Excellent article

It was a nice article, but would have been better if the writer had given question-answer; question-answer instead of summarizing and adding his own comments.

A few years ago Richie said the band could go on if anyone but he or Jon left. It was during the Bounce era--he was talking about how that album was such a collaboration between the two of them.

I've always felt that without Dave they would have sounded pretty much like every other pop metal act in the 80's. They're a band and they want to be a band. If Jon wanted to be a solo act, he would have done as the record company wanted and signed as a solo act. He had that opportunity, but fought for the BAND.

Don't get me wrong, I hate it when people refer to the band as JON BON JOVI. We all know who the rest of the band is, and thanks to the tabloids lately, most people know who Richie is, but ther's no mistaking it - This band is built around Jon.

I know some think Richie is a better singer. If that were the case, I would reckon his solo albums would have fared slightly better.

Bottom line - Jon will ALWAYS be more successfull with the band than on his own. However, the band would be nowhere without Jon.

In happy magic wonderful land where talent is always directly related to success, they would've.

And I'm not trying to deny that Jon is the most important. Or that he's the most instantly recognizable and most associated as being Bon Jovi. Like I said, there wouldn't be a Bon Jovi without him. I'm not stupid enough to think that.

But it wouldn't be "Bon Jovi" without the others. And it's when people deny that I get upset.

I don't think that's what the guy in the article was doing. But it still irks me.

I guess I'm one of those that value what each band member brings to the table (or band if we're talking literally) and I agree that Richie is about half of what Bon jovi is. But I'll also have to agree that Dave gave the bands music a certain class that has helped them go a log way in terms of surviving through the years and genres, as has Richie's ability to play for the song so soulfully instead of just putting a solo to just have a solo in there and doping a lot of scales back and forth really fast so people would know that he had technicall skill and to me that just seemed so cool of him to do, to just care for the song and not the critical aclaim. The other member who seems to do the same is Tico, you never see him over doing his parts, or adding drum fills just for the sake of it, yet he is wwidely respected by virtually every drummer, and i have never seen or heard of anyone complain how Tico has an off night in a gig, I just assume it's never happened.so at least to me, a HUGE part of what has been responsible for Bon jovi's endurance over the years is the capability of their musicians not just their singer. Of course without Jon, there wouldn't be any Bon Jovi and we wouldn't know who Dave, Tico or Richie are but he is the the whole band, he is just 1/4 of it.

If any of them left I would not be able to think of the band in the same way. I don't know if it was Jon and Richie and Dave and some other drummer if I could call them Bon Jovi.

Totally agree. Whenever you go to concerts most people talk about Jon and Richie. But honestly I have to say I cannot imagine going to see Jon and Richie with anyone else besides Dave and Tico up there. It's like something would be missing.

True.. I agree with both statements and am happy that they are a band. Yes Jon could probably be successful on his own but when all four of them are together it's much more magical than when any of them are apart.

In my opinion,

There wouldn't be a Bon Jovi without Jon, what with his stage presence, great voice, song writing, good looks, exploding on-stage charisma etc.

however...

Bon Jovi absolutely wouldn't be what it is today without richie, dave and tico..

I think, publicly jon is up in the forefrunt (it is like that for any frontman of a band), however, as a band, it is one big effort from everybody..

You say that though, but then, Alec was apparently replaceable ....

Actually that is a very good point and i will admit I kind of forgot about Alec when I posted that. I think that the band has just been the four of them for so long now that I am used to it just being them. When I became a fan (around 92/93) Alec was in the band but since he left so soon after that I guess I just have a much stronger connection to the remaining members because they have been there all these years I have followed them. Hmmmm... it is something to think about though. I think that Jon kind of feels the same way because that is why THE BAND remains Jon, Richie, Tico, and Dave. If Hugh became a BAND MEMBER it would not be Bon Jovi as we know it. Does that make sense?