More Fake News about Mötley Crüe! 

Will you address the fake news that Vince Neil can still sing?

John 5 uses enough compression that he could easily hammer a whole Motley Crue song with one hand🤣🤣this is a lot of to do do over nothing

Regular Burt Reynolds pose that 🙂

I saw John5 at Shank Hall in Milwaukee which can only seat 300 so no matter where you are sitting, you could REALLY see exactly what he was playing. I assure you that he can, in fact, perform such wizardry.

Imagine questioning the ability of John 5? Nice to see you’ve got his back.

There’s a lot of processing with some of these setups. A long time ago, Zakk jumped off stage at an Ozzy concert, ran barefoot to the arena cheap seats where I was, and from 15 feet away under a spotlight, I couldn’t match his hands to the sound coming out of the PA at all. It was unreal delay. Like almost a second. Or maybe just that long to get through all of the effects.

That’s not the problem with modern Motley Crue. It’s that squawking nonsense that Vince calls singing. What a travesty.

Anybody been watching John 5 knows he doesn't need a backing track... doesn't mean he can't use one though... but never doubt his skill

If john5 uses any backing tracks .. (rhythm guitar during solos for instance) it certainly isn't about talent. He is more than capable, so whatever he's using it isn't to avoid playing.

I've seen John 5 a few times up close. He doesn't need both hands to play.

he's a victim of making it look too easy. that is what years and years of practice gets you. not to mention natural talent

John is one of my favorite modern guitarists. He's a heck of a nice guy, too. I feel like he would just admit it if he was using a backing track.

It wouldn't surprise me if John5 actually pre-played the entire concert in his mind during a nap before the show and then just telekinetically beamed his dream vibrations straight onto the strings while simultaneously transcribing 70's Hee-Haw banjo radio waves reflecting off of Kuiper Belt Asteroids ... He's just that good!

There's a difference between using backing tracks to enhance the sound and using them because you forgot how to play some songs and you don't feel like learning them or because you want to jump around and focus on other things but your instrument. On the records, when there's a guitar solo, the rhythm guitar keeps playing. When they played live, before using backing tracks, when Mick played a solo, you only heard the bass guitar underneath his solo, which left like a "hole" in the overall sound. To avoid that, you either need a 2nd guitar player or you use backing tracks. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with using backing tracks in this case. What I don't like is what Nikki seems to be doing. Don't get me wrong, I used to have posters of Nikki Sixx in my bedroom, I bought 2 of his books, etc... but there are videos where you can see him stop playing for a second but you can clearly still hear the bass. In this case, it's not to enhance the sound but it's Nikki who doesn't want the responsibility of playing the bass correctly, not willing to make possible mistakes or he just wants to be on stage and ....be present.

John has said it’s a hammer on chord…

He was playing, he hit it on an upstroke as he walked out of frame!

He said " pull offs" 😂thanks for that, Beavis, I mean Justin

Your wordplay with the double negatives is brilliant.

My issue with John 5 recently was when he said something to the effect of “As long as we still have Nikki, Tommy and Vince on stage we still have Motley Crue” which seemed incredibly dismissive and disrespectful towards Mick Mars.

In The Darkness you even do your own stunts!

when i was running live sound, it seemed like the bigger the band, the more likely they were to use backing tracks. some local bands were almost 80% backing tracks and most of the work was in getting good in ear mixes so they could play along in time or at least pretend to. crue have had this said about em enough and NDA's are pretty hardcore in that realm that i wouldnt be surprised at all if he had no choice and it got handed down from management.

"Does it really matter?" Yes. Yes it does. I'm going to see live music. I'm not going to see Milli Vanilli.

John 5 is good enough to chord with his left hand between strums. Have people watched him play other things?

I agree with all of this. I use hammer on chords and pull offs quite a bit. And I don't think the person who is calling B.S. is taking into account the sheer volume that John 5 is playing at. That helps. Hell, I can do it with a Jay Turser strat and a Kustom 100 at The Nick, much less through a bunch of Marshal stacks in an arena.

