Mötley Crüe have been recording brand new music with Mick Mars’ replacement John 5.
The former Rob Zombie guitarist has taken over from the original member after Mick filed a lawsuit against the glam metal group – also comprising Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee – for allegedly trying to force him out after he had to step back from touring due to longstanding health issues that have worsened.
And John has revealed they’ve been working with the famed rock producer, Bob Rock, who produced their 1994 self-titled record and 1989’s ‘Dr. Feelgood’, on some “super heavy” material.
In the new issue of Total Guitar magazine, John spilled: “We’ve been in the studio with [rock producer] Bob Rock, and we’ve been having a great time just like we do on tour, laughing and playing music. It’s coming along really quickly. The songs are super heavy and everybody’s excited.”
The band haven’t released an album since 2008’s ‘Saints of Los Angeles’.
Asked how long he sees himself being in the ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ group, he replied: “I envision staying with Mötley Crüe… As long as Mötley Crüe are around, I don’t plan on leaving and I hope I never get fired. It’s such a wonderful band to be in. It really is a dream to be playing with your friends. It’s something I never envisioned, but I’m so thankful it’s happened.”
John is friends with Mick and insists there’s no bad blood between them, however, he didn’t seek his permission to join the ‘Home Sweet Home’ group.
He said: “I know Mick. We’re good friends and things like that. But I didn’t talk to him beforehand.”
John says playing with Mötley is like being in a dream that he’s frightened to wake up from.
The musician said: “These things are so strange to me.
“I’ll be on stage with them, and I’ll be like, ‘I still can’t believe this?’
I’ll start laughing when we’re playing a song. The guys will say, ‘What’s so funny?’ And I’ll be like, ‘This is just so weird?’ We’ll play ‘Same Old Situation’, and it’s so cool. Or we’ll play ‘Home Sweet Home’ in front of 60,000 people, and I’ll look at Vince and say, ‘This is just like the video!'”
He added: “This is where it’s going to sound funny, because it sounds like a dream. I’m so worried that I’ll wake up and tell my wife, Whoa… I had this dream that I was in Mötley Crüe.”