Bon Jovoyage: On tour and off, Jon Bon Jovi's life is one wild ride

Music/by Dean Johnson
Monday, July 21, 2003

If local Bon Jovi fans don't flock to Gillette Stadium to see their
heroes tomorrow, it could be at least two years before they get
another chance.

``We won't be on the road next year, that's for sure,'' frontman Jon
Bon Jovi told the Herald earlier this week. The New Jersey native
won't be touring in 2004 because he has several other projects he
wants to focus on, including his fledgling acting career, an acoustic
album and a full boxed set from the band, and even possible ownership
of a new pro football franchise.
In the meantime, Bon Jovi is finishing its stadium tour that began
last fall in grand style. The group recently performed the first-ever
paid concert at London's Hyde Park for 92,000 fans and brought out
Kinks frontman Ray Davies for a rendition of his hit ``Lola.''
Tomorrow's show includes Sheryl Crow and the Goo Goo Dolls. ``The
production values alone are enormous,'' Bon Jovi said. ``We wanted to
build something that would make U2 or the Stones say, `Yeah, we want
that stage.'
`We're playing two and a half, three hours, depending on how we're
feeling,'' he said. ``We might even do an hour of acoustic music.
It's just a good live band, and we never do the same show night after
night.''
The band has been slipping some recording time into the tour, hoping
to complete an acoustic disc due out Nov. 3. ``It's killing us,'' Bon
Jovi admitted. ``We've been in the studio every day off on this last
leg trying to finish it.''
The final product will feature a couple of new songs, perhaps a
couple of covers, and complete reworkings of some hits, including
``It's My Life'' and ``Born to Be My Baby.'' The covers could range
from Steve Miller's ``The Joker'' and John Hiatt's ``Have a Little
Faith in Me'' to the old Dr. Hook hit ``Sylvia's Mother.''
But the big Bon Jovi news is next spring's planned boxed set to
celebrate the band's 20th anniversary and total sales of 100 million
units.
Bon Jovi joked that the band considered calling the collection,
``100 Million Fans Can't Be Wrong.'' He said it likely will have
three discs of previously unreleased material and include four to six
CDs. ``We want to give the fans plenty of stuff to chew on,'' he
said, ``but I don't know how many discs it's going to be yet. We want
to keep it cost-efficient for everybody.''
He's also anxious to revive his acting career, however, and said he
collaborated on a script Universal has bought, which he hopes will
begin shooting next year.
Though he was vague on the details, he called the film ``a true
ensemble picture, `The Ice Storm' meets `The Big Chill,' a sexual
drama, and a rather intelligent script.''
Asked what acting has taught him, Bon Jovi replied, ``Humility.
``You're not the writer, producer or director,'' he said. ``In
essence, you're the bass player. You're asked to do your part, say
`thank you,' and go home.
``In music, I'm sort of like Tom Cruise, I do it all. But acting
helped me bring a good attitude back to the band. I found it to be
quite an education and rather therapeutic. I really enjoy it, it's a
completely different mindset.''
Bon Jovi said he's able to see and have fun with the different
directions his acting and singing careers are taking.
``All the great critically acclaimed bands can't sell tickets,'' he
said, ``and that's how I am in the movie business.
``In the music business I'm Arnold Schwarzenegger, but in the movie
business I'm Elvis Costello.
`But I'm not taking (acting) lightly,'' he said. ``I've studied it
for 10 years and didn't do things like `Major League 3' or the
cliched rock star role.''
He just might have another unusual role next year, and it has
nothing to do with Hollywood.
Bon Jovi is considering buying an arena football franchise in the
Philadelphia area.
``We'll see, I haven't ordered my cigar yet, we'll see,'' he said a
little nervously. ``But we're seriously looking into it. That would
be a lot of fun for a football junkie like me, an exciting prospect.
``We'll be on the field next February if it happens, but you have to
see if you really want to be in that business or not.''
New owners have to be approved by the league, of course, and would
likely require some character references. Bon Jovi is such a diehard
football fan that he counts New England Patriots coach Bill
Belichick, onetime Pats general Bill Parcells and New York Giants
coach Jim Fassell among his good friends.
``Can you imagine,'' he asked, ``what that interview process would
be like?''