Vince Neil has been taking singing lessons from Yoko Ono.

John is playing to a rhythm track. There is no doubt about it. I'm not talking about the pull off, etc

I saw Motley in 83,blew us away,great stage show,Mick was on fire,that’s how I’ll remember them rocking boys,what’s going on today is a different band period!

always luv these! Keep Rocking Justin!

Justin is a few puppies short of Hasselhoff in that pose.

I saw MC on the Dr Feelgood tour in Birmingham UK. Part way through a roadie waked part me. A few minutes later someone threw a cup at Vince. He had a strop, threw the mic stand at the audience and stormed offstage. A moment later the roadie walked back past us carrying the mic stand. Theatre, don't you love it!

doubling up 80s hair band backing tracks is standard faire. They used cd players and tape decks at the console and what not back in the day. doesnt matter whether j5 actually did or not. he has talent so either way

John 5 is actually a wizard (or sorcerer depending on the hat situation). It is said that if he walks into a room with a 12-string the instrument will play Stairway to Heaven in an effort to get his attention.

Weird how every time I’ve tuned in to a video from Mr Hawkins he always looks different

Vince Neil definitely sings whilst he'd hammered on

I've flubbed chords and right hand stuff live. Listened to the recording and it sounds okay. The bass kind of takes care of the first strum on this. He hammers on the chord and the high notes ring out. Now the other members. I'm betting they do use help.

Heyy, bloody loved the show at Warwick castle, can’t wait to see you guys again 😊

The first two Crue albums are great. I saw them on the "Theatre of Pain" tour with Y&T opening. I also camped out alongside the girl whose top gets flipped up in the "Home Sweet Home" video, which was filmed in Dallas and Houston, to get those tix. Those are all the music and memories I need from the Motleys. I've been Crue-free going on nearly 40yrs and I've never felt better!

The point is.. to get that huge fat stadium sound, to mimic studio overdubs they play along to backing tracks. Yet Nobody complains about studio overdubs do they…They’re Not miming (which would be worse) so I appreciate their attempt to give us that full same sound live

We like a tousled Mr H languishing on soft furnishings 😋

Like this setup you are very relaxed...

Good day to you Justin!😘

Let's just be honest, John 5 can do things no one else can do. So, if anyone could do it, it's him.

Yep probably hearing the attack from the drums and bass on top of the hammer on.

John 5 put out a video showing how he played guitar while throwing pick in the air some people out there have no knowledge of music etc yet they reply like they do morons. Get well Justin

I sat next to Vince Neil at a dinner years ago, and the only thing that surprised me about him was that he was shorter than I was, and I am a tiny woman. I was never impressed by him, but it could just be my taste of music. Bands like Muse inspire me. I'm proud to be a tiny woman with a big voice.

I'll never be able to tell when you're throwing shade. Isn't that like peak English? Every episode feels like I'm watching Spinal Tap outtakes.

Iron Maiden have quite a lot of keyboards on their newer records. But they are played offstage by Steve Harris's bass tech. They also use pre-recorded lead ins for some songs e.g. over Churchill at the start of Aces High

AWESOMENESS 😎, Great seeing you bro WOOOOOOOO 💯🔥❤❤❤❤❤

Could it be the delay from the player to the stadium speaker set up!?

It's 100% legit, John even showed how it's done, he literally strums with his left fingers.. what a guitar god LMAO And with the gain he had on stage, it sounds massive. Just git gud, bunch of guitar noobs (John Petrucci voice)

Your acoustic guitar intro theme sounded amazing on this video

Yeah I know you play live cos a lady felt you up while you were riding on your roadie's shoulders during your solo at Warwick castle and you immediately stopped playing and shot her a look 😂

You are delightful and I could listen to you all day!

Hands don’t lie. Why the strain in judging? Not a pedal. What? Echo? Pre- recorded. End stop.

06:56 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Brilliant!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏

John 5 is brilliant. If you want to question his playing go see him at one of his club shows. He can play anything, absolutlely anything. Motley has used backing tracks and vocal tracks for years. They are a band you go see for the full stage show, you don't go tohear Vince sing, that is for sure. I think you called it correctly Mr. Hawkins!

