CRÜE TO THE 5TH POWER
Guitar World|October 2023
MONSTER GUITARIST JOHN 5 DETAILS HIS ASCENSION INTO THE RANKS OF MÖTLEY CRÜE
JOE BOSSO
CRÜE TO THE 5TH POWER

EARLIER THIS YEAR, JOHN 5 WOKE UP from a dead sleep and had no idea where he was. He looked around, disoriented, blinking his bleary eyes. “Oh, my God. I’m on an airplane,” he said to himself. Still not fully awake, he scanned his surroundings some more the massive aircraft was a chartered affair, plush and roomy. All of the other passengers were stretched out, sound asleep. Then he started to scrutinize their faces. “Who are these people?” he thought. After a few seconds, he recognized guitarist Vivian Campbell, and soon he realized that all of the members of Def Leppard were on board. Not only that, but so were Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe.

“I started freaking out,” John 5 says. “I got up and went to the back of the plane to wake myself up.” What at first seemed like an out-ofbody experience soon became very real. The guitarist was winging his way from the U.S. to South America in spare-no-expense rock-star style as both bands, Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard, were about to begin their 2023 co-headline world tour.

This story is from the October 2023 edition of Guitar World.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2023 edition of Guitar World.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GUITAR WORLDView All
THE JESUS LIZARD
Guitar World

THE JESUS LIZARD

Duane Denison tells you everything you need to know about his gear, trying to sell Steve Howe a guitar in the Seventies and oh, yeah! - 2024's Rack, the Jesus Lizard's first new studio album in 26 years

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2025
MATTEO MANCUSO
Guitar World

MATTEO MANCUSO

The Italian jazz-shredder on social media, his love of the Yamaha Revstar and the advice given to him by Steve Vai

time-read
6 mins  |
January 2025
GRACE BOWERS
Guitar World

GRACE BOWERS

After a \"whirlwind\" year, the 18-year-old sensation discusses her love of SGS, inspiring a new generation of female guitarists, and how she's more than just a blues player

time-read
7 mins  |
January 2025
THE GUITARISTS OF THE YEAR
Guitar World

THE GUITARISTS OF THE YEAR

GUITAR WORLD'S EDITORS AND WRITERS SELECT 2024'S GAME-CHANGERS AND TASTEMAKERS

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2025
OUR FAVORITE GEAR OF THE YEAR
Guitar World

OUR FAVORITE GEAR OF THE YEAR

THERE WAS AN ONSLAUGHT OF NEW GUITAR PRODUCTS RELEASED OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS. HERE ARE THE ONES THAT HAD US ALL TALKING

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2025
NEWS OF THE (GUITAR) WORLD
Guitar World

NEWS OF THE (GUITAR) WORLD

SIT BACK AND GET READY TO RELIVE THE BIGGEST, BADDEST AND DOWNRIGHT CRAZIEST GUITARCENTRIC HEADLINES OF 2024

time-read
10+ mins  |
January 2025
The Courettes
Guitar World

The Courettes

A PAIR OF FUZZ-TINGED GARAGE ROCK MANIACS EXPAND THEIR SOUND AND THE RESULTS ARE EXQUISITE

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
Within the Ruins
Guitar World

Within the Ruins

JOE COCCHI REVISITS HIS CLASSIC PHENOMENA TONE (AND A COUPLE OF COMIC BOOKS) TO CRUSH THROUGH A SUPERHEROIC SEQUEL

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
The Bad Ups
Guitar World

The Bad Ups

PHILADELPHIA PUNKS LOAD UP WITH PAINT-PEELING POWER CHORDS ON THEIR DEBUT ALBUM

time-read
2 mins  |
January 2025
The Return of Tab Benoit
Guitar World

The Return of Tab Benoit

AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE COMMITTED TO THE ROAD, THE LOUISIANA BLUES ARTIST IS BACK WITH A NEW 10-SONG COLLECTION, I HEAR THUNDER

time-read
4 mins  |
January 2025