Do you miss them?

reading this post with all these stuff that actually happened, it kinda makes you question lol
but yes, for all we know, yes they are.

Thanks! Great thread starter. As I said, it's just an awesome question. It evokes such powerful memories! Thank you for that, too.

Thanks! I can't believe it's been over three years since Richie left. It's crazy.

Yeah, I know; right? What makes it even weirder to me is that, while a few of the fans seem to believe that everything is settled and everybody's moved on, a lot just don't seem to have that same sense of finality. It's like we're ... waiting. For what, I'm not sure. The other shoe to drop? Somebody to jump out and say, "PSYCH! Just kidding!"? A bell to end the match?

Hell, if I know. But it just doesn't 'feel' finished. I thought when BB came out, we'd all say, "Welcome to tomorrow, it's a new day!" (to coin a phrase) and move on, happily or not.

But that didn't happen. Richie's still as much a part of active discussions on this board as he ever was. And it's not only the fans who'd like to see him back in the band who bring him up. Just as often, it's some of the very fans who'd be most happy if he was never in the band again. Now that I think about it, that may be what was behind my comment that it said a lot, IMO, that even tho your question was "Do you miss them?" most of the ppl who had responded up to that point seemed to be answering a different question: "Do you miss Richie?"

It's like, whether ppl like him or forgive him, or not, he's never far from anybody's mind when they talk about the band - over three years later.

Maybe that will change when the new album is actually released and the tour begins. Maybe it will change with the release of RSO's new album. It may take Jon getting this particular "m*fukkin chip" off his shoulder with this album, and moving on himself - to whatever inspires the next one - in order for us to put a period at the end of the sentence.

Perhaps that's it. As long as ppl are expecting the new album to be Jon filling in the blanks, or saying FU to Richie (since he's already said it to the label, and I don't get the impression that fans really care if he even mentions the NFL again!), or until he somehow expresses his anger, hurt, anguish, relief, regret over the situation - whatever makes up that chip - this can't be about anything else. Lance that boil, get all the gunk out, heal, and move forward. At the same time, the tour may relieve some of the uncertainties I've seen from ppl about how the band's going perform, how well Jon's going to be able to perform, and whether Jon even still enjoys doing it anymore - because according to a lot of ppl, that's the missing factor.

Granted, the BWC tour was a bitch and a half, and understandably so. The band and the fans were knocked off their pins when Richie didn't show up in Calgary and with the sh!tstorm that followed. But that shouldn't be a factor this time around. The band has had nearly three years to rest, recover, and prepare. So if the joy's still there, it should be evident. I'd feel more confident about that, however, if Jon didn't still look so tired and beaten down even in the recent Runaway gigs. But if that happens, then maybe it will prove - to most of the fans, anyway - that they're still Bon Fukkin Jovi, with or without Richie Sambora.

I'm not holding my breath, personally, for myself or that allegedly small group of fans who would prefer to see Richie back. I'm not a big fan of change, period. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, The Eagles will never be The Eagles again, either; and there's no effen hope for Glenn Frey to rejoin the band!

But even it's not the Jovi I've loved for so long and Richie is, in fact, not going to be part of a future Bon Jovi, I think it's going to be critical for everyone to find closure before we can fully enjoy whatever the band becomes.

You know, sometimes I think about this. I love The Eagles too and my fave songs were in the voice of Glenn, and now it's all gone. And Ive never seen them live. Anyway, you can't have everything.

But I'm like, they're still alive. All of them. Bon Jovi I mean.
Alive and well. I'm (I guess all of you are aware by now) one of the people who believe Bon Jovi is not Bon Jovi without Richie and still have that tiny little hope inside of me that these two idiots will settle their differences and all the shit between them and work together again, even if it's for one tour like GnR.
I'm genuinely curious about this album, not just the lyrics but how it'll sound, but Im sure that deep down I won't be thrilled enough.
I don't like changes either, and this particular change bothers me to a ****ing level...
At this point I just wish I couldve had more opportunities to see them live prior to 2011, my memories are basically made of stuff I see on my computer.
Yea I saw them back in 2010 and they were on fire, as they usually are in gigs in S. America... but idk man I just miss them. I want them back together before life happens to them while theyre busy making other plans.

So perfectly said! Made me sad

At least for me it's not the same someone else playing songs written by Richie. Even if he was just as good.

For me, this isn't an Axl and Slash sort of thing... I don't mind Phil playing Richie's parts... I do however miss Richie's harmonies. But.......

Looking back at the past 10 years or so, it all has become so autopilot with the two of them... not only with just the live shows but with the songwriting and albums too... I mean Richie had to go back a redo the solo on Born To Follow because fans were like WTF... I've never seen that before or after.

Unless you are into bootlegs and YouTube videos during these more recent times (I sure as hell am not), then I'm willing to accept an album and go to a concert without Richie...

When I saw Bon Jovi with Phil in 2013, Phil was just a fill in (no pun intended) and they were just treading water... Now that Phil was been around from sometime and has even contributed to this new album, I'm expecting to see more and the bar has been raised... Especially if Jon can replace Bobby...

So I'll go back to my original reply... Do I miss Richie? I'll let you know after this album and tour

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