That's just a rehash of the same old rumors that have been spreading around for months, so even if your brother's friend was sincere about it, he may have just fallen victim to those rumors like so many other people did...

As someone already mentioned there is one reason why this cannot be true or Richie cannot have been fired, and that is because Jon wouldn't let a show like that Calgary (?) show happen, he would've made his decision, called Phil X and Phil would've been there from day one of the second leg. Period.

He seems utterly lost when he speaks.

Thank you for sharing.

I don't doubt that this has been a reason that has been put around, it's the party line but it just doesn't add up, for me.

Richie was SO clear and focused for AOTL and his public appearances for his album... he was completely non-enthused every time I saw him promoting WAN.

He weighed up the sacrifice, decided it wasn't worth it then left and spent time with his daughter. Plain and simple. There’s more to it – ie: he and Jon were not vibing and it clearly wasn’t a shock when it happened but this is more down to Richie being sober and thinking clearly than being doped up and not thinking at all.

Everybody has a friend who knows someone who is trustworthy ... yes, of course.

I apologize in advance, both for being blunt and for pulling the age card; but if you truly meant to say that you would rather someone have a substance abuse problem than for your hero to be blamed for a part he may (or may not) have played in a difficult situation, then not only does it sound sick, it also sounds like you have a lot of growing up to do.

Furthermore, it makes you sound quite gullible in your haste to grab onto anything to absolve Jon; because this story, true or not, has been around the block a few times, based on nothing more than speculation from those on the outside looking in.

Not to discredit the person who posted, or his friend, but rumors circulate in the music industry just as they do on message boards. This sounds like a rehash of the same story that Randi Reed posted in her "professional" blog. Maybe the friend in this account runs in the same circles. The only thing in his story that even remotely lines up with the precious little that has been said by, or attributed to, Jon or Richie is the possible idea that Richie wanted to go back but Jon was making it difficult; and even that was questioned because of the tabloid source.

If I were you, I think I'd wait for something a little more concrete to use as back up for any nanny-nanny-boo-boo-ing you want to do.

Alice Cooper loved the lineup of his recent New Years Eve show so much, he wants to do a tour with them:

http://ow.ly/snGC2

That would be amazing, if they all agree to do it.

Just to clear things up: I asked him why didn't Richie came back, not why he left before the Calgary show. He left for personal reasons, we all know that. But he was supposed to leave for one leg, not the whole tour. And this guy said that he didn't come back because of drugs.

And Rolo: I have no business playing monkey business here. I just wanted to share something that I thought would be interesting for you guys. But , just like so many times before, when someone says something about your superhero that not includes praising him, you behave like a child. Like I said, I'm not asking you to believe me. If you don't, fine, no need to behave like a crying baby. Grow up and take you Richie glasses off, so you can discuss things like an adult.

That's not true either.
Jon said more than once that Richie needs to get back to work and there is a seat beside him on the plane. He also said Richie was never fired, Richie just left. And now nobody knows if or when he'll be back. Jon and Richie have only recently started communicating again.

The person you talked to is just repeating old stories he read in tabloids. Why repeat something that was debunked a long time ago by the two who actually know? We already know what happened, they told us. It just isn't scandalous enough for some, I guess.

Well said.

All of what you said makes very little sense.