John 5 Fan First: The Most Insane KISS '73 - '83 Collection Ever? Plus Details on His Solo Album

FAN FIRST JOHN 5 CONTENT GUIDE: 00:00 Introduction 00:26 His guitar hand's freak childhood growth 01:35 The comfort of KISS 1973 - 1983 03:32 Peter Criss on his solo album 04:02 Seeing KISS for the first time 05:40 Why he plays complicated guitar 06:51 Great rhythm sections 07:48 Memories of Joey Jordison 09:26 Mentors and Zombie 12:18 Touring John 5’s KISS collection 25:20 KISS fanaticism 27:26 Early band rituals, getting snuck into shows 29:38 Session land 30:48 Becoming John 5 32:32 Falling for dark music 34:19 The relationship with the fans 35:35 John 5’s forthcoming solo album 38:28 If it was a film, what would it be? 38:57 Hard-living country outlaws 40:25 5 Songs That Changed My Life

I knew John5 was a KISS fan, I did not know he was their BIGGEST FAN. UNREAL.

I'm 55 this year (2023) and I've always liked KISS. My first KISS record was "I Was Made For Loving You" when I was 11 in 1979 and I remember much of my life involving something KISS here and there, but never LOVED them. But oddly enough, this year is my first year of actual collecting KISS. I went out and bought all of their remastered CDs, got the box set, pulled out my mother's original 70's KISS dolls that I remember helping her collect in the 70s (all in original boxes in mint condition), and I'm spending hours on YT watching classic concerts. I'm even beginning to appreciate the unmasked years more than I did back in the day. My wife bought me my first-ever KISS t-shirt for my birthday last April. I've never enjoyed collecting one rock band my entire life.

John is the perfect example of what a driven individual can do and be....super talented, grounded, and can rock and shred....and love KISS, what more ya need

So much cool and interesting history on Kiss. I had no idea regarding the roots of the Kiss Army. This collection is absolutely unreal. Simmons was truly a marketing war machine. See what I did there? ;) 😜🤘✌️ John seems very intelligent, well spoken, patient and articulate. He's very humble and grounded. Great host as well, genuine and listens intensely. Job well done 👍 I like this style and manner of interviewing. It's very real, genuine, not edited and so nothing is taken out of context or trying to follow a narrative or agenda. Nothing attempting to portray a particular viewpoint or storyline.

Seriously, this is the best interview I have seen in a long time. There are other hosts I really enjoy, but this one was really so well done. You couldn't have picked a better person to interview either. John always comes across as such a genuine person. As a fellow musician, I look up to him for many reasons. Thank you for this! It made my day.

i was about 6 years old when the original kiss dolls were released. i got Ace & had the incredible idea to scrape the makeup off his face to see what he looked like. when my mom found out i wasnt allowed to get the others

John 5 seems like a really cool guy. I'm not surprised a lot of musos invite him into their bands and recordings. He's obviously super-talented and good company as well.

As a kid, my friend's mom told me that if you burn Kiss merchandise, demon bugs would come out. At home, my sister and I excitedly burned a Kiss trading card and were highly disappointed.

WOW! This is THE best collection of Kiss merch (probably, except for Gene's).

What a great interview! Many of us had these experiences when we were getting into music, KISS was something way beyond rock and pop etc. Just as soon as you think you have your head round it, another revelation comes along..!

I'm totally jealous of his collection!

I thought I had a huge KISS collection, and I do ! But as you went on,and on,and on! I started just start melting,that is ,besides Gene's, which his is more new collectibles, yours has stuff that I have never seen!

Dude!? What a collection. Its a super collection 🤟

John 5s solo albums are incredible

WOW! I knew John 5 was a Kiss Fan but I didn't imagine he was such a MASSIVE KISS ARMY SOLDIER! 0_0 I'm SOOOOO IMPRESSED! I saw a Kiss show beside John in New Jersey during The Farewell Tour, I hope I can meet him again someday and chat Kiss like there's no tomorrow! Actually during the recent Motley Crue show in Milan (2023), John wore a t-shirt which I personally noticed immediately... black, with a white skull, a clear reference to Mr Gene Simmons early 70s! KUDOS John!...

Genes 1974 outfit is the holy grail !! Awesome. Bought my first item when I was a kid Kiss Alive 1976. Been to 7 shows 1977 and 1979 and 1996-1997. Philly balt,wash dc , pittsburgh and Virginia. We followed them alot that stretch.xmas in 1977 I broke in to the guess bedroom and all our presents were rapped but I found Kiss alive 2 album and I couldn't wait I listen to it and it was awesome then I re raped it. Kiss will always be my guys !! By 1986 I was into Dokken. I love metal.

3:18 she almost jumped from the chair. Maybe she thought the image was frozen. LOL!!!!🤣🤣🤣 Great interview BTW. Thumbs

That is an absolutely insane collection! Have met John 5 at a guitar clinic and Ozzfest and man he is flat out a chill and cool guy. I knew he was into Kiss but had no idea. Awesome interview/video.

6:14 SAME. I wish it had hit Me as a kid but I’m glad it hit me at all. Playing guitar truly brings me joy. I get Exactly what John is saying here.