During a recent interview with Ultimate Guitar, Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 shared that he hopes to see a “changing of the guard” – regarding young musicians today who are working on their craft and who could become the next “Steve Vai.” John speaks to using his social media time to promote creativity, while also seeking other musicians to be inspired by.
Speaking to how he uses Instagram to promote creativity and his hopes regarding the future of music, John 5 shared the following:
“It’s just like an automobile; you will push the limits and try to make something better. Now we have a car that can drive itself and you could just sit there have a car that could park itself and do all these other things. It’s kind of the same thing with guitar playing, there’s so many new techniques that are out there that I am obsessed with, and I love to learn. I am just so attracted to anything that is inspiring or anything like that. When I find that stuff, I’ll sit down, and I will learn it, because that’s what makes me happy. It just stimulates my brain and gets me excited.
“I put something on my Instagram just a couple days ago, of a new little technique. I do that for the same reason I think other people do, it’s to not to say, ‘hey, look at how cool this is’ but to hopefully inspire somebody or to inspire some kid who is the next Eddie Van Halen that will change the world, because they’re out there… But if everybody just goes, ‘eh, I’m good enough…’ No, there has to be a new epiphany out there, there has to be a new changing of the guard, there has to be a new guitar player, bass player, drummer, singer, that will change everything. I pray that happens because we need it. We need it.”
John 5 goes on to add:
“What is the last new band out there that is just changing everything? There are a couple out there… there’s Greta Van Fleet and Ghost, and things like that. But think about back in the day, there were zillions of them. There were so many new bands that were filling arenas all the time. So we just really, really need it. And that’s why I get on Instagram and play, and hopefully some kid will pick it up and be the next Eddie Van Halen, or the next Steve Vai or the next, Paul McCartney or something like that.
When asked if there are any bands or techniques that have really caught his attention and inspired him, this is what he had to say:
“All the time. I am a YouTube scroller. I’m into Instagram. I scroll and I search for people that make me go, ‘Whoa, that’s great. That’s very impressive.’ And then I will learn that and put that into my playing.”
What do you make of John 5’s thoughts? Do you think Greta Van Fleet and Ghost have helped shake up music in a positive way? What are some modern acts/artists you think are really elevating the genres of rock and metal?
Watch: During A Live Show, Steve Vai Offered A Young Fan His Guitar And Invited Him To Play Onstage
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