Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain_jovi
That's not really the point I'm making though nor am I saying I like it this way. The last few albums have shown it doesn't matter who plays on it, it won't sell, and the live shows sell well regardless of who is there. Are casual people really going to see David? Tico? Hugh? It's important to us but if he changed it up and called it Jon Bon Jovi with a backing band I think he could still do similar results. The albums still wouldn't sell haha.
The demand is going down from lack of radio success, over saturation of the market and a static setlist. The members playing behind Jon, in North America at least.....I truly don't think is enough of a percentage to matter. Pains me to say. They've become nostalgia for people with money.
|
I'm not arguing with you; I'm arguing with Jon. Rolo-style. (Y'know "Hey, God, if you're reading this...")
Yes, Jon can sell tickets now, and claim it's all about him. But only because he's riding on the reputation and hits created by a BAND. He can do it til Jesus comes, with
any backup, and ppl will still go to the shows as long as they're billed as Bon Jovi. But they don't go to hear what
Jon's doing these days; or even what
he did back in the day. They go for the songs and concert experience created by the original 5/6 members of the band. That
wasn't all about Jon. And even in NA, where someone might go because s/he "knows only the hit songs and remembers a few others from radio and MTV" that's still based on what the band did, not just JBJ. Not unless all they expect to hear is Runaway and Blaze of Glory sung with a karaoke machine. I'm not talking about the smitten fans who pay to see Jon smile and shake his ass; because, as avid as they are, it takes more than them to fill stadiums and arenas. The Bon Jovi ppl remember, that I'd say
most people assume they're buying tickets for, was never portrayed as being all about Jon. Jon himself carefully nurtured the image of a hard-working band of brothers from NJ... until that reputation was solid enough for him to risk saying "it's about me."
If he's so confident that's the case, then instead of saying, "the band's albums basically
are my solo albums" why doesn't Young Gun bite the bullet and call it what it is - a Jon Bon Jovi album? If he truly thinks it's all about him, then why
doesn't he try to sell it that way? Why try so hard to convince people that it's been a band project since Day One, Song One, if he's all that matters? My guess is it's because he knows that as soon as he bills it as JBJ, he's lost the advantage that 30+ years "with the same band, the same label..." gives him.
But you're right; this is all rhetorical.
My be quiet now.