If you have lots of overdubs in the studio you have to find a way to replicate that live. Many bands do it to cut the cost of having additional musicians to play the extra overdubs.

He did appear to miss the down-stroke and the sound of the chord he missed isn't a hammer on, John 5 is an awesome player but he did miss the down stroke.

Idk about the rest of the band but i know damn well j5 isn't using a backing track.

This is so well edited ! I love JHRA

Oh my! Fake news? Are people claiming that they are actually playing their instruments? Are they applauding the vocal ability of Vince?

Cool video Justin! Great explanation 😁 I'm sad to see Johnny 5 slumming with this band, I wanted better for him😢

Dr John 5 🤘🏼🙌🏼 sad that he’s getting this treatment, same on video of him ripping Kiss licks off the top of his head on Paul’s og cracked mirror Ibanez and people complaining they’re not perfect. He’s brilliant and one of the best playing today, great feel and love for the instrument that comes out in everything he plays

This has been debunked by numerous channels. Hammer-on chords. Yes, he is playing.

Every national act of this size plays to tracks.

Hey Justin, If there are no backing tracks involved, then who is playing the rhythm guitar while John 5 is soloing? While I think that John 5's explanation is possible (as I am a guitarist myself), I do agree with the comment that there is a difference in tine between a strummed chord (in this case meaning the multiple simultaneous notes being strummed) and a chord hammer-on (multiple simultaneous note being fretted by hammer on). There is so much gain on this sound that it does make it a little hard to distinguish as I know with heavy gain (like here), what he is saying is possible, you just have to be super precise in hitting the exact strings of the chord you are playing, or you will get unwanted string noise. However, when he is soloing there is an obvious rhythm guitar part being heard too, and it is NOT being played by John 5 at that moment. So, it is most likely a backing track, or possible another guitarists off stage playing those rhythm parts (unlikely, especially with Motley Crue's history). To not acknowledge this just really makes him look bad, if not like a LIAR (as Henry Rollins would say). It does matter and I will tell you why. Because to call yourself a live show and sell tickets with that advertising/marketing, and there has been decades of precedent of rock musicians performing live in front of you that have reinforced the understanding/meaning of a 'live performance', then to not do so as that (using backing tracks in place of actual live performances) would be FRAUD by definition. That would be ground for legal action, and I think that should happen under those instances. Now, I will say that when I spend money for a 'live performance' and I think this is a reasonable expectation, that the musicians on stage who are billed as the 'live performance' all need to be the one performing live without any of there instrument parts being replaced by a backing track. If there is a song a musician i'performing live', and that song has a complete orchestral section, I think it is ok to have a backing track of the orchestral section, as long as, the musicians on stage are all playing their parts on their instruments live. I understand that having an orchestra on tour just to play a 30 seconds section of a song is costly. It would be cooler if that were actually the case, but I get that under those circumstances, those parts could be on backing tracks to reduce logistics and expenses. To sum up, I think just as long as the musicians on stage billed as the 'live performance' are all playing their parts on their instruments, 'live' during that performance, then it is ok for anything they are not playing to be supplemented on a backing track. What I think is really ironic, is that all these supposed real rock musicians have diluted themselves because there was a time when real rock musicians called others out as POSERS for not taking their playing and craft seriously, and just presenting themselves as rock musicians for all the fame and finances they waned to get. Cheers, Tim

It doesn't matter who does what in Motley Crue. Not my thing...ever!

like good wine, it gets better as it ages❤

Love the gain and sustain like Dan when he hits those strings

John 5 is about the last person who would need to mime anything.

The biggest thing that bothers me is that I read in an interview that he's never had an alcoholic drink. Surely he's not qualified to be in Motley Crue?

He pulled a Stanley Jordan

"Sorry guys, no encore, no refund and goodnight!"🤟

Justin Hawkins travels without a traveller guitar???? Stunned!

hot takes and looking forward to the new album

Any band who mimes on stage should be ashamed. You’re ripping people off.

