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Jon Bon Jovi's still got it all together
'80s survivor - The rocker's band, in Portland on Sunday, still debuts albums in the top 10
Saturday, March 04, 2006
ED CONDRAN

Jon Bon Jovi has gone from arena rock to arena football and back again. The veteran pop rocker (and co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League) and his band, Bon Jovi, return Sunday to the Rose Garden.

The New Jersey band remains commercially viable, while peers from its 1980s "hair metal" past live on past hits. Bon Jovi, which also includes guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres, is touring behind its ninth studio album, "Have a Nice Day," which debuted at No. 2 in September. The band's members have abandoned the teased bangs of yesteryear but still cling to anthemic rock, which helped launch their act 22 years ago.

Bon Jovi, 44, took some time recently to discuss the relevance of his band, his well-publicized side career in football and what he has sacrificed to become, and stay, a success.

You're headlining arenas and stadiums on your own, while showcasing new material.

We're proud of that. We work really hard for it. But you take the good with the bad. We've had our up years and down years. I never thought that we wouldn't be big because every kid has a chip on his shoulder about his band, but I never thought in 1984 what I would be doing in 2006.

During your salad days, your sound was pervasive. However, today it's not as typical. Fewer young American bands craft big, anthemic songs that you can sing along with.

We're just being as true to ourselves as we can possibly be. We've never strayed from what we know. Obviously, some people still like our style of music.

In recent years, angst-ridden tracks have become ubiquitous . . .

I think that's starting to change. I think there is more eternal optimism now than there was 10 years ago, when the Seattle scene was happening. Now, that's long gone.

Were you ever tempted to jump on a trend, like David Bowie and a number of other veteran recording artists have done?

Jon Bon Jovi's still got it all together
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No. We've never been about getting a hip-hop guy for a track. You stay true to who you are and people will stay with you.

Keith Urban has cited you as an influence.

I can see why that's so for Keith Urban or Dierks Bentley and Rascal Flatts. They have more in common with me than Patsy Cline or Willie Nelson. They all have the pop element in their music.

Elvis Costello has not only noted that he loves "Bad Medicine," but he's also covered it.

It's great because Elvis has always been one of my favorites. It's quite flattering. It's also flattering that "Wanted Dead or Alive" is going to be used in a new John Travolta movie ("Wild Hogs," slated for 2007). I was just asked for permission for the film to use the song. During a scene, Travolta, Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence sing it. And that guy (Chris Daughtry) who is competing on "American Idol" sang it and made national headlines the other day. It's amazing whenever that stuff happens.

What made you decide to co-own an arena football team?

I would get really depressed after the (NFL) season ended. I'm not into baseball, hockey or basketball until the playoffs come around. (Arena) is a fun league, and I get to do things for the community under the guise of something I love. It's a great outlet for me. A lot has been written about the Soul. We're America's team of the AFL. People are buying the Soul jersey all over the country.

Your team is the Soul -- and that's exactly what's missing in rock music. It's easy to be cool. It's hardly a hassle to strum a guitar and look the part, but to be truly soulful and vulnerable . . .

That's hard to do. I don't think you teach somebody soul. They either have it embedded in them or not. It reminds me of when I was a kid. I was told "forget your influences. Find out who your influences' influences are."

You're leading the picture-perfect life. You're married to your high school sweetheart. You have four kids. You're a rock star. You own a football team. What's your secret?

It's hard work. It's not easy. Having a family and juggling a life and a career is hard work. My vocal cords are shredded. My body is exhausted. I was flying all night. I just got up. I've got to get it together and do it all again tomorrow. It's tough. You miss birthdays. You have sick kids at home. You're missing holidays. You're missing your kids growing up. The sacrifices are big. Other dads get to go home and see what their kids look like. I get pictures. But that's life.