I don't think so, I remember a quote KTF era when Jon said that when he sees Bruce Springsteen without the E Street band it's just not the same, and he feels that it's the same with Bon Jovi, if he toured without them, people would miss Richie and the band, it wouldn't be the same...I think the quote was from Raw magazine in the UK.

I can't put a finger on the timing of it, but I think it was a gradual thing from Crush onwards...