No Richie on current leg of the tour

I keep reading that...and I don't see it. I've actually had the same conversation with some people who used to post on this forum and they can't see it either. Phil X is a decent guitar player but he played 100 shows by now, he still doesn't get the tone right. I listened to a version of Dry County recently - god awful timing - really awful actually, almost unlistenable! By now he does play the right notes, but as soon as there's even some basic bending involved everything becomes messy. Now some people will say it's all a matter of style and taste and whatever. No it's not. He's in there to replace Sambora and it's pretty obvious to me that he can't replace him (from a musical perspective rather than everything else where he is doing a better job than Richie IMO).

Anyhow, it doesn't really matter, but I'm really curious why anyone would think that he's a better guitar player than Richie Sambora. While he might be cooler, more dynamic, more fun to watch etc....a better player he is not.

Surely my po faced nature would point more towards the Guardian?

And for the record, it's not just some word I don't like. It's a word that to some is downright offensive, and using it in the manner you have is wrong. You compounded your scumbag status by continuing to use it and think you were being humorous in doing so. Calling a scumbag a scumbag doesn't reflect on my decency, just trying to wake you up to reality in the hope you'll drop the offensive patter and work on another form of wit.

Aww, you've got a fwiend.

My thoughts exactly.

There's been a very bitter anti Richie sentiment on here for a while. I don't know why this has come about but it's rearing it's ugly head in these discussions regarding Phil X. People keeping saying "Phil nails the solos" but he doesn't. He uses the same tricks and licks over and over again while never getting close to Richie's class.

I don't give two shits if you're offended. Offence is taken, not given. I thought your point was retarded and your continued bitching about a word is even more retarded. Calling me a scum bag just cements the fact that you're a knee jerk keyboard warrior with little or no sense of irony or humour.

No really, you are just a scumbag. You are not ironoic or humorous. Yes its just a word but to some people its hugely offensive. I get that you don't care about that but that's where the scumbag part comes in.

Let´s just hope that Jon learns sth. from this whole situation, whatever the reasons for this mess are or how it all resolves.

2013 somehow seems worse to me than 1990/91, altough I have to admit I wasn´t a fan back then. You hear the stories that they didn´t talk to each other yet when it was time to appear on award shows together, do a mini Japan Tour or even play Blaze of Glory with Jon at the Oscars, they all showed up.

This tour the lead guitarist dropped out, there are cancelled shows, shows that had to be moved to smaller venues, bad press, pissed fans,...
Jon can smile into the cameras and say that the band is as good as it always has been as often as he wants but it´s apparent that the situation isn´t easy for him. Suddenly people outside of his inner circle are able to see that the machine doesn´t run smoothly and he can´t fix it at the moment.

I hope this all leads into the long break they should have had some years ago. Cause if Jon thinks that they can rush into the next project (with or without Richie) immediatly, I doubt that Tico and David will be as dedicated as they are at the moment.

Oh look, we've discovered that music - like most things in life - is subjective.

Arguing over Phil X isn't getting us anywhere but angry.

Pack it in, children.

I'm pissed off at Richie because he's not on tour and he should be. If there were good reasons given then we'd all have accepted that, likely without a murmur of complaint, but all there is is pictures and tweets of Richie simply without problems it seems.

Phil X is very good and seems to be starting to play around a bit more which he needs to. But he can't take on the other stuff Richie does - he absolutely can't hold a crowd the way Richie does even when Richie's lazy as ****. Give me the choice, I'd pick Richie every time. But there's no choice.

And Phil X came back for another gig too. All of these employees keep coming back yet Richie is the delicate flower of perfection. It cannot be all about fame - Tico and Dave have success outside the band. None of them look like they are miserable.

Maybe Richie is having a mid life crisis - who knows. All we know is he loves his daughter, makes clothes and if ****ing great. Thats it. On the other side the band is filling stadiums without him.

Everyone is ****ing great except the people on this thread.