Which Bon Jovi releases DON'T you own?

It does make you wonder why David has been so criminally underused in the band.

For me, it's the original On A Full Moon with the instrumental version of In These Arms. Though I don't know how to tell you to tell the difference between the releases with the instrumental and vocal versions. Maybe check Ebay.

I'll tell you why.

- He is surrounded by two superstars.
- That hair doesn't help his credibility
- A keyboard player in a rock band really isn't too cool.
- He could sing but he doesn't have a nice voice
- He comes across goofy and kind of annoying at times. Richie is cool so he could get away with it.

We, as die-hards, get his personality and talent but someone on the outside looking in would think all the above.

I think the best is to have the Japanese 1994 edition of On A Full Moon, since it's (probably) the only one to have the instrumental In These Arms and all 15 tracks (including ITA). There are various versions of this album with different order of the tracks etc, Dave (Lord of Bon Jovi Realm or something similiar is his nick) did a research in this a while ago.
*EDIT: I have dug out his post, here:
It seems like I have version no.4, but it was released in 1994 and it has 15 tracks. I bought via ebay for quite a normal price.

Then buy Lunar Eclipse, which has two new tracks: Second Chance and I Can Love and doesn't have Awakening and Midnight Voodoo. As far as I'm aware there are no different editions of this album and if so all of them have the vocal version of In These Arms.

So having those two records covers everything he has released. It's quite easy to burn all 18 songs on one CD if you want to listen to his work together.


I might be the only one but I'd love David to release his proper solo album. I know, nobody would buy it apart from the hardcore BJ fans and it would sell even less than Richie's record. However, I love his voice, I love the songs from The Toxic Avenger musicial he provided vocals to. Even if his album contained those songs, Memphis Lives In Me and other Memphis tracks sung by him, plus the well-known In These Arms and a handful of other tracks, I'd buy it. Imagine that there are a few tracks in the vaults he has co-written with Jon and Richie (some appeared on the box-set), I'm quite sure that at least up to HaND he wrote and co-wrote some of the band's tracks that just didn't make it to the final albums. He might use them, just like Richie used Rosie in 1991.
I love classical piano driven rock songs, something in the vein of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now. He could do something like this.
We know he can sing, even with the bad quality, his solo shows where he sang electric Prayer, Bed Of Roses, Hallelujah etc he proved to have his voice in better shape than Jon.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Looks like I basically have to buy both albums if I want all the released tracks. If I can find them both cheap somewhere I'll bite.

EDIT: Just bought what seems to be a Japanese version of On a Full Moon from Amazon UK for less than a tenner. Most other versions were going for around £90!

I see Rdkopper has already provided a compelling answer (to some different question posed by who the **** knows what little being walks inside his little brain) ...but I'll give it a shot myself.

David'd creativity and technical ability stems primarily from his classical training and his passion for jazz. I don't think he is a great hard rock keyboardist in the vein of someone like John Lord.
And while Jon & Richie's song-writing partnership developed, David was marginalised a little. Still, I think for a long time he was essential in the studio. There's this SWW Ultimate Album documentary where Dave speaks about Wanted Dead Or Alive. He goes "I wanted to see the smoke!!" talking about the intro to the song. And god damn it, when the song starts that's what you hear. The damn smoke! I am actually sure that, while Bon Jovi was still a band, his input to the songs was tremendous even though he never gets any visibility as a songwriter. Once Bon Jovi albums became Jon Bon Bon's little 3-week excursions to the studio, Dave's input decreased. The sound is dull and predictable.

So the whole 'criminally underused' aspect might be just a wrong perception. Dave is simply not a mainstream pop/rock writer. Jon and Richie are. Do I wish things were different? Hell yes. Still, I can think of spectacular keyboard moments on Jovi records that hint at what is beneath the surface...from all of 7800 to Let it Rock to Homebound Train to Say It Isn't So. At the same time - there's no place for Child in Time in Bon Jovi's music, and even if there was, I think Dave is simply not the man for that.

At least that's my theory.

I like my answer better.

Rdkopper's answer was a little insane but I think you've a lot of good points in there.

I just think it's unfortunate that David is on the outside as a writer. I understand what you're saying and think you're right but if Jon wants critical acclaim or wants to keep doing something a bit different then surely David can bring something to the party as a writer. Songs like "Stranger", "Last Cigarette", "Hardest Part is the Night", "In These Arms" all suggest to me that he can bring something even within the parameters Bon Jovi operate within.

If I was him, I'd feel a very lucky man that I got to do all the stuff he's done with Bon Jovi which has enabled him to do the musicals and stuff too. But I think I'd feel hard done by that my talent has been underused for long periods.

Or maybe he's only got himself to blame. You know that haircut may just be the real reason.