Hi

There is an interview in the dutch magazine Nieuwe Revu. I tried to translate it, but it was quite difficult so 'scuse the mistakes. Here it goes:

Family Man

Politician

Superstar

Bon Jovi


He supported Al Gore, but the other one won. One year after 11 September and possibly preceding of bombs on Iraq, Jon Bon Jovi talks about his new album Bounce.
But especially about the man that became president and the man who didn’t. I said “Al have you ever heard of microphone technique?”

Question to the reception of the Ryant Park Hotel, West 40th Street in New York: “ I am here to see Jon Bon Jovi, Suite 24. Which floor is that?”
Answer: “ Suite 24 is the 24th floor, Sir!”

Bon Jovi is a superband, Jon Bon Jovi is a superstar. Hence the suite in this hotel (rooms are 205 to 975 dollar a night). Hence the press kit with numbers like: “93 million sold albums, 31 million concert visitors. Message: millions of people can’t be wrong. Jon will drop the number during our conversation as well. The man is also very businesslike ( in 1998 to Movieline: “ The only thing I like more than my wife is my money”). A superstar.

That’s why Jon, who turned 40 in March this year, has a hairline that doesn’t go backwards but forwards (LOL not sure how to translate that!), and that his teeth are getting whiter. And that’s why Jon mentions sentences as “ I was talking to Elton on the phone, who told me…” (Jon’s talking about Elton John) or Bono just told me: Jon… (Jon means Bono of U2). Star under the stars.

That is one side. The other side is the more Springsteen-like side of Jon Bon Jovi. An ordinary guy, son of a hairdresser (father John) and the owner of a giftshop (mother Carol). No numerous affairs with models, married to his girlfriend from school, Dorothea with whom he has 3 children. And still together. Never worked together with the young and hip. About Springsteen he says grinning: “ Our record is going to sell more that Bruce’s, mark my words!”

Bon Jovi is also an almost classic rock ‘n’ roll band. Larger than life, the honor division of stadium-entertainment. In the US the band has never been able to equal the success of their (chest) hairy years after their comeback album Keep the Faith. But in Europe the band is even bigger than they were in the 80’s.
Rock ‘n’ roll is alive again, Jon states. “ It has been reanimated after a comatuse (sp?) period, where boybands ruled the musical climate. At this moment you can see here in the US that they are returning to Rock, to songwriters. Staind, Creed, The Calling: they are doing what Aerosmith did in the 70’s and we did in the 80’s. Bands that will create their own sound and maybe still exist in 20 years. Like U2, Metallica and us.”

Next year Bon Jovi will exist two decades. The laws of the music industry are known to Jon. “ A big part of the 90’s I watched MTV and I thought: this is not meant for me. I couldn’t do anything with the large part of rap, I couldn’t do anything with the dark lyrics of grunge. I also thought that rap was going to be temporary. But it found it’s own niche. It has influenced lyrics, also outside the genre. It taught you about the American white youth from the middleclass and about the world of the black youth in East – LA. And I still don’t have anything with the poses and the big golden chains, I just wanted to say that: that genre has proved its existence. This year it’s the year of young-girl-with-guitar. That is how these things go, I am not surprised about anything.”

The other two elements of the holy three unit sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, seems to suit the band less. But Jon wants to clarify that. “ Hey if I am watching a music video of a girl that comes to the tourbus at night, does bring up memories.” A glow of bright white light fills the room: Jon is showing his teeth laughing. “ Been there, done that. Rock n Roll is very sexual. Take Elvis, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, their popularity is largely traced back on sex. The popularity of a band, also my band, is largely explained by a sexual tension for the female fans, and the will to also be on stage for the male fans. I never had anything with drugs. The escapism, the possibility to dream I got that from the music.
“I have written some amazing song under influence of uhm…. Everything.” Guitarplayer Richie Sambora adds later. “ But remember also great songs under influence of nothing. Don’t forget that ‘sex, drugs and rock n roll’ largely a myth is. Good for the media: saying that you are just having fun and making a lot of money. And secretly work extremely hard.”

Optimism is also the red line through Bon Jovi’s repertoire. Also through Bounce, the new album. Opening song Undivided is Bon Jovi’s the Rising I saw the towers burning from the beach.” That day Richie was gonna come by to work on new songs. We never did that day, but we started writing a day after. The first line I put on paper were: ‘ I don’t wanna write a song today / Never thought it would be this way.’ I also wrote a song named Crying, it is about a woman that hopes her man will show up on her front door and walks in. That was the time that they were still looking for survivors under rubble. The lyrics were written from … Very down, very angry. Finally I never used any of them. I think that the song Undivided better shows how we are thinking about it a year later, we have to move on. I am just an optimist, I always try to find the light. Though I have to say that this time I had to look far.

Critique on the by George Bush initiated aftermath of 11 september is still seen as a lack of patriotism. Jon first formulates safely: “ I accept that Bush is president, but I still think it should be the other guy.”

Then with Afghanistan in his memory and Iraq as future possibility he lets his diplomacy go: “ Incredible he is just continuing his father’s work. Who I btw thought was an intelligent man, even though I didn’t agree with his policy – for as far as I was involved with it back then. But I think that Bush sr is still sleeping in the bed of the White house, and little George sleeps in the guest room. Gore knew the names of all heads of state, Bush doesn’t even know where those countries are!”
After the last presidential campaign Jon talked politically for the first time: he supported Al Gore’s campaign. Actively sang and played guitar at various campaign meetings. “ He was great, I was sitting in the plane, the Air Force 2, and I asked him if I could bring my kids with me the next day to take some pictures. Al Gore knew so much. Believe me, if he was here sitting in this chair, you would be hanging on his lips. But he doesn’t have starpower. For a camera he freezes. I remember his first television debate, I thought I died in front of my tv. The next day he came over to dinner at my house. I was allowed to talk to him freely so I said: ‘ Al what are you doing? Never heard of microphone techniques” Openly criticizing Bush is still sensitive. The first who dared to do that was George Michael, who critiqued the president and Blair in his last video. I understand what he is trying to say with the video, I agree with what he is trying to say. But he put a lot in danger. He will never, well I won’t say never, he’s gonna have a hard time getting a foot in the door here in the US. Because after 11 september the Americans are standing behind our country and whether we like it or not behind George Bush.

Jon’s political activities ended after the campaign. He is no Bono. I think it is great what he is doing but I also have a career as an actor and I am trying to raise 3 kids. And there are only 24 hours in a day. Even in my day!


Cynthia