No Richie on current leg of the tour

Ok, I bow to the druggies and ex-druggies on the board. lol

I like to think the best of people which is why I continually try to defend Richie, Nikki, Bobby, et. al. Not to say I was wrong or right, I was just putting something out there that could have been a logical explanation.

I agree but say you wont be touring from the start. Dont bail out a few shows in letting the band and fans down

Clutching at straws. Massively. Get over it

I noticed that too from even the pix that appeared, something isn't right there - some pics his face looks smooth but it's probably just make-up but the lip is definitely weird.

Finally, some kind of clarity. Why couldn't this have been said 3 months ago?

Personally, the interview has left me a little deflated though. I'm a bit less sympathetic to the situation now that we know it's definitely a band issue- certainly makes me wonder how much he really does "love" the fans.

Well, I guess we'll see what happens. I realised and accepted he won't be at any of my shows a while back now, so off to Hampden where I'll hopefully have a blast regardless, as I did in Manchester and Birmingham. The guys up there are giving everything and I actually think I've grown more of an attachment to the others, and also found a new respect for Jon. Yes there are issues with quality and setlists etc, but he genuinely seems like he doesnt want to let anyone down. As for Richie? I'll pay close attention to how it all resolves but barring some inexplicable twist I can't imagine holding him in quite as high regard as I used to. His reliability is now an issue I'd have to consider, and perhaps on future tours I'd have to buy tickets with the view that his presence would be a luxury extra rather than an integral part of the experience- quite a sad thing to type out, but that's where I am at the moment. Maybe if it transpires it was all about artistic integrity, the issues get resolved and the next album blows my mind, I'll be able to look back on this as a blessing in disguise. Right now though, it's an episode that leaves a bad taste and has certainly soured my feelings somewhat.

I didn't get that feeling at all. Hope I'm right.

Maybe he is hooked on red bull !

Made me laugh. Fight Club reference!

It's the first thing I thought, but I'd rather you be right.

Lets just summarize the situation.

After the GH tour there was supposed to be a break. That tour ended at on July 31st 2011 and this current tour started in February of 2013. That is only a year and a half in between. However after the GHs tour, Jon goes on vacation for a couple months before it's back to business.

Originally there was supposed to be a Richie Solo album and "possibly" a Jon solo one too. As we all know the Richie album happened and a small tour began. The album was very good. I'd say above average. Richie looked great, got his voice together, did some great promo stuff, and put out some great live shows.

Jon is a little more discrete. He is off doing his usual political stuff with the Soul Kitchen and then all of a sudden surprises us with 3 songs (The Fighter included) for the upcoming Stand-Up Guys soundtrack. Jon then reveals that he has begun writing & recording for the new Bon Jovi album and gives us a release time. If Jon did finish a solo album and toured it under Jon Bon Jovi, it would be a waste of time at that point. He needed the "Bon Jovi" name and players to sell out the stadiums and most of all, make his $$$$. Jon took his solo album and turned it into a band project. Jon put out 12 songs and called it an album so he could tour. WAN is just an excuse to tour.

Anyway, I think this is where the trouble might have started. Richie's solo tour suddenly gets cancelled because of his voice.... I'm personally not buying it. There were shows that were a week away being cancelled. I don't even think poor ticket sales were enough to cancel it. Richie would have played to only 100 people and lost money if he could. What I think happened was, it was time for Richie to enter the studio to lay down his minimal parts. I don't care what words they throw around. "We are a Family" "Best Friends" "Ernie & Bert" whatever... It's still a business and there are legal contracts involved. Jon wanted to keep the machine going and Richie wasn't ready yet. Strike 1

Richie gets together with Jon but there is no creative involvement. How could there have been? Jon was saying the album was done before Richie even got in the studio. We all know Richie was in the studio doing his album and he was tweeting pictures etc. There was some minimal stuff with Alicia Keys and Big and Rich but not enough to put out a real album. The album was done but Richie needed to go in and over play or rewrite Shank's guitar.

(I'm not 100% certain on the sequence of events but I'm sure there are different steps and Richie's involvement was minimal. I'm sure there was some writing and exchanging of songs last year, then Richie probably laid down some tracks, finally some overdubbing was done.... This is why Jon loves Shanks so much. He gets it done quick and he's minimal).... Strike 2 - Richie is pissed creatively.

The tour starts and Richie looks miserable. He hates the new songs. You could tell that they are not his creations. He is most likely there against his will. Then there was a strike 3... We don't know exactly what happened. Richie calls Jon from his hotel and flips out on him. Was strike 3 the build-up between strikes 1 & 2? Or was there something else? Did Jon short change Richie because he wasn't involved with the WAN project. Is this really a Jon solo tour with Richie Sambora on guitar? No one knows besides those 2 but my best guess is that it has to be about money....

Richie might have said, I'll play pretend if you pay me what I think I'm worth. Jon said take it up with my business manager. Richie said I will and I'm not coming back until it's resolved.... Jon gets Phil X and the tour goes on... Jon gets his solo tour and he wins.