It's time for Bon Jovi to grow up

I also see the point that Bon Jovi are looking too much at the charts and that their songwriting has become a bit more commercial...

"Crush" is a good album, I like it very much, although I was dissapointed at first because after "These Days" it wasn't what I expected but as a rock/pop album it is brilliant. It's a good mood album. "It's my Life" brought them back to the top and into the minds of the people - potential buyers and concert goers. What I miss in it is the depth that was there in "Keep the Faith" and "These Days".

In the 80s, Bon Jovi has been a party band, not much more. Big songs for big stadiums. "Wanted dead or alive" and then the whole "New Jersey" record showed that they were able to do more, musically and lyrically. The time in between the 80s and the 90s must have done something good for Jon and the band, because on "Keep the Faith" we have a band that has grown up for the first time. Not just songs about just getting laid and having a good time, but about reality. Take "Bed of Roses", a wonderful, poetic love song. Take "Dry County" - the mixture of storytelling and epic music at its best. Take "I believe" or the title track: They fit to the band as artists and into the time (but are somehow timeless). Real Classics.

In Europe it was a big success, not that much in America, but still good. Then came the "Crossroads" era, the two new songs on the album are still something of the best Bon Jovi did. The magic of the band is in that two songs. Although "Always" hasn't really a deep message, it's just a brilliant song. And it was number one. But it wasn't created for the charts, there's too much emotion in it. Bon Jovi doing the walk between being commercial and true to themselves (that's what I miss on "Bounce").

Then, 1995, the definite year of Bon Jovi for me. Their creative peak and my first concert, both unforgettable. For many fans "These days" is the best Bon Jovi album ever (as for me) and for some the worst. You can see it in the fact that it wasn't as succesful as the previous albums (even in the States). People started to realize that Bon Jovi had more than just party rock and posing in front of 50,000 screaming fans. The lyrics, the music, the arrangements, the songwriting shows a band that got lost in their music, they really had something to say. And they didn't look at the charts. A lot of fans who liked Bon Jovi for their party anthems don't appreciate "These Days" at all, but for me, who likes a bit of everything, it's just perfect.

The 1996 Tour was the most unusual Bon Jovi tour ever - nearly the whole "These Days" album was played. Not that much party, but more to listen for the people. It was the most interesting tour they did so far (when you look at the setlists).

Then came the big break with Jon doing a brilliant solo album (which was in the steps of "These Days" a very personal, un-commercial thing). Un-commercial doesn't mean it didn't sell. It did. Bon Jovi will always sell. They have made it to the top. That's what I meant with the thin line between commercial outputs and artistic freedom.
I expected a lot from the so-called "Comeback" album. The working title was "Sex sells", and I wasn't sure what it was about. Finally I thought it was a self ironic title with Bon Jovi realizing that their frontman will always be a reason for some people to buy the records but was also a way to be sure that their songs were heard worldwide by a large number of people, also those who want to "listen". Then the title was changed and "Crush" became their most commercial album since "Slippery". Now I like it as one of their best, because they stayed true to themselves. "It's my Life" is still self-ironic in my eyes and ears. I like big loud rock songs a lot, but if the whole album is only the surface of what could have been a message, they aren't as goog as they can be. (I love both "It's my Life" and "Hey God", both brilliant to me). But if you look a little closer at "Crush" you find pearls like "Mystery Train" or "Captain Crash" or "Two Story Town" or "Just older". I can truely say I love each track on the album. I knew this one was a fun record. Ok boys, let's see what you have next. (I disliked a bit that the "One wild Night" Tour was only about party. The emotions of songs like "In these arms" or "Born to be my baby" got totally lost because they turned out into crowe-jumpers, if you get me. Jon was jumping up and down during these songs and just sang the words to fill the music, not the message - anyhow, still great shows!)

Then "Bounce" had me very, very disappointed. I didn't get into it like all the other albums (except the first one). "Everyday" has a message, but if the message don't get deeper throughout the album it becomes silly. Take "Bounce" - the song is a joke (but the best I've heard in 2002). "It's my Life" part II and silly lyrics that don't work. I like that song, but at all the album leaves me unsatisfied. Also the music. Where is Richie? And where is Dave (he has his songs, but in the others like "Undivided" he's not really there in the mix). Are the boys not able to remember what great records they wrote (Days, faith)? If they don't want to be that melancholy like in 1995 they don't have to be, but that doesn't mean that the lyrics become flat and the arragements boring. I don't hear any emotion on "Bounce". For me it sounds like "ok bosy, we have to do another records so come on...". I know thyt they had some topics like 9/11 that they wanted to write about, but it seems as if they didn't spent as much time and effort into the project like before. They are fathers, they ahve other lives, that's fur sure. But a singer who can't decide between an acting career and a musical career, a guitarist who thinks solos are no longer suitable for the charts and a band who's satisfied with filling the 4/4 isn't what I liked about Bon Jovi in the past. They are still my favourite band and will always be, but I'm a bit sad that they don't seem to care about there music as they used to do. Look at "Right Side of Wrong" - the song may be good, but the arrangement, I mean the Production sucks. It sounds like atrificial romance with all those keyboards and the synthie-piano. In Germany we call it "Kitsch". What I liked on Bounce is the heavier tone and at some points it really isn't as commercial as it could have been. But on the other side it's too flat to be a very good album.

