Source: Melbourne Herald Sun

FRESH from a triumphant return to Melbourne, Jon Bon Jovi talks about entering politics, charity work and how iPods are killing the B-side.
Apparently you're running for US politics with Al Gore's backing . . .

I don't know how that happened. It came from that crazy story in the New York Times. Al Gore is probably my hero. I'm honoured enough to call him my friend. But it's not true.

No interest at all?

I take a bad review hard, let alone that 50 per cent of the people hate you in politics before you've left your house. I don't need that beating! It's a very difficult job and I don't know that it's anything more than a thankless job. I don't know why anyone would aspire to do it.

What's your take on the American election?

I'm listening, like everyone else. I'm a Democratic supporter, a lot of their platform is about giving back. I'm hoping the country's paying attention this time.

You're covering Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah these days. . .

It's a pleasure to sing that song. I'm jealous . . . what a song.

Is that a song you wish you'd written?

It's right up there, man. It's up there in the Top 10 of all time. The only thing that gives me any solace is that I read it took him five years to write it. It's a masterpiece.

Do you like the Jeff Buckley version?

I do. I saw him in a bar, couldn't have been more than 50 people there, no exaggeration, in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It was for that first EP (Live at Sin-E) with the coffee cup ring on it. He was this close to the bar. He could sing. The honest-to-God truth is that was the first time I heard Hallelujah.

I didn't know Cohen's version before that. I heard that song and went, ‘‘There's the hit!'' and my friend went, ‘‘You genius, it's a Leonard Cohen song, you're not so bright are you?'' Nope, but at least I wasn't the last one to know it was a Cohen song.


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