| John 5 | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John William Lowery |
| Also known as | John 5 |
| Born | July 31, 1971 Grosse Pointe, Michigan, US |
| Genres | Heavy metal, alternative metal, instrumental rock, hard rock, bluegrass, country, industrial metal |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, banjo |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Nothing, Interscope, Shrapnel, 60 Cycle Hum, Geffen |
| Associated acts | David Lee Roth Band 2wo Marilyn Manson Rob Zombie Loser Red Square Black |
| Website | www.john-5.com |
| Notable instruments | |
| John 5 Telecaster John 5 electro acoustic John 5 Triple Tele Deluxe Squier J5 Telecaster Guitar |
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John William Lowery (born July 31, 1971), best known by the stage name John 5, is an American guitarist. His stage name was bestowed on him in 1998 when he left David Lee Roth and joined the industrial metal group Marilyn Manson as their guitarist, taking over from Zim Zum. Still going by the name "John 5," Lowery is currently the guitarist for Rob Zombie.
He is also a solo artist having recorded six guitar albums: Vertigo (2004), Songs for Sanity (2005), The Devil Knows My Name (2007), Requiem (2008), The Art of Malice (2010) and God Told Me to (2011), as well as a remix album, Remixploitation (2009). He also works as a staff writer for Chrysalis Records, working with artists such as Matt Ball, Avril Lavigne, Rob Halford, Garbage, Meat Loaf, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, FeFe Dobson and has written and recorded with southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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Lowery first started playing guitar at the age of seven after watching Buck Owens and Roy Clark's television show Hee Haw with his dad. His parents supported his playing as long as it did not interfere with his education. They also accompanied him at the adult bars he would play during the evening.[1]
Lowery started his career as a session guitarist having moved to Los Angeles from Michigan at the age of 17. His first band in L.A. was Alligator Soup, which led to an important meeting with Rudy Sarzo from Whitesnake, that would give him his first real bit of exposure.
This also saw him meeting producer Bob Marlette, who has worked with, among others, Tracy Chapman, Alice Cooper, Rob Halford and Black Sabbath.
Lowery began working on numerous projects with Marlette including TV show soundtracks, movie soundtracks including Speed 2: Cruise Control, and commercials and infomercials.
This in turn saw Lowery being picked to play with Lita Ford, opening up for Kiss. He started another long time friendship with the various Kiss members, including a close friendship with Paul Stanley which in 2006 he repaid by guesting on Stanley's Live to Win album.
Lowery's next role saw him working with Randy Castillo, in a short-lived project called Red Square Black. They produced a self titled EP, but the band disbanded when Lowery was picked from 2000 guitarists to play with k.d lang on tour.
In 1996 Lowery went for his first audition with Marilyn Manson but narrowly missed out (he was late to the auditions) and the guitarist role at that time was taken by Mike (Timothy) Linton, who became known as Zim Zum.
Instead, Lowery teamed up with ex-Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, along with Sid Riggs (drums) James Wooley (keyboards),and Ray Riendeau (bass) to work on an industrial metal inspired album, under the band name of 2wo (Two). The subsequent album (Voyeurs) was remixed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and was released on Reznor's Nothing Records label, under the parent company, Interscope Records (Universal). The album itself was not a commercial hit but did produce one video, made by gay porn director Chi Chi Larue for the first single "I'm a Pig".[2] It featured some s&m scenes and so was not widely broadcast but was not banned as has been previously rumored.
The band embarked on a world tour, and were part of the Ozzfest line-up but the tour was pulled and 2wo disbanded.
Arguably, Lowery's first truly "big break" came when he was selected by former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth to play lead guitar on the critically well-received 1998 release DLR Band. As had occurred, historically, when Roth chose a new lead guitarist - in light of Roth's lead guitar lineage: from Eddie Van Halen to Steve Vai to Jason Becker to Steve Hunter and others - Lowery quickly gained public recognition for his virtuosic abilities, as well for the "heart" in his playing.
