http://youtu.be/c61YNPaFC2I
Video for Come Back as me was just posted on Richies YouTube channel. I watched it and thought he's trying to make amends several pictures of him with Jon both recent years and past...then a big **** you with a picture of the whole U2 incident wa the hell is that about.

Edit. Ok it's a fan video but still 'approved' to be posted on there

At the end of the day u can believe anything on the net or what some fat bloke on the radio thinks but no one knows anything including all of the members on here, you know nothing apart from gossip.

The band isn't over, the band is still touring, people are looking into it far too much and analyzing every single moment of Jon, tico and Dave , would it help if he wore a richie mask on stage as a token of respect ? No the band are giving richie space so he can try something else, they aren't talking about it to give richie that respect to get on with it. When the band want to make another album richie will be there.
It's the first time this has happened in 30years of the band and everyone thinks it's over, and the band are crap and so on and so on. Think what you want, nothing has been said by the band apart from a few interviews since April to now, from Jon, tico and Dave, richie has said a few things too, but nothing says the band is over, because they aren't.

He didn't say his daughter was the reason, she wasn't even a secondary reason. He said the reason was that band wanted to do things he didn't want to do anymore. He then added that he was enjoying being home with his daughter. In other words, since he's not touring he has had more time to spend with Ava, and he is enjoying that.

It's admirable that he's accepting responsibility for leaving, but I'm not buying it was for the reason he said. Not two months into the tour.

A day or two before the 2nd leg was starting up he tweeted about getting back on the road. As of then, he was 100% planning to be in Calgary.

The official announcement on bon jovi.com said he wouldn't be on the 2nd leg. It didn't say for the rest of the tour, it didn't say until the European leg, it didn't say for an indefinite period of time, it said THAT leg. As of then, it appeared that the band expected him back for leg 3.

Richie stated in interviews he wanted or expected to be back for the 4th of July show in London. Then he said in that rumor fix interview that it's "not true" that he wouldn't be back on this tour. He said he planned to be back in September and that they were "close" (to working out the problem). Then he tweeted that the September comment was his "hope".

Either Richie was blowing smoke up the fan's asses or he honestly expected to be touring but there was/is a problem between him and Jon (or the band) that wasn't resolved by those dates he said he planned to be back by. My gut tells me it's that latter.

As much as I dislike Nikki Lund, it's pretty obvious she and the fashion line are not the reason he left the tour. He has simply used this unexpected time off to work at his other job. Same goes for this horse race thing. He's not choosing that above Bon Jovi, he is filling up his time since Bon Jovi is obviously not an option right now. If it was he would've been back for leg 3, or at least by September, as he said in interviews that he hoped.

To believe what he said the reason is just about not wanting to do what the band is doing right now is naive. I firmly believe there is much more to it than that. Is it the money dispute? It it the intervention rumor? Who knows. But it's not as simplistic or cut and dry as 'I don't like the album so I don't want to play this tour even though I did for four months of promo and tour shows'. There's more.

It would be more of an insult to everyone if he came back now or in September bedtime leave it blow over and start fresh next tour

i found something that was posted on Facebook and figured i'd share it here...everything in quotes is what was stated by him and the rest is paraphrased.


He said: "the band wanted to do something I didn't want to do".
- He said he wanted to stay with Ava, see school plays, graduations and just hang out. He said he's been touring for 30 years and that, when you're on tour, you can't do that as in you're "stuck there 24/7".
- He was asked whether he'll join the band in Australia and he replied no.
- He was asked if he might join the band for some one-off shows in the future, but we're not certain about his answer.
- He said "this is just for now", he said it's just a "temporary" thing and he said "this is not the end of the band". He also said that there's no malice between them.

Absolutely agree. I'm just reminding of the continuous dates he said he would or wanted to be back by. He didn't plan to be gone the whole tour. Something isn't resolved.

In the past richie has possibly turned to the bottle during week breaks in a tour, but this year he came back multiple times to be with Ava so he's obviously seen something new now as she has grown up. Maybe some home truths were given to him

Drawing upon everything I've read, heard and been told myself I think a combination of factors have led us to this.

Firstly, yes I believe Richie and the guys expected a longer break between albums. Given that Sambora was still in the midst of promoting Aftermath, being called back by the boss probably rankled. Tico and Dave may have objected but it was Richie who suffered most. His plans were impacted.

He probably viewed What About Now itself as passable but hardly the band's best effort. Following on from his own solo record, which truly empowered him, Bon Jovi's album may have left him unfulfilled - particularly given his reduced involvement.

Crucially I think he fell off the wagon whilst holidaying before Calgary. I doubt he had a major relapse but perhaps dabbled in drink and drugs to a point where he was unable to attend that show.

This, rightly, would have infuriated Jon and the guys. I suspect he was told to clean his act up (in rehab) for a month or so before rejoining the tour (hence the initial 'this leg' announcement). I think he refused.

In light of everything that had preceded this moment perhaps Richie decided to bail. He resented being recalled so soon, felt indifference towards the record and had grown tired of the tension between him and Jon. Moreover, he probably felt in control of his demons and took offence to the ultimatum given him.

From April onwards a breakdown in communication was likely. Jon was angry at Richie for his initial no-show and refusal to seek help and Richie too felt resentment. This impasse probably dragged on longer than either intended, resulting in an almost anti-climatic 'exit.'

This looks really, really plausible.
Great point you have there.

I have absolutely no idea what this wall of shit means.