[Rdkopper]

In my opinion, Jon's peak as an artist was during the These Days era. Although not my favorite album, artistically and vocally this was Jon's time. If you watch videos such as Love Song, him on Letterman, and live performances he reeked of confidence and coolness.

After the TD tour was completed, Jon went into movie making mode and released DA. He seemed to have pulled a complete 360 as an artist and as an individual. He started smoking out of boredom in movie trailers. He seemed to have lost weight. His solo performances were off. His voice tell apart. I remember seeing him on a Howard Stern interview and he was just awkward. He sits on the couch, lights up a smoke, and flicks the match on the floor. Even Howard was thrown off.

I get that he was trying to change as an artist but he just seemed awkward during that period. Richie also got kinda weird during that time as well. He was very California like.

I think this era was the reason why we all embraced the Crush period so much. Jon and Bon Jovi were back.

The band were rediscovering themselves with KTF, found it with Always, capitalized on it with TDs, and disassembled immediately after..... After failed movie and solo attempts, I think that's the reason for the safe post 2k formulas we are experiencing today.

[Becky]

I wish DA had been more of a commercial success. I think Jon would take more chances today if it had been.

[Supersonic]

Aloha !

Jon was done with the music business altogether, had grown tired of the business side and felt they were done as an act. After Destination Anywhere tanked in the U.S.A. he considered giving up on music altogether and just let the band die a silent death. He felt his "own" people were no longer interested. I've no idea why he focusses so much on the U.S.A. though hen it was pretty much the only market that gave up on him in the nineties.

Originally Posted by Becky

I wish DA had been more of a commercial success. I think Jon would take more chances today if it had been.

Yeah, I agree with this. The thing is, he was trying to ride a Britpop wave that was already dying a slow death. He just mixed quite a lot of sounds from that era quite well and was really able to distinguish himself as an artist. Once that project tanked in America and really no one seemed to care I think it felt like an "attack" on himself as well.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

[ezearis]

If Jon didn't cared so much about USA, then we'd having great music on this record. And better setlists.

[Walleris]

I don't think there was that much of a transformation in the DA era.

For me he was still the same Jon Bon Jovi, who just went into a different direction with this album. Yeah, he cut his hair short and, for some odd reason, appeared smoking a cigarette in a lot of interviews and photo shoots, but I wouldn't say he looked awkward or anything.

More than anything, I disagree about his voice disappearing. Sure, the DA songs were low-key, but that was an artistic decision more than anything else. He really did plenty of nice live performances during that era. His

acoustic Always from 1997

is not far away from acoustic versions from 1994.

Here

is one a very few KTF performances that were sung in original key and Jon's nailing it! There's plenty of other DA era live stuff that I find terrific vocally, it's just that some of the DA songs were low-key and Jon was very relaxed singing them, but his voice was on. If anything, to my ears, there was a bigger change in Jon's voice from '95 to '96, due to him picking up smoking. In the '96 leg he was already a full-time smoker (

evidence here

) and his voice started declining, but most people didn't care too much, cause he still gave his all most of the time and the setlists were awesome.

Off course, as most of us, I wasn't a fan during the time, but that's just my general impression from interviews and performances.

[Alphavictim]

Originally Posted by Rdkopper

After the TD tour was completed, Jon went into movie making mode and released DA. He seemed to have pulled a complete 360 as an artist and as an individual.

Ever seen Last Action Hero?

[KeepTheFaith2211]

Originally Posted by Walleris

Here is one a very few KTF performances that were sung in original key and Jon's nailing it!

Thank you.

[Adam D]

This is a great topic. I'd love to know more details about this time period. It seems to be a time Jon was at his peak as an artist, but also a time he barely mentions anymore.

[Elvistico]

Originally Posted by Walleris

I don't think there was that much of a transformation in the DA era.

For me he was still the same Jon Bon Jovi, who just went into a different direction with this album. Yeah, he cut his hair short and, for some odd reason, appeared smoking a cigarette in a lot of interviews and photo shoots, but I wouldn't say he looked awkward or anything.

More than anything, I disagree about his voice disappearing. Sure, the DA songs were low-key, but that was an artistic decision more than anything else. He really did plenty of nice live performances during that era. His acoustic Always from 1997 is not far away from acoustic versions from 1994. Here is one a very few KTF performances that were sung in original key and Jon's nailing it! There's plenty of other DA era live stuff that I find terrific vocally, it's just that some of the DA songs were low-key and Jon was very relaxed singing them, but his voice was on. If anything, to my ears, there was a bigger change in Jon's voice from '95 to '96, due to him picking up smoking. In the '96 leg he was already a full-time smoker (evidence here) and his voice started declining, but most people didn't care too much, cause he still gave his all most of the time and the setlists were awesome.

Off course, as most of us, I wasn't a fan during the time, but that's just my general impression from interviews and performances.

Well f*ck me. How did i never see this kicking ass performance of him solo. Although they are still great jon is only a shadow of what this sparkling artist used to be. Damn.

[JoviForever]

Originally Posted by Rdkopper

In my opinion, Jon's peak as an artist was during the These Days era. Although not my favorite album, artistically and vocally this was Jon's time. If you watch videos such as Love Song, him on Letterman, and live performances he reeked of confidence and coolness.

After the TD tour was completed, Jon went into movie making mode and released DA. He seemed to have pulled a complete 360 as an artist and as an individual. He started smoking out of boredom in movie trailers. He seemed to have lost weight. His solo performances were off. His voice tell apart. I remember seeing him on a Howard Stern interview and he was just awkward. He sits on the couch, lights up a smoke, and flicks the match on the floor. Even Howard was thrown off.

I get that he was trying to change as an artist but he just seemed awkward during that period. Richie also got kinda weird during that time as well. He was very California like.

I think this era was the reason why we all embraced the Crush period so much. Jon and Bon Jovi were back.

The band were rediscovering themselves with KTF, found it with Always, capitalized on it with TDs, and disassembled immediately after..... After failed movie and solo attempts, I think that's the reason for the safe post 2k formulas we are experiencing today.

I must be the only person who thinks Crush is rubbish. It's My Life carried the whole album and it's not even a very good song! Ever since then it seems to me the band have been chasing the next 'hit' instead of the next great song. Things have gone down-hill ever since that period IMO.
There have still been some great songs along the way but the duds out-number the good ones.
I honestly don't know what motivates Jon any more. I don't believe it's about money but about trying too hard to try and stay popular and relevant but it seems like what they are doing is having the reverse effect!