Regarding how he came to meet Roth, in Guitarist Magazine, Lowery relates that, "when I was little, my dream was to play with David Lee Roth. One day I was sitting at my friend's house and... I wonder[ed] what... Roth is doing now. [In 1997, Roth had just been let go from Van Halen for a second time in favor of Gary Cherone, and also penned a tongue-in-cheek memoir.]. I'm gonna call up his manager and see if he needs any songs." [3]
Lowery submitted six tracks that he had written to Roth's management. Having been a longtime fan of David Lee Roth's, both in Van Halen and as a solo artist, Lowery believed that he knew exactly what Roth would like. On hearing Lowery's songs, Roth was very impressed, and subsequently asked for Lowery to submit several more songs. At the time, Roth was choosing between Lowery and Mike Hartman as to who would play lead guitar. Hartman would ultimately play bass on the album under the moniker, "B'urbon Bob." Tragically, Hartman would die a short time later.
Impressed by Lowery's prodigious skill, Roth scheduled a meeting and then - without haste - scheduled a recording session that lasted for a mere two weeks and resulted in the fourteen track DLR Band album. "I remember before we started, he [David Lee Roth] said, 'If you can't do it in two takes, you can't do it.'"[3] Roth's philosophy brought out the best in Lowery, whose guitar sounds particularly raw and excitable on the DLR Band album, (as opposed to on later albums with other artists, which feature heavy production and sometimes distort Lowery's sound.)
In 2003, while still lead guitarist for Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth invited Lowery (then called John 5) to write and record the single non-cover song for Roth's 2003 album Diamond Dave. The resulting track, "Thug Pop", typifies Lowery's work with Roth: both raw and frenzied, but with bursts of emotion and subtlety that show a duo with great chemistry.
After the recording of Mechanical Animals, Marilyn Manson was again looking for a guitarist to replace Zim Zum who had been dismissed from the band during the recording process. Again John went to try out for the band. Following a tour with Rob Halford in Europe, John received a call from Manson's manager asking if he would like to meet Manson for lunch. At the meeting Manson asked John to join the band.[4] Taking the moniker, John 5, he signed on for the Mechanical Animals tour and to work on the next album. Lowery's first live performance for Marilyn Manson came on the MTV Video Music Awards.
During the opening bars of the "The Beautiful People" at the 2003 Rock Am Ring festival Manson was prancing across the stage when he hit Lowery's guitar and chest with his boot. Lowery was outraged and threw his guitar while screaming at Manson, which led to much speculation. According to Lowery, the Grotesk Burlesk tour had been a high-pressure endeavour, and just weeks before he had suffered losses of very close family members. Lowery later commented on his behavior, calling it unprofessional and stating that there is no bad blood between himself and Manson.
During this time period Lowery also worked on a band called, Plague, with Jason Lowetz as the frontman. The album was produced with Bob Marlette but never made it out of the studio. Lowetz was considered for the job as frontman for Velvet Revolver before Scott Weiland took it on.
In 2004 Lowery and Manson parted company. Confusion was rife as certain press reported that he had been dumped unceremoniously from the band, but in reality the two came to a mutual agreement that they wanted to go their separate ways.“What actually happened was, at the end of the tour, we were just on different roads. It was completely amicable. He just wanted to write with other members of the band, and I wanted to do other things."[5]
While working with Manson, Lowery has stated he did not do drugs, and he does not drink.
In 2005 Lowery formed the band Loser. Recruiting vocalist Joe Grah, Charles Lee on bass and Glendon Crain on drums, they began working on their debut album Just Like You. The band was also partly co-founded by friend and producer Bob Marlette. Vocalist Joe Grah already had a significant amount of success in his home state of Texas, with the band Jibe. Marlette recommended Grah to Lowery and so Lowery hopped on a plane to Texas to see the band play. Grah flew back to LA and was hired on the spot.
