and The Creature played a sold out home show at the infamous Whiskey in West Hollywood this past Wednesday and played to a sold out crowd. Read excerpts from Metal Assaults review","rel":"","context":"In "Tour News"","block_context":{"text":"Tour News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/tour\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Metal Assault John 5 at The Whiskey","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/john-5-whiskey.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/john-5-whiskey.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/john-5-whiskey.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":616170,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2019\/09\/09\/john-5-speaks-to-revolver-mag-about-marilyn-manson-playing-for-prince-new-rob-zombie-album-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":4},"title":"John 5 speaks to Revolver Mag about MARILYN MANSON, PLAYING FOR PRINCE, NEW ROB ZOMBIE ALBUM & more","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"September 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 speaks to Revolver Magazine about his new album Invasion, Marilyn Manson, the new Rob Zombie album and much more.","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"John 5 Revolver Magazine Interview","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/john-5-revolver-magazine.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/john-5-revolver-magazine.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/john-5-revolver-magazine.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6991,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2018\/03\/03\/john-5-talks-to-in-the-loop-about-touring-kiss-and-the-forthcoming-rob-zombie-album\/","url_meta":{"origin":4737,"position":5},"title":"John 5 talks to In The Loop about touring, KISS and the forthcoming Rob Zombie album","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"March 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 spoke to In The Loop Magazine ahead of their recent show at Reggies Rock Club in Chicago to discuss touring, his KISS collection and the brand new Rob Zombie album.","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\/2018\/03\/john-5-in-the-loop.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/john-5-in-the-loop.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/john-5-in-the-loop.jpg?fit=550%2C307&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4737","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=4737"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4737\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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