Also the arrangements of the live songs become more and more boring, no jams, less stories by Jon, no more improvisations, no more Richie's sole before "Wanted"... All those things. These days they play the songs very much like they are on the album, no new arrangements.

I also think that in their 40s now Bon Jovi should do albums that are true to themselves as human beings as they did before. They will still be a bit of a party band and it still will be commercial. It has always been, but Bon Jovi always made the maximum of it (until Bounce).

But it's still BON JOVI and that means that their albums and their shows are still better than all the rest.

Has someone read that all?????? I hope you got my point, I wish I had more words in English to say better what I wanted to say.

Anyhow, rock on! See you on the road in 2003!!!

Well, I don't want another "Keep the Faith" or another "These Days", but something in the same league. "Crush" is a bit below that level and "Bounce" isn't even near. Just a short thought I forgot to mention. But everyone has his own opinion. And there are much more important things to worry about than music.

I thought These Days was a big seller, due to the fact that it was promoted in countries where they wouldn't normally promote it, where music piracy is high, and backed up by a proper world tour. It certainly sold more than Crush in the UK.

One thing Jon and Richie have made clear in the past few years is that they are not going to release an album full of songs they don't, as writers, think they can still stand behind in 20 years. They know that once they release a song, it's with them forever. So, I think it's an unfounded assumption to say that they're not releasing songs with meaning. Those songs do have meaning--to the people who wrote them. Whether or not the audience sees the meaning is not indicative of whether the meaning is there.

Go back to something like "Something to Believe In" which Jon proclaimed over and over was a positive song. To him, it was. To much of the audience, it's not. Our take on meaning is not always the same as the band's.

Becky

I think Penrose's point is that if Bon Jovi continue to make these big, loud anthems well into their 40's and 50's, then they will never be taken serious.

I must admit, I agree with Simon. Bounce to me does seem a bit flat. About half of the songs on there just seem to be written for the sake of writing songs. I mean, look at Joey, that song is just disgusting!! I can't get into misunderstood at all and The Distance sounds like a discarded Creed B-side! The lyrics in that feel as though they've been written because the band think they'll sound deep - "There's a rose outside your window" just doesn't fit the type of song. My favourite song is actually Right side of wrong, but thats only because its the only one on their that gives Richie a decent guitar solo.

I see your point Becky, but to me, those songs lack meaning rather than differing from the meaning intended by the band. It just seems to me that writing a song about a failed bank robbery attempt is not something that the guys could ever be able to relate to.

Quite a good point Becky- the band- or better to say jon (and maybe richie) think more about the songs they release. but imho i think that bj is more and more a one-(or two)-man- show because bounce is for me more a jon's solo album than an album from a band- bon jovi goes towards the direction of bryan adams: he has the same band for ages but still "bryan adams" is only one person and i noticed that at bon jovi as well.
when i read on bonjovi.com tico's answer to the "favorite song" question, it felt to me as if it had quite a cynical touch- he also said that on crush and he will say that for the next 20 albums: that he simply likes every single song on the album. i'm quite sure he doesn't and i'm quite sure that there are some songs on both albums- crush & bounce- he would have never released even as a demo if he had something to say.
when he says that it sounds to me as if he thinks "i can say everything cause no-one will listen to it seriously anyway" and i think he's right.

when you go through the tracklistings of the last two albums you will find out that 90% of all the songs refer anyhow to jon and that really makes me a bit sad cause as a fan who doesn't know the boys and the way the act when there are no cams or press guys i feel that jon makes the band his own- so actually he doesn't have to release solo records in the future and i think that we won't have a jbj album in the next years because all he wants to play and to do he can make with bj- and if the next record goes still more in that direction i see myself sitting in front of my laptop like i am now and writing onto this board that jon kills bon jovi

btw: sorry that i'm also referring to one post *g*

Bounce is a great album and bon jovi have always realesed anthems like prayer , wanted, bad name...... thats there style why change it when it works almost 100 million albums we cant say we know better thats a load of bulls*it and bounce has sold just under 2 MILLION albums world wide 1 million alone in europe dont know bout america cause the riaa dont seem to update there site any more and is gold in a few others so it will take them beyond 100 million by next year!! Its still in the top 15 uk rock albums (crossroad no 26) SO pen-whatever SHOVE IT

You have missed my point. It doesn't work anymore. Look at Bounce, they hoped Everyday would do what It's My Life did; it is a loud, anthemic song, but it didn't do well in the charts, and it didn't cause Bounce to do very well. They should stop making these kinds of songs because they aren't a guaranteed album shifter anymore for them. Who is going to take a bunch of 50 year olds singing 'I'm gonna touch the sky, spread these wings and fly' seriously? It is hard to take that line seriously now.

Bon Jovi's popularity isn't increasing, in fact, it seems to be getting less with every album. They will however, like the Rolling Stones, continue to put on a good show, and (hopefully) people will continue to go and see them. They should realise this, and stop putting out records that are 'designed' to do well in the charts.

And please, don't insult me, it just makes you look immature and childish. By the way, your lack of punctuation makes it difficult to understand what your point is. Please put effort into your posts, as others do on this site.

my lack of punctuation WHO IS INSULTING WHO it doesnt make much scence to say i am childish then turn around and say the same thing you stupid fool no punctuation WHO CARES????? OH am i being childish like i give a fu*K everyday went to no 5 in the uk charts so whats the problem also no 1 in canada (Dont know where in america) So dont think i am missing the point dont think you have one!