Phil X is scheduled to play all of the May shows

As I said in the other thread, I would personally have wanted them to postpone, but since they aren't I'm glad they have a credible guitarist who can at least play the notes correctly.

thx for posting.
hmmm I'm not sure about "at this time".... hopefully it's just May and Richie is back in Europe.

Can someone like Richie who is obviously suffering a great deal get better in a month???

yes, people react different ways. My gut instinct is that Richie will feel better sooner rather than later as he sees his health and happiness improved and then he'll be itching to get back out on tour. He loves playing live, you can tell.

My instinct is that RS will come back too but who know what are the conditions the guys went to rehab at the first place.....
If you look at it you see that IF he doesn't come back for europe even if he is not in the top form (he could go back later to finish it) it's like he will never come back at all as the band enter a hiatus after europe.
To end without him would be a death penalty for Richie's future ...
And mr Phil X seems very willing to become a new band member in his attitude - this part is making me very upset

I see all the guitar specialists here saying it's all good so they 'll get a good show who cares about the guitar player as long as he plays well...I beg to differ - loyalty is a word I care about ..I'd rather had a shitty guitar player and hope for Richie return every time he plays (a lil bit like with bobby) than a guy doing all his best to be better than the original to seduce the audience and be accepted as the new guy

he will NEVER be the new guy for me GOOD , excellent , outstanding or not . The way he came into the picture is not at all 'clear' enough , if Richie said I am off for good guys I give up please accept this new guy instead of me it would be totally another story... I will wait for Richie real words on this ..one day we will know hopefully...

I couldn't agree with you more, they could resurrect Hendrix and put him in instead of Richie and i'd still rather see Richie in the band. And i consider myself a "guitar specialist" and i don't think it's good at all, from the youtube videos i saw Phil X's performance in Bon Jovi was substandard to that of Richie.

He's there to do the job he has been hired to do, just like it would be if he was being hired for session work on an album. He said he likes Richie's work and hopes he'll be better soon so I don't see that he has any plans to become permanent.

you can-t blame the guy really, he's just doing his job and making a living. if I were a session guitarist as beloved and praised as he was already and were invited to fill in for Sambora I certainly would and I'd be thrilled about it. So no one can really blame the guy for being happy to play in Jovi for a few shows. Hopefully, our ol' Rich will be back on the boat before we know it. I doubt he'd stay in rehab longer than a month so fingers crossed people ! As to Phil X, again, you're doing a good job. For the record: When Rich comes back, how bout kicking Bobby out of the band and replacing him with Phil X ?

i was looking at your signature pic and I could imagine people making similar ones saying ' make Phil X official ' SCARY !!!

That sounds like a great idea, alas it will never happen....