Richie back in the band???

i know i m reading way too much into it BUT for the sake of the argument...
1.he looked like he wasnt sure if sww was bjs first record and didnt correct the interviewer.
2.he didnt know bjs follow up to sww, new jersey...(a bit off for a guy who know them for ages, is from nj and has played almost 500 shows with them)
3.when they were mentioning anthems he mentioned billie joel bruce and not jon(he could easily fit in the anthem category)
4.he sounded too distanced from richie, not saying half a good word making finger quotes when mentioned lead guitarist.

i m sure he is a nice guy, i dont think he was ever that important for bj, he may come back in the future but it always strikes me that many of these guys consider jon mostly pretty and lucky, and not smart, capable, great songwriter, vocalist and performer in his prime..little steven for example was always more generous when he had to say sth about bj

ps.probably there is somewhere there some small amount of jealousy, because bruce was god but after him why not me? not directly focused on bobby this last remark

So it boils down to creative differences between Jon and Richie and Richie's ego about having another guitarist.

It's funny but I would've imagined David Bryan would be the one that would have been iffy about having a new band member. He strikes me as the one that would have issues with someone coming in, not Richie. Tico and Hugh seems very laid back.

I'm not surprised because when Richie was asked what the then forthcoming 'The Circle' album was like he just said 'It's a Bon Jovi record'. He didn't seem enthusiastic. At the time I think he felt very limited creative wise. I think it was hinted at in 'The More Things Change' on Greatest Hits.

A recent interivew with Jon about the new album suggests Jon felt limited by the CEO of Mercury as well. Maybe this new record company will give the existing band members a lot more creative freedom.

I think Richie had every right to complain as lead guitarist. Since Bobby in the band, I think the band was no longer the same. Remember great moments on guitar on tour 2001 and 2003, later, with Bobby in the band, everything was slowly losing.

It is no coincidence, I think Jon made a few changes, and these changes affected their lead guitarist and partner in writing and composition. We can call Richie egocentric, but deep down, he was right, Bon Jovi not need Bobby.


Hey Jon, U2 are 4. The Edge, only lead guitar. You ****ed the real thing.

Poppycock, there were plenty of great band performances when Bobby was in the band too. Richie's playing deteriorated since 2005. If every member was on their game they would have had a killer sound consistently and probably wouldn't need Bobby (or someone like him) as bad. So many performances of Superman Tonight promo performances sounded weak due to Jon's voice and Richie's mess-ups. They needed Bobby there to cover both Jon's AND Richie's short comings.

Sorry, but I do not share that. Jon voice had deteriorated with the passage of time, the game Richie was also irregular. But the question is that in 2003 they did not need to Bobby. When Jon brought his friend "& Neighbour" Bobby on the road, everything changed.

With Bobby, the band adapt to a different way of playing, his songs began to sound slower because of this, and the energy was lost gradually.

If Jon not change the band, Richie could be more focused and consistent with its role, the problems of Richie came later. Jon did not know what Richie was going to have problems and need other guitarrist.

About other question, artistically, they wanted different paths for the band. Well, that's more delicate, because Jon is the leader, the visionary, and always will have more weight, but when two musical partners reach a point where they have nothing in common to create music together, I think it's time to say goodbye, or see you later.


Jon says his next album is about integrity. I guess that refers to what happened to his record label. That's something hilarious, they have prostituted for the label on more than a decade. What integrity?, arrive 15 years late, man.

Poor Richie, his playing fell apart because Jon brought in someone else. Jon is the devil, right?

Also no to the 2003. Bobby played with the band in 2003 for TLFR due to the added instruments needed for that show. The 2005 tour would have been the first time he joined them ON THE ROAD. I don't think he joined the tours because of Richie's sloppier playing but I think it had a lot to do with why he stuck around (of course also added vocal parts to cover for Jon etc)

I believe Bobby was brought on as an insurance policy because of Richie's behaviors just as much as he was "to make the band sound fuller." I think Jon always foresaw the day Richie wouldn't show up for whatever reason and they would need backup.

I do not think so. I think the reason was purely friendship, and because that Jon would be freed from not having to always play the guitar, the thing is that would never be the same. There are some good shows here and there, but there was something special that was lost with this new alignment.

And no, Jon is not the devil, and Richie is not a saint. Both have egos. But Jon knew this could cost you dearly, and yet, Bobby kept on board, their records were becoming more lazy, and increasingly predictable tours.

Jon is the boss, and in recent years has made bad choices, the guy is not perfect, okay, but has been disappointing as a fan, feels little risky and very repetitive to the point that his great guitarist leave this, because there not is a reason to keep doing the same old thing over and over again. Now there is only a little emotion because for the first time Jon has to face to risk, to launch a new album without Richie Sambora and without her record label.

I'm curious, Becky. What behaviors do you think Jon saw in Richie, pre-TLFR or even pre-HAND, that would make him think he needed an insurance policy? You said you think that Jon "always foresaw the day Richie wouldn't show up". How far back does that "always" go? From your perspective, I mean, why do you think Richie's reliability first came into question and when did it happen?

I don't live or work with Richie, so I'm not going to speculate on what specific behaviors Jon saw in him since the 1980's. Anyone who lives or works or deals with an addict knows they can backslide with one bad decision. One of MY best friends is an addict and I know what it's like watching HER make bad decisions. Frankly, I'm not going to get into it with you again. I'm not getting sucked in.