John Corabi Says He ‘Can Relate’ to John 5’s Position in Motley Crue

Motley Crue have maintained a mostly consistent lineup throughout their four decades of existence, with the exception of a few cases. During a new interview, former vocalist John Corabi said that he can relate to John 5's position as a replacement in the band.

After Vince Neil left Crue in 1992, Corabi was recruited as their new vocalist, and he sang on their 1994 self-titled album. Longtime guitarist Mick Mars, on the other hand, announced that he could no longer tour in the fall of 2022, and thus the band announced John 5 as their new guitarist. Though Mars initially planned to continue on as a member of Crue, still play occasional performances and record with them in the studio, the recent legal dispute between him and Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and Neil has left his status with the group rather blurred.

All of the studio updates Crue have given throughout 2023 featured John 5, insinuating that he's Mars' replacement within the group entirely. Corabi discussed the lineup change during an interview with the On the Road to Rock podcast after being asked if the band has plans to reissue Motley Crue in 2024 for its 30th anniversary.

"I try not to get involved in anything Motley. I get asked questions, I answer them, move on. But honestly from where I'm standing, Motley's gone out of their way to remove [Corabi's] part of their history from their history, so it is what it is," the vocalist shared.

Corabi then praised John 5 and said he loves and respects him, though he admitted he isn't surprised by any of the drama that went on between Crue and Mars.

"John's got big shoes to fill, and he's kind of stuck in this — and trust me, I get it, because I was stuck in this shitty place as well — between Motley Crue and whoever was being replaced's fans," he continued. "I had to deal with the fans that were massive Vince Neil fans, and I get it. And it was awkward, at times, to sit and listen to the guys do interviews where they went out of their way to slag Vince. I didn't even know the guy, so I had nothing shitty to say about him."

READ MORE: Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx - 'We Never Saw It Coming' That Mick Mars Wasn't Going to Be Able to Tour

The vocalist further added that he knows John 5 "adores" Mars, which likely adds to the weirdness of his position in the band, because he's also friends with Sixx, Lee and Neil.

"They offered him a great gig and he's doing it, so trust me, I can relate."

Listen to the full interview at this location. Crue's next performance is set for Aug. 16 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Check out the rest of the dates on their website.