Did not even need to watch past 15 seconds. John five could play headless. Halloween?

Duff Mckagan look going on here 🤘🏻 Also, come on Rock, Paper, Swords so we can talk about the historical aspects of your lyrics in songs like Barbarian and Black Shuck!

Hi, Justin! I'm back. Good to see you. I like your hair. I can't call myself a guitarist, but I doodle a bit with it. I'm more a singer/lyricist.(however it's spelled.) Anyway, interesting topics. People can be so hypercritical of every thing. It's usually envy, & you're right. We all have to eat & shelter, & you/others have family. Relax. Don't allow yourself to get upset. I had to work on that as I live in a community where there are some very major non- intellectual jerks that prefer to do nothing but loaf & complain about each other with no respect for privacy, integrity, nor self control. Relax & continue to take care of yourself & love ones. I care very much about the angst & trouble I see everywhere. BAV I

How far back is the video camera? Even if your zoomed in a drummers snare hit is heard but the drummers stick will be in the air. I’ve watched John 5 from the side of the stage many of times when touring with Rob Zombie who 100% uses tracks. But John was always live. When I say I was on the side of the stage, I mean on the stage next to the monitor mixer on John’s side. So if he was going to use tracks, that’s the band he would have fully took advantage of the technology. I was in the band Adema that from day one had track enhancements with the early use on “Radar” and now just a laptop with pro-tools. So I know the difference. John 5 is live 100% and he could play Motley Crues music with his ass cheeks if he wanted to. He’s one of the nicest dudes in Rock and a wizard! You can’t even grip or even understand what he dose.

And I have become A Metal fan, in spite of my 57 years!

Old guys that were stars 40 years ago need backing tracks. That's how it works. *Of course* Motley Crue plays muted live.

Justin you have done it again 👏🏼 flipping genius!

Mostly Crud is now tarnishing John5. That is disgraceful. John5 is a great guitarist.

John 5 didn’t fake it

The rhythm guitar track keeps playing when John5 plays a solo.

backing track,we need wings of pegasus to do analysis

I don't see the big deal if the band is using a rhythm or support track. The biggest solo pop stars in the world perform to tracks. Why? Because it cuts costs and allows them to focus on the dramatics of their stage performance or the experience of their show. That is one of the core differences between bands and pop stars because bands actually play the elements of their music live. Whether or not a band employs support tracks is really just a matter of what kind of show they want to put on.

John Five is probably the most talented member of M/C He is a very top tier player

Very diplomatic there Justin😸 mister fence sitting Switzerland type 😂

John 5 unfortunately has no say in the overall decisions of what happens on stage. He's along for the ride and if there is a backing track playing behind his own real playing, he must do his best to be a good soldier.

I completed Crue Ball on the Mega Drive. Fun little fact there. Even the developer was impressed when I told him

Everyone is entertainers or performers now not musicians . Tragic .

Would love to see you react to Mixed Up Everything’s new song.

If the rest of the band is leaning hard on backing tracks - so hard that the stage design and lighting intentionally makes it almost impossible to see detail - why wouldn’t he be? Is he the reverse click track? Lord, he’s playing with Motley Crue. Not exactly a high water mark for integrity.

With enough gain this is an easy move, I wish the internet netizens would stop playing “gotcha” with the whole damn world and just be normal for a good minute or two.

I went to a The 1975 concert in 2016 and the backing tracks were so heavy I almost walked out. Almost. I’ve never observed worse though.

If J5 mimed air guitar that shit would still make sweet sweet sounds better than 99% of us are capable of.

Hey Justin... When people come up to you and say 'Hey Justin I saw the Darkness at the (e.g.) Cambridge Corn Exchange in 2006', do you find yourself trying to flash back to that gig? Even if only to make sure you were there? Or do you just pass over that info in your reply (if any)?

On another note I'd like to have a beer and a chat with you Sir Justin,bring doc 5 if he's up for it👍