Quote:
Originally Posted by JackieBlue
Before last week my answer would have been YES! But now, tbh, I'm not sure Bon Jovi IS saveable. Like Seb, I wouldn't be surprised if Jon has to cancel the rest of the tour at some point. I just don't see how he's going to be able to keep going like this; and I fear he's only doing more damage the longer he pushes it.
If it's just that Jon's pipes are physically shot, Richie can't do a thing. But if it's true that Jon "couldn't sing in the shower" because Richie left, part of the problem is psychological. If Richie's departure caused that, then it stands to reason his return would fix that part of it.
Anxiety seems to be an issue. It's been noted that it helps when Jon's relaxed; but how can he relax when he knows he's butchering songs and not performing at the level he used to? Especially given that he's always said, "When we can't perform at the level we're used to, I'll hang it up." It's a vicious cycle. He knows he sounds bad, so he tightens up, which makes him sound worse, so he tightens up more... People talk about Jon's great mood, or happy smiles and energy, and I wonder if we're watching the same shows. When I see Jon's face, it looks like he's in pain, scared witless, or absorbing sights and sounds as if he's thinking, "Is this the last time I'm gonna get to do this?"
In WWWB, Richie said his job was to keep Jon happy and take some of the load off of him. Jon doesn't like change; and this has been one hella change for him. Getting back to the way things were - or close as possible - might help. Of course, that depends on why Richie left. If it was purely substance abuse, the unreliability factor might only increase Jon's anxiety. If the primary reason was something else, and it could be resolved, then yeah, I think Jon getting his wingman back could go a long way towards saving Jovi.
Bottom line: imo, if anything can save Bon Jovi, it might be Richie coming back. The Rock Hall performance wasn't flawless, by any stretch. But nobody - band or fans - seemed to care. The chemistry was there; and the fun and joy of performing together. Both Jon and Richie looked happier, and seemed to be enjoying themselves more than any time I've seen either of them since April 2013. It was magical. And at this point, I'm afraid the only thing that has a snowball's chance in hell of saving Bon Jovi is a little touch of magic.
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I don't think Richie's return would make much, if any, difference on Jon's vocals in general. Actually, I don't think his absence has made Jon's voice decline anymore since 2013 - he was getting somewhat better around mid-to-late 2014 (as was showcased by the Red Bank benefit show in July, for example; his tone was much better and more pleasant there than in late '13) and then his voice just exploded again by the time the Asian tour came up in September 2015, probably due to either physical or other psychological reasons (such as being afraid of failing the shows and ultimately doing so, or - maybe a bit far-fetched - that damn Buffalo Bills/record company thing). His vocals have also been getting subsequently worse since late '15, starting to crack uncontrollably and gaining the clipped, whispery tone more and more each year, which to me indicates either a sudden lung/voicebox-related health problem, or a failed vocal chord surgery in the vein of Paul Stanley.
Either way, it's all just speculation and will probably never be fully resolved.
PS. Jon's vocals excluded, that post of yours is absolutely spot on and sums up the feelings of us both perfectly, once again. That said, I would never have been able to put them into words as greatly as you did, so kudos to you
