It's his life
Jon Bon Jovi is not your run-of-the-mill rock megastar

Friday, July 14, 2006


By CHUCK DARROW
Courier-Post Staff

Jon Bon Jovi's suite at the ultra-posh Trump International Hotel and Tower on New York's Central Park West speaks volumes about the lifelong Jersey native who, for the past 20 years, has been one of the world's biggest pop music stars.

For starters, the word "suite" barely applies. Rather than a posh Lifestyles Of the Rich & Famous-style playpen, the rocker -- whose eponymous band headlines Saturday at Citizens Bank Park -- is ensconced in temporary headquarters comprised of a compact, unremarkably furnished sitting area barely big enough for a sofa, chair and writing table, and separate, equally utilitarian, bedroom and bathroom.

More significantly, the space is totally devoid of publicists, managers and the cadre of other roadies, toadies and flunkies that are de rigeur for a star of his magnitude.

Barefoot and dressed ultra-casually in olive cargo pants and a gray-and-white, tie-died-style T-shirt, he is the only one in the suite. The first words out of his mouth offer sincere thanks to his visitor for making the trip from Cherry Hill just to chat with him.

No matter how you might feel about Bon Jovi or his music, there's no denying he is not your run-of-the-mill rock megastar.

"I don't understand the idea of the entourage," he says picking up a sheet of paper from the table.

"Here's the rooming list -- eight people. The band and (road crew). I don't need the rest of the b------t.

"All the trappings and cliche stuff (of stardom) I either got over long ago, or never embraced.

"This country has been so programmed to (celebrity culture). It just seems like such a shallow existence to play that game.

"It's a never-ending cycle that I don't want to be a part of. I have too many things to do to be part of the pseudo-celebrity club."

The 44-year-old Sayreville native -- whose real name is John Francis Bongiovi Jr. -- isn't just whistling "You Give Love A Bad Name" when he speaks of all he has to do. As leader of Bon Jovi, he is also the CEO of a multi-million-dollar corporation. And when he co-founded the Philadelphia Soul Arena Football League franchise, he signed on not as a celebrity investor, but as a very-hands-on managing partner.

"If you're not gonna run your business who is? You've heard the stories for 50 years. There are many a casualty," he says of the countless musicians who wound up destitute because of bad or dishonest financial advice or planning.

So how did the kid from Sayreville learn to be a business tycoon?

"Experience," he says matter-of-factly. "Living through a variety of experiences.

"There was no manual when I got a record deal. And no college courses. But you get an education day-to-day, year-to-year. You get it by keeping your eyes and ears open. It's that simple."

He adds he has always viewed his profession with practicality. "I'm in the music business," he says. "And I'm very aware it's the music business."

That grounded approach to his career has obviously served Bon Jovi well. But, says one local music industry insider, there's more to the formula.

"Jon is a master businessman in many ways. He has exceptional business prowess," says Fred Deane, CEO of Cherry Hill-based Friday Morning Quarterback, a radio industry trade publication and Web site (www.fmqb.com).

"But when you think about the band, you think of Jon and (guitarist) Richie (Sambora). They're two of the best songwriters of contemporary pop music of the past 25-30 years. They have powerful songs that connect with music consumers.

"Jon is also a showman. You can see the kind of shows they put on. (In return), they have probably the most loyal (fan base) that any band can claim."

Until the end of the month, Bon Jovi will get to concentrate on that aspect of his career as he and his long-time bandmates -- Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres -- do a series of dates from Hollywood, Fla., where, last Monday, they opened the current leg of their global Have A Nice Day tour (named for the unit's most recent hit CD), to Citizens Bank Park to Giant Stadium in East Rutherford, where they have three shows scheduled.

Those with tickets can rest assured they'll hear many, if not all, of the hits that have made Bon Jovi a chart-topper for two decades.

"We do about a 27-song set, with one-third brand-new (songs), and two-thirds songs people know," explains Bon Jovi.

"We're still comfortable playing the hits" like "You Give Love A Bad Name," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Livin' On A Prayer and "It's My Life."

"I still like them, and they have stood the test of time."

And, he adds, they'll be played the way fans want them to be played -- as they were when they were originally recorded. That, explains Bon Jovi is a promise borne of the less-than-successful This Left Feels Right DVD project of 2003, which saw the group rework their catalog of signature hits.

"It's like they said, "Don't mess with our memories,' " says Bon Jovi. "I thought that was interesting. Very interesting."

When you deliver a faithful rendition of a tune, he reasons, "There's a moment between you and the audience. The power that these songs mark is something to share. (You see) a look in a kid's eyes that reminds you of the power of music." Reach Chuck Darrow at (856) 486-2442 or cdarrow@courierpostonline.com