Letter from Jon

This post contains the letter from Jon that is in the paper issue of the last ever historical blah blah…whatever of the Backstage Newletter.

I know some people haven’t gotton this yet so if you don’t want to know what it says….don’t read any further.











Sometimes I feel like I write these letters just to have a venue to lie. Yes folks, that’s right, I said it, lie…Because if you think about it, I always say we’re doing this, finishing that, touring here and filming there etc, etc. But the truth is I really don’t know the future until it’s in the past. When I look back, we’ve kept things pretty well on target for the past 20 years so maybe I shouldn’t change the way I put on my socks. Let me roll those dice in every combination of luck, sweat and determination that allow me to type to my heart’s content on this endless highway.

As I wrote you last, I tried to say that the record was done. It was all missed and ready for a Spring release. Well honey’s, I tired, but I lied. Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mean to, it wasn’t premeditated. Don’t go calling your lawyers on me. I didn’t mean to cause anyone any emotional distress. Anyone but me, that is. Sit down a minute and I’ll try to explain.

See, I left Los Angeles in mid December, having delivered all Santa’s treats to my west coast confidents and boarded the plane with lots of toys for the girls and boys and a nice little something for me. It was all mine and it fit too. What I got was peace of mind. I had the record in hand and it was ready to go. Mixed and sequenced, ready to wrap. Not rap, wrap. I even had a bow on it.

What happens next is something like the John Lennon quote “life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans”. I was making loads of plans for the band including a tour when I sat down to listen to our new baby. It was something out of a bad movie. (Bad movies, we’ll talk about those later). What I jokingly like to say is the band left me the masters and I fumbled around a bit, but that’s like saying Joan Rivers went to the plastic surgeon and was just fumbling around a bit. Before you knew it was rewriting lyrics, adding things for Richie to do and ultimately writing 4 other songs.

After the holidays I tried to get John Shenks to do them but he was booked, so we enlisted Rick Parashar who had produced Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Nickelback, etc. to do the 4 new songs. The results turned me on, we turned it out and the record had to be held. If I told you it was being held until September and it came out sooner or later I know you’d call me a liar, so I’ll just say that it’s coming soon. I like it. I hope you do too. If I told you the song titles, I might end up changing them and you’d call me a liar. If I told you I’m thinking of “Drive On” as the title, you’d call me on it and, if I told you I grew 4 inches and was recently dating Elle McPherson and Liz Hurley you just might believe me (or not).

We did play in Vegas last weekend. That is not a lie. It was at the Hard Rock Hotel’s 10th anniversary party. It was a good time. We even played a new song Richie and I wrote called “Who Say’s You Can’t Go Home”. I can tell you that because it already happened and I can’t take it back. Cool place that Hard Rock, you should check it out sometime. I could tell you about the movies but they don’t seem to be going all that well these days. “The Trouble With Frank” didn’t turn out as well as I would have hoped. It’s o.k. though because it was a great experience and a pleasure to work with Matty Simmons and Arthur Hiller. Take the good with the bad. It makes you appreciate the big ones more.

The football team is closing in on the end of the season. I saw an NBS poll that said Soul was the biggest disappointment on the field to arena fans. No on wanted to win more than I did. But that sad, I did win, bigger than I’d ever have imagined. We have give away over $500,000 to charities who need it more than I’d have ever known and we’ve made a hell of a difference in the community. I love the team more now than I did a year ago and I hope you’ll give us a shot to convince those who have lost the faith to hang in there. Not every record can be Slippery When Wet, not ever movie can be U571, not every season will be a trip to the arena bowl.
It’s the journey…right?

I don’t know where the journeys taking me past the walk up the stairs into my bed, but even if I did I couldn’t tell you, cause I wouldn’t want to lie…

Well, that was very interesting insight into the mind of JBJ.

Of course my newsletter isn't here yet. And I can't type more than three letters without a fn pop-up. GRRRR.

Becky

Very interesting indeed . If I meet Jon I wont be mentioning any of his "lies"......

Cool read though, can't wait to hear the new songs.

"Drive On" sounds like a better album title to me then "Have A Nice Day", I guess there's no chance of a change otherwise Jon would be branded as an even bigger liar :P .


Thanks for posting!

Phil

While I'm not crazy in love with HAND as a title, I'm not sur I like Drive On either at least HAND is in theme with the record. I think Jon just hates naming things, he's never been great at titles and album packaging, the magic has always been what's inside, the music.
As for the letter, I think it's cool that he explained at all why he held the record, and I for one am glad if it turns out that these new songs and changed lyrics make it a better record. I'm in that club that thinks that taking however long it takes and making it as good as you can is better than meeting a pre-stated deadline just so you don't get called a liar. he's getting smart in his old age he just doesn't say anything until it's a done deal.

Jon sounds a bit pissed off. If he doesn't want people talking, he should keep his mouth shut...problem solved. I wouldn't exactly term his comments over a spring release "lies." Anything can come up at anytime and I think people understand this.

Hmm. I wonder what 4 the new songs were. MY best bet is novocaine is one of them.

thanks for posting this, I enjoyed reading it.

I think its excessive calling a change in date etc a lie, but then again this letter is addressed to a lot of people who live and breathe his every word and take it to seriously, so maybe its a shot at them for behaving that way.

Dawn

What does that mean? Does it mean that the team won't be playing anymore? Or is it that they're just wrapping up the season?

I wonder if Jon felt a need to respond not only to that segment of fans that were hanging on every word but also because it was in the gossip/ news that Jon was "sent" back by LA Reid which I did not believe for a minute. Hey, Jon- it's cool with me if you needed to change things to make a great record and if the baby helped with that good-LOL!

Now about that "lie" about Keith Urban on the CD :P
Nah, just kidding, Jon did not lie, he said he wasn't sure it would make the album.

While I can understand Jon's feelings I hope he realizes most of us are just happy to hear new music and want a good product and a great tour. Whatever it takes to make it happen including taking longer to get an album out is fine with me.

Val

I think he is being tongue in cheek sarcastic- kind of like Have a Nice Day.
Val