Source: Island Records

ISLAND RECORDS PRESS RELEASE:

2000 - 2003 have been incredibly successful (and busy) for one of the most recognized and beloved rock groups in the world. And at the end of the day, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SONGS.

BON JOVI are set to release THIS LEFT FEELS RIGHT on NOVEMBER 4, 2003. Co-produced by PAT LEONARD, JON BON JOVI and RICHIE SAMBORA, THIS LEFT FEELS RIGHT is a showcase of the band's greatest hits, each completely reworked from an acoustic base with new arrangements and various styles. (In addition to the Bon Jovi hits, which include "Born To Be My Baby," "Keep The Faith," "It's My Life" and "Wanted Dead or Alive," the band has included two new songs, "Last Man Standing" and "Thief of Hearts".) THIS LEFT FEELS RIGHT is not the band performing their most popular songs with two acoustic guitars. Each song has been broken down to its core elements, re-discovered and re-crafted, constructing an album that takes the songs you thought you knew in a whole new direction.

"We went into the studio thinking we were making an acoustic record," says Jon Bon Jovi. "We had a definite idea of the record we were going to make. But once we began experimenting with the songs and trying out new ideas we created a very different, unique album. We made a complete left turn and took the project down a different road."

The band joined forces with veteran producer PAT LEONARD (Madonna, Rod Stewart, Elton John) and began the process of choosing which of the many hits the team would rework. Large rock anthems became jazzy riffs. Songs sung aloud to crowds of 80,000 morphed into intimate serenades. Tempos and instrumentations, phrasings and arrangements have been revamped and each track is as if it were a brand new song. The long hours in the studio have been some of the most creative and productive the band have ever experienced.

"I am having the most fun I've ever had working on this album," elates Richie Sambora. "I'm so excited - I literally cannot wait to get into the studio everyday and get to work."

The concept of stripping the songs down to their basic elements and performing them acoustically is nothing new for Bon Jovi. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora made history when they took to the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1989 and performed "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" with just two guitars. That monumental performance inspired the UnPlugged TV series and the UnPlugged movement in music. That watershed moment was voted the #4 All Time Greatest MTV VMA Performance.

Since that time, Bon Jovi have performed "busks" all over the world, in cities as diverse as Moscow, London, Barcelona and Sydney, in front of thousands and thousands of fans who gather to witness the acoustic public concerts. In 2001, Jon and Richie gave a stirring performance of "Livin' On A Prayer" at the America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon. Later that year, the duo performed a poignant rendition of "Here Comes The Sun" as a tribute to George Harrison at the MY VH-1 Awards. In January 2003, the band decided to take the acoustic setting even further and performed an entire concert acoustically in Yokohama, Japan. The band then hand-picked several cities on their Bounce tour and designated them as shows which would open with a one-hour acoustic set before performing the remainder of the concert "plugged in." These shows were a thrill for the band, the fans and the critics alike. The St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote, "Even unplugged, Bon Jovi rules!" Once the tour had ended, Bon Jovi took that enthusiasm and headed right into the studio to work on the acoustic record.

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