2020: The New Album

That's just not logical. How can he be "THE KEY" part in Bon Jovi? I mean, remove Jon and what's there? Surely Jon is the key part. Richie was hugely important but we already see the band can survive without him, I doubt it would do so well without Jon.

Here's the thing with current Bon Jovi. Most of us would care too much about Richie leaving if Jon's voice was still awesome. The song's are as equally boring as they were when Richie was in the band. If Jon was still delivering live hardly anyone would be missing Richie.

As for the song. I predict it will be acceptable on first listens but will quickly become boring. There's nothing musically that is noteworthy or suggests longevity.

Listening to the full version, I'm really hoping that's a compressed recording as things blend together way too much when the guitar kicks in. However, I really like the prominent bass line, really nice. Drums are crap, no way Tico is playing on that. I'm certainly more interested than before hearing it

I disagree. Maybe Jon is the most important, ok, but Richie was the second most important in this. With Richie on board, Bon Jovi's decline would be more tolerable. And in live shows the guy was iconic, you didn't feel that Jon was alone at any time. One of the things I miss is when Richie pulled out his double neck telecaster and play that riff, the guitar solo ... was exciting moment. All this things has been lost, along with their voices of support, and what to say about Wanted Dead or Alive. Do not make me cry. Casual fans may not care, but a fan who has followed this band for several years should know the difference very well, if not, he is blind, deaf and loves Jon's ass. Then there is the composition and co-writing. Sambora is so highly underrated.

I would consider entering this contest, but only if I can have John Shanks by my side working his studio magic to make me sound decent.

On a serious side, I like the creativity behind this. It will mobilize the core fanbase and the Instagram story element makes sure that at least some people would hear (about) this song because of being friends with people who participate in this. I hope they will go one step further and release a few planted "entries" to try to make it seem like a bigger deal. It won't do much good for them as far as general masses go, but I appreciate the effort.

Of course Richie was the second most important, without doubt. The other poster said he was the key part, which is demonstrably untrue.

As for the rest, fair enough. I was not saying people wouldn't notice, but that they wouldn't care. Even die hards. Look, die hards are still turning up to shows without Richie, and many (I don't know how) are even getting enjoyment from them. If Jon was delivering excellent performances, a lack of Richie would be felt less. As for contributions on records, Bon Jovi has not made a front-to-back excellent album in 25 years, with Richie or not. So, him being in the band or not has no impact on what music we're getting. We would have had THINFS with or without him. Jon is steering the ship and set a course for the rocks when Richie was still in the band.

And finally. Richie is the reason I started playing guitar and probably still my biggest overall musical influence. However, the narrative that he is underrated is false. Who underrates him?

Bon Jovi fans don't. Most understand exactly what his contribution was and what he brought to the band. Debate around what difference he would make in the band now is legitimate but does not undervalue what he brought to Bon Jovi (such as songs) in the first place.

Music fans don't underrate him. Those with a vested interest in general rock music will often say Richie is the only reason they liked Bon Jovi, or that he made the band bearable.

Guitarists. This one angers me the most because some people say Richie is an underrated guitarist. He isn't. In fact, most guitarists (again) will say he was the best part of Bon Jovi. They appreciate his craft of playing for the song. However, he is also an entry-level guitar player so there's no point pretending he is a master technician or even has amazing feel. I think he is rated just fine as a guitar player, below the best. Now, most of those best guitarists couldn't write a song like Sambora could, so.

Sounds like shit to me. Another disappointment.

Not to put words in kleman's mouth, but since it's common knowledge that Bon Jovi wouldn't exist without Jon, I suspect he probably meant "a key part" (i.e., "integral"), not "the (only) key part." If so, you might want to take the logic of his statement up with Jon. It sounds to me like he may have agreed with kleman.

https://youtu.be/IPkv2092mnM
@8:01

It's kinda hard to be an essential component of an identifying sound or "brand" without being key to its existence. While Jon has indeed proven Bon Jovi can survive without Richie; he also had a couple things to say on the subject of "surviving":

You ain't one for taking chances.
You work and live and breathe that 9 to 5.
Still that's what you call living, that's surviving to me
And surviving is living to die in fear.

and

Whatever happened to that new day rising?
We're just surviving and living is dying..."


Sounds about right.

Yep. JBJ & Shanks should stop using interns to do these things.

Jon's logic is fine, Richie was a major part of Bon Jovi and indeed the brand. Kelman's was not, but I take what you say about him meaning something else.

That's one thing I don't get - assuming that this really is the instrumental from the album track. Jon posted this video "day one, song one" with all in the studio, yet I neither hear Tico nor Phil on this track. In fact, I actually only can "identify" Shanks. Everything else could've been anyone or programming.