When Did Jon Go Through "The Change"

off topic but watching that interview from mtv they broadcasted some seconds from a secret show in astoria london, probably filmed from mtv...i d really like to see this show, and many other gems that have been kept in the shadows...today in the youtube age we think we ve seen almost everything there is outhere from the band but i m positive there are many high quality bootlegs outhere,...

I still say 2002 is the major turning point. Up to and including the Crush period, there was a lot of fun in Bon Jovi. From Bounce onwards, all the albums, all the interviews, almost all the videos have been dead serious.

Not to be macabre but, my friends and I said long ago Jon wants to be sure his obit says more than "founding member of long haired 80's band Bon Jovi."

And from Bounce onward there was the Philadelphia Soul which drained a huge amount of Jon's time. That seemed to morph into the philanthropic interests that he pursues today.

Don't get me wrong - I like his philanthropy and I agree with his politics too. BUT he spread himself very thin including continuing acting on occasion. I believe that his music suffers because of it.

Nah - the HAND promo stuff was still a lot of fun. So were the Box Set out-takes. Lots of banter between all the band members. I think after Lost highway it all went the more serious track. That doesn't mean Jon Bon Bon was not always a bit of a joke...errmm....I mean jerk!

The thing that annoys me with the Jon interviews nowadays is that it would appear that Jon or "his people" pre-sets a lot of the questions and statements, and yet he seems to get bored and annoyed by the same questions. And he always seems to do his interviews in 1 day junkets, so has these same questions thrown at him all day rendering him bored and surly.

Obviously he probably wants stuff like Stephanie and the like to be off-limits, but you hear the stuff asked like the interviewers have all got the same press release and just have to go off of that. I'd like to see different members of the band interviewed, as well as Jon letting his hair down and doing something like Top Gear, where he can talk about something other than the same old whilst still plugging the latest tour/album/philanthropic event.

This is one of my favorites:

Have you all seen the JBJ / Michael Kay interview from 2004 (I think). Jon had just started the Philadelphia Soul and he was very enthusiastic. Michael Kay is a great interviewer (and a Yankee sportscaster) and it was one of the best interviews ever. I think it was called Centerstage.

I have searched YT several ways and can't come up with any part of it unfortunately.

I think Jon is a bit bored or afraid to step out again. I mean Amen is basically Hallelujah re-written for him. Its like I want a song that I wrote for touring and I will just write it.

The problem is Jon is a middle aged rockstar who has not been a working class guy in 25 years and yet he tried to write like he is.

I loathe his politics but I do not begrudge him having his beliefs. I just think they come out in his songs. So many *new* songs seem to me like revamped old songs with new words.

It is the same formula on everything - Richie mentioned it - they write a specific type of song for the band. And Jon will only sprinkle new stuff in so we really do not get to know any songs that are newer.

I look at Richie and Dave musically and they are so much above Jon and the band. The songs in the Broadway stuff of David give me chills (like Colored Woman ). I think Jon is a great songwriter WHEN HE WANTS TO BE but he seems just kind of coasting and cashing checks.

I honestly think WFTWM nails it for me - I loathe that sound, I loathe his little dance and yet it is still being played because he wants people to think he is like us. Just be you - write interesting songs - stop playing it so safe.

CenterStage is correct.