Beaky |
11-05-2013 02:53 PM |
There are some definite gaps in this. I think Richie has given us the highlights here and nothing more. This goes back to all those initial posts people made about his heart not being in it and not speaking up before the tour was booked… he should have put his foot down and said ‘No, I don’t have another album and tour in me right now, I want to focus on my solo album.’ But in Jon’s defence, Dave is working on his musical throughout 2014, so that would mean they would have been off the road until 2016. I cold have handled that but Jon really doesn’t like too long away from the billboard tour charts so any tour, even one like we’ve had this year, will make him happy.
I think that RS being such a flake and Jon being such a control freak has finally brought about a breakdown. They may love each other but they can’t stand each other right now. The first leg of the tour, the song choices, an album RS didn’t really put his heart and soul into and a fractious relationship with Jon… although it didn’t show on stage, I think when it came time to get back on the plane, he’d had enough. I still think that his comment about having the odd drink has something to do with this. I stated about 500 pages ago that I reckon Jon has told him he has to be completely clean and sober so as not to risk his performances and Richie just wasn’t prepared to commit to that. I think RS doesn't see a small wine to get him through the boredom of touring as a big deal. It is, obviously and Jon has seen him do that before and seen where it leads. All these little niggles between them just mount up, without any big argument and suddenly you just don't want to be around each other any more. If you’re in Jon’s situation, you have a million things to manage and then you have Richie being a dick, missing rehearsals, dissing the song choices, wishing he was somewhere else. But to a certain extent, Jon pulled all this down on himself… There is no way he wouldn't have known that the timing sucked and he was taking a risk by hastily scheduling an album and tour like this but that doesn’t in any way absolve RS from his huge part in making this the biggest mistake of his and the band’s 30 year career.
I can understand why Jon doesn’t want RS back on the tour. I can understand why RS left if he was unhappy with the song choices and the changes with the band. I can understand why Jon got frustrated with a naysayer in the camp who never turned up to practice. I just think, in hindsight, this album and tour brought out the very worst in this band; Jon & Richie in particular and how the two of them recover, how they respond as a unit and indeed IF they actually pay attention to the fans and realise that an epic response is required; will be telling as to how grateful they truly are for our friendship…
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