Quote:
Originally Posted by JackieBlue
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. |
He carefully built this brand on loyalty and togetherness and then started to drift away from that mentality. Yes, the success is because of the band, the band's input mattered less and less as time went on (at least I'd like to think that's the case).
Regardless of how or why he got there he's created an audience that I don't think would be too fussed with whether it's called Bon Jovi or Jon Bon Jovi. He wouldn't dream of calling it that when Richie was there but with no RS it's more realistic of an option. The line between solo songs and band songs blurred as soon as his Sex Sells demos were Crush b-sides. That changed EVERYTHING to me. One could argue releasing Drive as a D.A. b-side started it too.
People are still coming even though Richie is gone. If they're able to pull off tours without someone who was integral to the sound with his playing and signing and it doesn't crash the tour, it's not about the band experience anymore to such a large percentage of the people going.
I'm naive enough to think they were a band until 2000 but for all I know it could have been just as bad behind the scenes prior. According to Bob Rock it almost was.