Why Nikki Sixx Says John 5 ‘Checks All the Boxes’ for Motley Crue

Motley Crue recently revealed that guitarist John 5 (Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper) will be taking over for retiree Mick Mars. Understandably, fans, musicians and other entertainment professionals reacted in a variety of ways, leading bassist Nikki Sixx to confirm that John 5 “checks all the boxes” for the band.

Yesterday (Oct. 29), Sixx posted to Twitter: “An burning questions? #AskSixx.” Among the numerous inquiries was someone encouragingly asking, “What made John the right fit? He’s an incredible musician, but what made him the right guy for Motley? I love the decision.”

In response, Sixx politely explained: “He checks all the boxes. He’s a insane player. Has respect for our music, is funny as fuck and has history with us and we’ve written some pretty big hits together.”

You can see the full exchange below:

Indeed, John 5 has a significant history with Motley Crue. For instance, he helped write a few songs for the soundtrack to their 2019 film, The Dirt, such as “Crash and Burn,” “Ride with the Devil” and “The Dirt (Est. 1981).” (Expectedly, he also played guitar on the album.) Plus, he’s performed a few Crue tunes (including “Home Sweet Home” and “Shout at the Devil”) at his solo shows.

He's also been a longtime buddy and collaborator of Sixx’s. In fact, John 5 told Outburn in 2019 that Sixx is his ”best friend” and “one of the most inspiring people” he’s ever known. John 5 was even a guest on Sixx's "My Favorite Riffs" video series, and the pair recorded a version of Zombie’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” with their supergroup, L.A. Rats.

As for Mars, another fan commented that they “can’t stop miss[ing] him,” to which Sixx replied: “He’s been a soldier along with us for 4 decades.We will continue to carrying our legacy to Generations of fans and honor Micks request for us to keep touring as Motley Crue.”

So, are you planning to see John 5 join the fray when Motley Crue's “Stadium Tour" continues in Mexico, South America, Europe and the U.K. in 2023?

You can click here for more info on that.