The name Loser came about as an affirmation to Lowery's past: “I was from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, which is kind of an upper-class area, and I was always that rock kid," John explained. "I started playing guitar at age 7. I always had a rock shirt on, and I had that tattoo early on. I looked like a loser because everyone around me was wearing Polo and Brooks Brothers. But now if you go into a club wearing Polo, you're called a loser. So I think everyone can relate to that name, and the album title, Just Like You, sums it up." [6]
The band had initial success not long after signing with Island Records, when the track "Disposable Sunshine" became part of the Fantastic Four soundtrack.
During this time, during the recording of the soundtrack, Crain briefly left the band and was replaced by drummer Elias Andra, a friend of Lee's. Andra had some success himself with the band Psycho Plague, his own creation, an industrial metal band, which toured as a headline act, with Linkin Park as an opening act at the time. However, Andra soon left after promotional shots had been taken, and Crain returned. Andra went on to become the drummer for Julien-K.
At the same time Lowery was also working for Rob Zombie and a working conflict occurred. As Zombie was also touring, Lowery tried to find a live replacement for him while Loser were touring on conflicting dates. However, even with promo material for the debut album out and a release date in the bag, Island Record did not like the idea of Loser without John and so dropped the band from the label.
"Being the founding member of Loser, my decision to leave was not an easy one", said John 5 in a press release. "I've been juggling two careers both with Loser and Rob Zombie for over one year now. I found it impossible to be in two places at once."[7]
The album has been put on the backburner and no word on a release date has ever been issued. The official Loser Myspace page has tracks available for download (working on November 23, 2007).[8]
While Lowery was working on radio rock band Loser, he also began to work with cult rock artist and movie director, Rob Zombie. Meeting at the Camp Freddy benefit gig, John and Zombie hit off immediately and Rob asked John to play for him for Ozzfest 2005. "I'm totally ecstatic about having the opportunity to play with Rob on Ozzfest! He has been one of my favourite artists for the longest time. I had the opportunity to play with him a few weeks back, and never thought that I would have the chance to share the stage with him playing the Zombie songs we all know and love!"[9]
It was reported that Zombie was looking to quit the music industry to concentrate on his movie career until he began to work with John 5.
“Camp Freddy asked me to do this benefit, just to play one song, at the Arrowhead Pond (in Anaheim, California) for this tsunami relief thing. And John was there, and we played one song, 'Thunderkiss,' and it kicked ass and he's a supercool guy and I was like, 'this is perfect.' John said, 'Do you need a guitar player for Ozzfest?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'I wanna do it,' I said, 'Perfect, done.'" -Rob Zombie on John 5[10]
Lowery worked on Rob Zombie's 2006 album Educated Horses, co-writing eight out of eleven tracks with Zombie. When he left Loser, Lowery took up the role of Rob Zombie guitarist as a permanent gig. “Rob is the best I have worked with. He is great. We have a great time on stage together. It has been the single greatest experience I have had working with someone, hands down.[11]
Lowery is also working on the musical score for Rob Zombie's sixth feature-length film, Tyrannosaurus Rex. John is also the guitarist on Rob's latest album, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 which was released February 2, 2010.[12]
In early 2011, John 5 was joined by fellow ex-Marilyn Manson bandmate, Ginger Fish as a member of Rob Zombie. Zombie Drummer Joey Joridson was in Europe with his band Murderdolls, leaving Zombie without a drummer for some shows during the american leg of their tour. John 5 asked Fish to fill in as drummer. In April 2011, Fish was announced as the new permanent drummer.
