Albums: Good and bad, my thoughts about the whole thing

Bon jovi toady. More like, Jon, can talk the talk, but just can't walk the walk. Passion? yeah right, maybe in Jon's fantasies. It's been quite a long time since they have done anything that appears as passionate.


Maybe once they could, but surely can't anymore. And why? Too much cash. No matter if u agree with me or not, but more cash artist has, less effort they are putting into their career. Steady cashflow makes everything appear as guaranteed. When one loses ones status and steady cashflow for reason or another, and again finds the fire within, then comes the urge to show the world that they still can do it. Bon Jovi, today there's no fire, not even spark. Just well oiled money-making machine. If I would just forget the 80s & early 90s, I would just as well forget BJ altogether. And that has got nothing to do with nostalgia.

I agree with keeper there. When someone SAYS I will fly etc. I don't believe them as much as hearing a kick-ass piece of music which makes ME fly!

My uplifting BJ moment of the week was playing the intro of if that's what it takes 10 times in a row! Sounds stupid, but damn it sounds great!!

Aloha !

That actually doesn't sound stupid but it just is stupid. WTF.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

stone deaf said this is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT !!!!! and a basic constatation about human being .. when they are having tough time they are more able to be outstanding and create masterpieces than when they are just fullfilling their bank account ..

BUT at some points when ppl have it all like the guys (on a $$ level) they someitmes feel the need to go back to more philosophic creative or artistic concerns and when it happens you don't doubt about it it's very obvious ....they still can be genuinely enjoying making music if they find a new fire and a new anger if their goal is to create something to say something and not to sell cd .. not everything is about being rich and making $$ i hope that at some points they are enjoying life beyond the money they make unless it's so boring and depressing ....
everyone of us is getting older the rich and not rich and at the same speed ... and even the richer one realise one day that time flies and maybe making money won't be the target number one... the number one target should be to be happy to have fun to follow the beliefs you have in your heart

Hey! Exactly! Bruce is better! I saw fim in 2003 in De Kuip in Rotterdam, with the great-as-ever E-Street Band!! So enthusiastic, he really puts his heart and soul in it. I cannot see anymore that Mr. Jon puts his heart and soul in it. His voice is less than average now, according to me. Too montone, not powerfull anymore... It's a pity- because it used to blow you away. Bruce's voice STILL blows you away. That guy's voice IS powerfull, and what a chord range he can hit! And he plays for 3 full hours! Jon always uses the same movements on stage, the same setlists... Last time when I saw them in Amsterdam (in the ****ed-up Amsterdamn Arena by the way) the show was just BORING!! Jon always says at the beginning of a show that it will last 3 hours, but the stop after MAXIMUM 2,5 hours nowadays... I hope that 'have a nice day' will be good! (If it will come out).

I'm much more looking forward to Springsteen's solo accoustic tour this year, in Europe!! And.... Rumours about a tour in 2006 with the E-Street Band!! I'll be there! Awesome!

p.s. Becks, what about those pictures of that gay 'Keith' all the ****ing time! Please, keep that shit for yourself. You probably only like him because only you think that he looks good!

Now, in case few of u didn't pay any attention to original post here, this is supposed to be about STUDIO works. Live suckage has been discussed time and time again already.

Ok Stone, I'll take it back to studio recordings. Heres my take on the bands studio albums:
1) BJ- Runaway. That's it. The only song on this record that ever made an impression on me. This song shows the potential of a young songwriter.
2)7800- A hurried, badly recorded and produced record, the songwriting seems to have stalled here. Obviously a band still looking for who they want to be, trying some things on for size, but not able to find a good fit yet. The only song on this record I remember is In and Out of Love.
3) SWW.A band that has found it's voice. Sometimes loud and cocky sometimes a little vunerable this is a great record. I know every song and every lyric.
4) NJ- More of the same, a bit louder and cockier and even more vunerable, this one I also know every song and lyric.
5) KTF- I pick this one as my favorite when I'm forced to have one. It was a record that took a stand, showed the bands ability, the vocals kicked butt, and it showed me that there was indeed somewhere new to go with this band. And yeah I know the lyrics and songs on this one too.
6)TD- I have over the years come to love this record for what it is, a highly stylized one off showing the bands other side, and the realization that we all get sometime in our thirties that life is full of shades of gray and that there isn't so much black or white as we used to think there was. It's a great record but I'm glad they left off this style it does'nt sit well on them full time.
7) Crush- A very good record. A collection of songs that give some clues to where the band had been for five years. A little more pop than metal but I get why, after being MIA for five years and considering what was topping the charts they needed to be radio friendly. IML did it's job and it is a cool song.
Bounce- This record confuses me. I can't say I don't like it because there are several tracks on it that I really enjoy. On the other hand it doesn't have the usual flow that most BJ records have, for me anyway. I really think that they tried to hard to not make this a 9/11 record which I get because I wouldn't want to be singing something for 10 years that reminded me of that tragedy either, but I suspect that there are some gems in the vaults for this record. It's not a bad record but it's not one of their best either. I know the songs and lyrics to the tracks I like.
My take overall: this is a band that has done it's thing for more than 20 years. I think they don't always get it right, no band ever does, but They keep trying, which I love. I think it's harder for them now with the legacy they have behind them- people expect certain things and when they step outside the box it makes people nervous. My hope for the new record is that it's something that the band truly loves and enjoys playing and that they rekindle the passion that they have for playing rock-n-roll.

Trying. that sure is a key word here. Again, this aint fact but my opinion.
They did quit trying after TD. TD, IMO was piece of crap and somehow I feel the band agrees with me (like, how many tracks off it remains in setlist). Everything after that has been either calculated, cleaned & mother-approved,
predictable compositions & no passion whatsoever, or totally crap (OWN, TLFR...).

They've been taking the easy way for years, and taking fans for granted. This goes for both, studio work & concerts.

It's not just Jon. If people are going to criticize what they band has become, they have to look at the whole picture. Richie cowrites the songs. He's not blowing us away with his guitar skills on record or on the road. We know he can do more than he does and I don't believe for one minute that as a co-writer and co-producer he's "limited" by Jon and the other co-writers and co-producers. He's gotten lazy. If you criticise Jon for acting, you have to criticize Richie for acting. Even though he hasn't gotten major roles, the interviews he's done on his own in the past few years have been to promote his appearances on American Dreams and the Chris Isaak show. If you criticize Jon for investing in the Soul, you have to criticize Richie for investing in the Soul--the last time I saw him on TV he was referring to it as HIS football team and promoting it too. He's out in Hollywood and getting into real estate with that hotel/House of Blues project. He's no more "all about the music" than anyone else in the band. Tico shows more passion for golf and baby clothes than music. David puts more into his musicals. Come to think of it, David seems to be the one most focused on music.

I, for one, do believe the outside projects are healthy for the band. I don't believe they'd come back to the band at all if they couldn't have lives outside of it. But I hope whatever they've been doing to create the next CD is energizing them all for the music. I'll wear my optimistic hat today and tell myself that it is.

Becky

Becky you wrote this

I think your wishes are great for the future.... now .. I see as a nightmare new songs refering to football ...I hope the inspiration won't be football