John 5 hasn’t spoken to Rob Zombie since joining Mötley Crüe, but there are no hard feelings between them.
“Yeah, everyone I’ve ever played with or anything like that, I’ve always kept in touch because listen, life is short and I just love positivity and and things like that,” the guitarist told Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown when asked whether it bothers him that he hasn’t talked to Zombie. “It makes my life better but I don’t think we have any bad blood.”
He continued his words, “I really don’t but we just haven’t engaged with each other. We haven’t conversed with each other. I haven’t reached out because I think if I reach out and he doesn’t reach out, I’ll be like really bummed but I haven’t done that yet. He hasn’t done it. He’s busy. I’m busy. He’s just about to start a tour. So I don’t think there’s anything really bad or negative going on.”
In October 2022, Mötley Crüe announced that John 5 had joined them as an official member to replace Mick Mars. Later last year in September, the guitarist told the Talkin’ Rock podcast that he has no regrets about leaving Rob Zombie.
“Well, it was very difficult, of course,” John 5 said of leaving Zombie. “Because for me and Rob, for 17 years [we were] very close, had a wonderful working relationship, a friend relationship, and we made so much great music together. This opportunity came, and I was like, ‘I gotta do this for me. I want to see this through me eyes and experience everything I can experience in my life.’ And I’m happy I did it. It’s the greatest thing ever!”
John 5 also shared how Rob reacted to him after he learned about his departure. He said, “I talked to Rob, and he understood. Rob is a smart, rational person. I mean, he wasn’t psyched, but he understood. And I think that was amazing of him. He was just, like, ‘Go get them.’ He was fine about it.”
Earlier this month, the Mötley Crüe guitarist teased a new song that he says sounds a bit like old Aerosmith. The band plans to release it soon, and he’s excited about how cool and catchy it is.
