John 5 Reveals What It Was Really Like Working With David Lee Roth

[James in New York]

John 5 Reveals What It Was Really Like Working With David Lee Roth, Recalls Meeting Him for the First Time


John 5 has recorded and/or performed with some of rock's biggest names over the years: Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Paul Stanley, Rob Halford, Mötley Crüe, etc.

But one of his more memorable experiences was with David Lee Roth, how he worked with in 1998 for the "DLR Band" LP, and additional material apparently recorded subsequently.


"It was like…let's say, you love Spider-Man or Batman or something like that when you're a kid," John 5 explained.

"And you're like, you're in the band, you're part of the crew. And it was like that for me."


"But I was sitting on my friend's couch. And I was looking at the book 'Crazy from the Heat', and I was like, 'I wonder what Dave's doing?'

And I was doing a lot of sessions at this time. And so I got the number from the back of the book, and I called his management company.

I was like, 'Hey, you guys looking for songs by chance?' They're like, 'Yeah, you could send them.'"

Next, John 5 (who was going simply as "John Lowery" at the time) received some significant news, which led to his association with the larger-than-life Roth.

"So I went into the studio, no money, just some favors, and got my couple of 'Van Halen songs' that sounded like Van Halen, and sent him there.

And they were like, 'Oh, Dave likes these. Can you give me more?' And I'm like, 'Oh, God, I have no money.

What am I going to do to get this money?' Because studios were so expensive, now you can just do it in your bedroom."

"They were like, 'Oh, Dave wants to meet you.'

So they gave me the address. So I drove out there to make sure I didn't get lost, the night before. And I was like, 'Here it is, okay.'

And so I drive the next day, get there, press the gate, 'Hello.' And it's 'that voice,' 'John, how are you doing? Nice to meet you.'"

Judging from various recollections from those who have crossed paths or worked with Roth over the years, it sounds like he is quite an unpredictable fellow.

However, John 5 had nothing but positive things to say about working with Diamond Dave.

"So it was crazy. I was like, 'Holy shit, this is where Van Halen did every song, rehearsed.'

He goes, 'I want to make a record.' And I said, 'Oh, I'm rehearsing with Halford [the 2wo project]. We're going on tour.'

And he goes, 'Well, I don't want to get you after rehearsal. I want to get you fresh. So we're going to start our downbeat.'"

"And we did it at Ocean Way, was at 6 am we started recording this record. And we did it live. And it was incredible.

And he goes, 'If you can't do it in two takes, you can't do it.' And I was like, 'Whoa. This is insane!' But it was great, man. And we're still friends."

John 5 also recalled finding out from Roth that Eddie Van Halen was in ill health, and mentioned the previously unreleased song "Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway," which was released to the public in 2022.

"Maybe the worst day ever, when Eddie passed…we had this song, 'Nothing Could Have Stopped Us Back Then Anyway', that me and Dave did, and it was about his time in Van Halen.

And it's just this beautiful song as tribute."

"I remember Dave telling me Eddie was sick, and I was like, 'What's going on? What's going on?'

I'll never forget this, man.

He pointed to his chest, he goes to 'The Marlboro Man got him.'"



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[Simon Ribeiro]

John 5 Reveals What It Was Really Like Working With David Lee Roth, Recalls Meeting Him for the First Time


John 5 has recorded and/or performed with some of rock's biggest names over the years: Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Paul Stanley, Rob Halford, Mötley Crüe, etc.

...
...

"I remember Dave telling me Eddie was sick, and I was like, 'What's going on? What's going on?'

I'll never forget this, man.

He pointed to his chest, he goes to 'The Marlboro Man got him.'"


...

Damn!! That was bad.


(Thanks for sharing it, James)

[James in New York]

Damn!! That was bad.


(Thanks for sharing it, James)

Yes, that last line hit me too!

[Jesus H Christ]

Al's book confirmed.

Dave, Ed, and Al were/Are Brothers.

I'm lucky enough to have that in life.

Some don't.

[Raldo]

Cool story on how John 5 got involved with Dave.