There's been alot of talk lately about Bon Jovis touring schedule but when you compare them to other bands then their tour and general work schedule isn't that short...

Take U2 for example...since 2001 they have had 2 tours for a total of 244 shows...they have also had 2 studio albums and 2 greatest hits albums in that time...the Vertigo tour did stretch out from March 05 until Decmber 06 but that was mainly due to family problems within the band...

The Stones have 2 tours since 2000 for a total of 264 shows...they have had1 studio album of new material,3 greatest albums,1 rarities album and 1 live album...

Now,Bon Jovi
They have had 4 tours since 2000 not counting the Lost Highway,for a total of 266 shows and the Lost Highway is currently holding at 88 scheduled shows...4 studio albums of new material,1 album of reworked hits which still takes a fair bit of studio time to put together,also the live album and box set not to mention a Japanese only greatest album...2006 is the only year since 2000 that we didn't get some kind of release from them...Also,i you want to ring up the subject of extra musicians,alot of bands have being doing it for years,Queen used an extra guitarist,The Stones have had a brass section and back-up singers for years,U2 have used mole musicians backstage and also use alot of backing tracks and other fillers and effects in their shows...

So they have done more live shows and released more material in the last 7 years than the 2 bands that many believe to be the 2 biggest bands in the world...I'm not saying that makes them bigger or better but it does put things into perspective for thoses that complain about their schedule...I don't think we will ever get a so called proper world tour like in the 80s or even the 90s because let's face it they were younger then and in some cases had smaller families so less worries about being on the road and being away from home...

On the plus side,this schedule gives the fans more chances to see them but also could account for any decreases in ticket sales because alot of casual concert goers would probably decide not to go to their shows one year if they seen them a year or two before...

I also believe that Bon Jovi expend as much energy on stage as The Stones do and probably more than U2 do...I picked U2 and The Stones as examples because I am a fan of both and I am by no means a stanger to live shows as I have seen about 20-25 concerts in the past 11 years...