Richie's gone soft

While I think you're being way too harsh on the matter, and I cannot believe I'm saying this, I sort of see where you're coming from. I sort of see his writing/playing style as being far too wishy-washy, saying what he thinks the fans want to hear, playing what he thinks the fans want to hear, etc.

IMO, everyone in the band needs to take a break to pursue their own projects

... That may or may not be cos I want Jon and Richie solo albums and tours. Well alright, yeah mainly it is, but I'd also like to see them take some time out, and maybe find a new direction for when the band regroup

Shame it's not happening though

The problem with what y'all are saying is that the band has found a new direction and it would appear Richie was very influential in going that way(country). Also they've just finished the biggest tour of their career so they're nowhere near death. They don't need to separate to "stay alive."

I agree with you that Richie isn't doing that much with his guitar work. It seems he's putting forth minimal effort. But I don't think he's being held back by the confines of the band because he still cowrites the majority of the songs and coproduces everything so he contributes greatly to what they're creating, moreso now than when he was not a producer.

I don't believe Jon and Richie feel the need to "prove themselves" to anyone anymore, including each other. At this point they seem very content to work together. They both like success and it's got to be hard for Richie to release CDs that don't sell well. With everything he's been through in the last year releasing a potential flop is probably the LAST thing he needs to do for his own emotional health.

I think Richie DEFINETELY had a hand in the new sound change. I mean pre all of that. Something just struck me as odd. I think I heard OWN 2001 was his and Obie's work? And it all of a sudden has a talkbox and a dancey-er kind of feel to it. And his work on the theme song for the Insider. same deal. More drum machines, talk box, trying to make Everyday sound even more poppier. I don't want to flat out say the guy is on autopilot, I just don't get anything soulful from him anymore when he does interviews when he used to sound so real and from the heart.

Yes, you're correct. OWN 2001 was an Obie/Richie collaboration. Yikes! Jon was off doing a movie or something when they did that.

The first version of OWN was started by Jon, Richie, and Desmond and Richie and Desmond left and Jon finished it the song by himself b/c he couldn't get it out of his head.

I really shouldn't let that song affect how I view Richie but he totally went down a few steps in my eyes after that remix.

I thought the remix rocked a lot more than the original. All the embarrassing "shout-alongs" were gone and it flowed much better.

Ice

I've definetely heard that from people. I'd probably like it more if he didn't ry to make it sound so much like it's my life.

yeh lol

still i think that richie did try something new with the slide so it shows h is still experimenting although on a much lesser scale

Really? To me, him using the slide is nothing new. It was WAY over used on Crush and HAND. There was always slide on the original, just over-done. Way too many keyboards, talk boxes and drum machines. It kind of all depends on if you like that sorta thing.