In October 2011, Zombie confirmed by his Facebook [13] account that John 5 would be composing the soundtrack to Rob Zombie's latest movie, The Lords of Salem. This was also confirmed on the official John 5 website; "John 5 let Norman know... he will be scoring the soundtrack for Rob Zombie’s forthcoming movie Lords of Salem which will be beginning filming in a matter of weeks." [14]
Starting in 2004 with Vertigo, Lowery has gone on to record a total of five instrumental records. His works have had many guest players on them. For example Songs for Sanity saw Albert Lee guesting, and other records have seen guest spots from Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Jim Root. In 2009, John released a remix album, Remixploitation. Lowery has also released an instructional DVD entitled The Devil Knows My Name (2007). In July 2009, on his twitter page, John 5 announced that he is now six tracks into the next solo album.[15] On October 2, 2009, he played with Slash at a tribute to the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas.[16]
In a twitter update January 6, 2010 John 5 had this to say about the progress of his upcoming 5th studio album; "Just did all the guitar, bass for my new solo cd Tommy clufetos played the drums and killed it!" [17] and a following Twitter update January 08; "Did the photo shoot for the new record today!",[18] January 18: "Just had Billy sheehan play on the the [sic?] song (ya dig), this record is going to rule". [19]
He often names his songs after famous murderers, (i.e. Edward Gein ("Gein with Envy", Songs for Sanity,) Albert Fish ("Werewolf of Westeria", The Devil Knows My Name) or torture devices (see any song from Requiem).
Current Guitars: Lowery's current setup after signing an endorsment deal with Fender, for recording and performing solo and with Rob Zombie.[20][21]
Lowery's first signature guitar with Fender which features an unusual three on-a-side headstock two for behind the nut bends. other features include an Enforcer humbucker pick up in the bridge position, a Twisted Tele single coil pickup in the neck position, separate volume controls, a three way toggle switch and is available in a black polyurethane finish with a chrome pickguard.[22]
The J5 Triple Telcaster is based around the 1970s Telecaster Deluxe design and features three Enforcer "Wide Range" humbucker pickups with chrome covers, three way switch, master tone and volume, a vintage tremolo bridge, a chrome pickguard and a Stratocaster style headstock.[23]
The J5 Bigsby is a similar to the original J5 Telecaster, but is fitted with a Bigsby vibrato system, Seymour Duncan pickup in the bridge position, master tone and volume, and a three way blade in the regular Telecaster position.[24]
Lowery's first signature acoustic guitar. The guitar is fitted with a Fender/Fishman Classic 4T pickup which features an active preamp with electric tuner, volume, bass, mid and treble control. As all of John's signature guitar it is finished in gloss black and fitted with a chrome pick guard.[25]
A prototype of Lowery's first signature Telecaster, does not feature the three on-a-side headstock and was originally outfitted with a Fender Custom Shop Twisted Tele pickup in the neck position, and DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker in the bridge position It was later modified with a pair of DiMarzio D Activator humbuckers.[26]
Introduced in 2009, this is the new cheaper model from John 5 and Fender of his telecaster signature model. The design is based on the prototype's current incarnation.
"I just want to learn and learn and learn. I never want to be in a situation or a session where I don’t know how to play something. When I am on the road and I can’t go to see a teacher, I learn from videos or CDs or books"
One neck is a baritone and the other is standard.
Retired Guitars: Guitars used by John during his time with Marilyn Manson with his previous endorsement deal with Ibanez.[29]
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Rob Zombie Effects:
John's signature effect pedal is designed around the Samsontech G1 effect pedal and features a 32-bit processing and 96 kHz sampling as well as a built-in drum machine. The pedal comes with 40 signature sounds from John and 40 that the user can define with 54 effects types and 8 modules.
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Marilyn Manson Effects: During his time with Manson, John kept his effect pedals in drawers behind the stage after Manson smashed his pedal board at a concert.[30]
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Other Effects:
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Rob Zombie Amplifiers:
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Marilyn Manson Amplifiers:
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John's signature roundwound nickel-plated guitar strings, also comes with 6 playing cards with John 5 portraits, when flipped over, each card can be arranged to form a John 5 ouija board.
Solo
Loser
Marilyn MansonMain article: Marilyn Manson discography
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Rob Zombie
Miscellaneous work
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