The Richie Sambora & Orianthi album

I'm not so sure, Thinny. From their interaction at the Rock Hall, it seemed like Jon and Richie would be okay with it.

As for loyalty, I think that, like a lot of people, Jon prefers to be loyal, but only until it better suits his purposes to do otherwise. And even if he were 100% loyal to Phil, I'm not sure that loyalty would be reciprocated. In the latest interview from Phil he already sounds a little cranky in places.

He sounded downright whiny about how crowded it felt on the Rock Hall stage and then added that Richie had all the solos and he had to learn the rhythm "cos I play solos every night." (This, after he had just pointed out that he played the solo on "the new song".)

There were several not-so-subtle cracks about things like the constraints on-stage, Jon's assumption that he doesn't need downtime, his control of details, and how he should give more thought to his setlist. He also seemed unhappy about the repetition required by Jon and Shanks in the studio.

He says that he's equally happy playing with the Drills and Bon Jovi, yet he says he's the front man with the Drills and he can do his thing. With Bon Jovi he takes a backseat and he can do his thing, but "just a fraction" of his thing. And when he talked about some fans asking for his autograph, he was clearly stoked when he realized that they were Drills fans who were there because they had heard his music and they weren't asking as Bon Jovi fans. He seems to get a lot of satisfaction out of expressing himself and wants people to hear his music because "it's good rock". When asked if he'll be writing with BJ, he says that Jon and Shanks have this chemistry and they seem to like it that way, so he doesn't know if he'll be included in the writing. I don't know how long he'll be happy to paint by the numbers that Jon and Shanks lay out for him.

Besides that, he's already tweeted that when this tour was over he had plans to complete the Drills project he bailed on to answer the bat-phone; and when it's finished, he wants to tour it in Europe. It'll be interesting to see his reaction if Jon calls him back into the studio or to go back out on the road and he has to drop it again. He may do it for the paycheck and the rush of having his picture on a t-shirt; but he's already proven that, again like most people, his loyalty extends only to the point where something better, or more preferable, comes along.

Oooh where was the interview posted? This looks mighty interesting.

EDIT: Nvm, just found out. Woof, he definitely went candid for this interview.

Yes, well. She was in a serious relationship with Cyril Niccolai and they actually got engaged during those times. No offense to you nor your friend, but

I don't believe you . gif

I think it is clear that they had a personal relationship first and making music together was sort of a nice thought.

I think what happened, and I have no clue. Just thinking they started making music, and ended up on those endless vacations instead somehow. Meanwhile the record took forever and forever even between all the delays and it ended up pretty mediocre. Somewhere along the way Richie lost interest. Maybe she did, too?

The cynical me thinks Richie wanted to get laid and Ori wanted to get a name. Richie kinda got his and Ori didn't, in the end, and I would not be too surprised if it's over.

Richie is off to do whatever, ideally a reunion. I don't think it is very likely, but certainly a possibility. Another solo record is another. Another five years of vacationing is a third one.

Ori on the other hand is still a good guitarist, albeit the label young may need to be dropped, soon. She will need to work like hell to make up for the lost time, if it is even possible. if RSO is over and Richie is no longer footing the bill.

Of course it could be something completely different, too. Like Richie going to rehab again. Or Richie finding someone new?

Or something nice - who knows? Hopefully that, if not a reunion or a new proper solo record.

Check the liner notes. She wrote the track, produced it and I think even engineered it? It's pretty much all her anyway. I mean, why would she produce that one if Bob Rock is available? I think it's always been a solo track, just one put on the album for some reason (something Richie is probably used to by now, though).

What are they gonna do, just NOT release the stuff that's already in the can and cost them (or him, probably) quite a bit?

At the Rock & Roll HOF induction speech, JBJ actually said he felt like he was in a cover band when both Richie & Tico were not playing with him live. So he obviously is aware of who put the band on the map and who is just playing the songs live now.

I call BS. He is a session player. This is what he does. The Drills are his fun side gig. His job and what he's always done is show up, play what's expected and go home. He probably has more input in BJ than he had with any band (other than The Drills, obviously) before.

Going back 5-6 years and it sounds like Richie's situation/frustration in most places...

That wasn't my qualm. It was the way they released it. A bunch of EPS and then an album that is going to tank because the fan base isn't strong enough to support both release methods. They should have put out a full album with a decent marketing campaign. Whetting everyone's whistles was great but once the EPs were done there was no one left because they stopped promoting everything.

But he isn't just a session player anymore. He's officially a member of the band now. Did you read the interview? It didn't sound to me like he had any input with Bon Jovi other than to play a solo umpteen different ways until Jon and Shanks decided what it was going to be. I'm not sure exactly what you're calling bullshit on but if it's on the comment you quoted about repetition in the studio, this is what he said:

"Usually what comes out first, which is gut instinct, has usually done the job with every other producer that I’ve worked with. [Jon and Shanks] are like “We’ll do a couple more, just in case” and then we always go back to number one. Because number one is instinct and number two, three, four, five and as it keeps going it’s your brain getting in there and clogging it all up, you know."

That sounds to me like he's frustrated by the process 1) because every other producer has usually been satisfied by what he plays from his gut and 2) because Jon and Shanks want him to do it over and over so they can pick and choose, but they usually go with his first interpretation anyway.

Granted, that is only my interpretation of what he said, but the entire interview just came across as snippy to me, at least when he was answering questions about Bon Jovi. The only portions where he didn't insert some snarky comment was when he was talking about those fans I mentioned and when he talked about his gear.

Maybe it's because it's print and not video; or, as I said, it could just be me. I know was surprised by it, because I like Phil-X and from what I've seen he has seemed to be the happiest one of the whole group when they're performing (with the possible exception of Everett).

It can be frustrating for him probably but that's how they've always been. There's video footage of Richie recording the solo from Lost Highway and that's how the solo was assembled. It could be a Shanks specific thing or it could just be how the band does it. If I recall Next 100 Years's solo was recorded in three chunks.

It does. But the strange thing about that is you'd think it would make him more sympathetic to the position Richie was in. But whereas in the past, any time he's commented about Richie he's always seemed neutral, and at times even complimentary, in this interview it's almost like he resents him for some reason.

IDK, maybe he was just having a bad hair day when he did the interview. And with his head of hair, that could be a lot of bad.