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I'll give you everything but the first sentence...

1. There are 80's bands and there are Hair Bands... GnR is an 80's Band, Matellica is an 80's Band, Bryan Adams is an 80's Band... You said labels stopped supporting 80's Bands - two of the biggest albums in the world came out during that period. If you stated "Hair Bands" the conversation would have shifted.

2. When I initially responded to the above by saying "No", I was being specific to Richie's support. Not every entire 80's band

But if you read the post that I wrote (and that you responded to), I wasn't referring to Richie's album specifically, just labels in general at that time...and the experiences from other artists that i know to be true...

I don't know why I still get sucked into these conversation, it always ends up going around in circles...

Album promotion certainly. Tour support quite often yes, but not always.

It probably wasn't great... But it was probably better than what a new artist would get. They probably have certain deals for an artist like that. He's an instant star with a solid fan-base but is still considered a new artist in terms of musical abilities. He's gotta prove himself...

One, Richie's album was already dead in the water by the time the tour started. The album was out two months, the single three... The record company knew it wouldn't have impacted it (which it obviously didn't)

Two, it was different back then. Today, the money is in the tour, not the album. Back then it was the opposite or both but I think it's maximized now with ticket prices. A million albums sold was considered a failure. There was no internet to raise buzz about a tour. MTV was it for major artists but if you were a fan of a smaller band, you had to figure it out yourself by calling Ticket Master.

I was actually at the academy theater show in NYC show and still have my ticket stub to prove it... I walked out of the show and down the streets of NYC with the guys from a band called Trixter... talking about how great the show was...

I remember going to a Ticket Master booth in the mall asking for Bon Jovi tickets and they said no but we have Richie Sambora tickets. That's how I ended up at that show...

That's cool! I really wish the Stranger tour had made it to England! I would have loved to have seen that show! With Dave and Tico in the band it must have been incredible! The version of Father Time from that tour is incredible!

Also, my very favourite version of I'll Be There For You!

The last few pages were very good. A good discussion. Even with some of you freaking out for a while :mrgreen:

I enjoyed the read. Thank you!

I tend to go in the way that RDK was saying, in part. For me, SITT is a superb album, but not radio friendly for that time. (part of it because of the Grunge new wave, but not only this. And I can't see this "no support" from the part of the label.)

It would have been very successful had it been released between 85~89, for sure.

And what amazes me the most, is that in 1992 the world was taken over by Grunge and even then Keep the faith was still very successful!

Incredible!!! A few things I distinctly remember...

Jon not showing up although it was highly rumored...

Rosie being the fan favorite...

Multiple people yelling '**** Jon' the entire show...

The Bon Jovi covers being crowd pleasers...

Trixter hanging over the front row balcony and then walking out with them...

Blaze and Stranger were great times to be a Bon Jovi fan.... Throw the Count Basie shows on top of all that...

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Bottom line, he didn't get full Bon Jovi support (as he shouldn't) but wasn't ignored either...

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I was at Shepherds Bush in London when Jon did show up in 1998! And quite honestly I was disgusted with the hate that was hurled at Jon from some members of the audience. I think I may have been around a big "anti-Jon crowd" down the front. Absolutely uncalled for! From the recordings I don't think the majority of the crowd were like that, but it felt like it where I was! Kinda ruined the experience for me, I was very excited about Jon turning up!

I was disappointed that so little from Stranger was played. I think only Stranger and The Answer. Maybe Rosie acoustic (I went both nights and I'm pretty sure he did Rosie one night and The Answer the other). Loads of stuff from Undiscovered Soul and the usual Bon Jovi stuff (I'll be There, Prayer, Wanted, Bad Medicine). They were still two gigs that i will never forget!

In fact here's the full show the night that Jon turned up