Anyone else finds it funny that since Richie left we have a lot more pictures of Tico and David on the band's FB page?

Glad someone mentioned about the broken shoulder.
Back then Richie, despite suffering such a huge thing for a guitarist, carried on with the tour.

Where's the credit for that?

And ... like someone just said ... that perhaps lead to his later problems. So maybe he's doing the right thing by bailing, knowing its in the best interests of him and the band.

He said he's burnt out in that new interview. I'm not surprised. I don't think most people can appreciate how hard it can be on tour - even as a millionaire.
He wants a break. Even Tico wanted more time. Jon's pushing this band. Too far, in my opinion. BUT - Jon does deserve huge credit because the past few shows he seems to be working harder than ever before to carry it.

If RS comes back later in the year, in better shape, with Jon on the same form, the band could be the best its been for 10 years.

I don't care if have to wait a year, five years....hell, maybe 10 years - but I don't want to see another set of albums that's we've seen since Crush. I want the band back that had passion and integrity. That's not saying I want an old style/production etc - I just want to hear a band doing something for the right reasons.
WAN was too bothered about keeping up with trends - they stole more than one guitar melody/production idea from The Killers, and a whole verse from Matchbox Twenty.

If we have to wait for some amazing, original Bon Jovi, then I'll wait patiently in line.

If Richie's burnt out ... let the guy recover. Stop being so selfish and demanding he play for you. Where's the human quality of having a bit of empathy and understanding? Even if we don't know all the details...

That quote re Tico is being taken that Jon forced him out on tour. To me, that's blowing it out of proportion.

As I understand it, Jon said to Tico "Come into the studio" a year or two ago and he said "No". So Jon went and worked on his own.

Tico has had time to recharge the batteries since then and I can't believe that he doesn't want to be out there on tour.

If Richie is burned out then he shouldn't have agreed to tour in the first place.

Ava just posted a new video in Rome and talks about Richie but can't understand what she says... Anyone could translate it for me?

Try the JBJ translator? Does that one work, maybe? Just trying to be helpful...

Hi Keek, we're in Rome, we're going to meet papa Richie in the lobby, who's getting his glasses, then we're going to a tour in the Vatican and it's going to be really really pretty.

You want it in Spanish?

Hola Keek, estamos en Roma, vamos a encontrarnos con papá Richie en el vestíbulo, fue a buscar sus lentes, y luego vamos a hacer un tour en el Vaticano y va a ser muy muy lindo.

Nothing that anybody should care.

Yes. It's exactly like you said. The Tico thing is being abused when in fact has nothing to do with touring. It was about recording in the studio and Tico DID take his time and Jon worked with someone else in the meantime, so all worked out in the end.


Thank you for this! No, it hadn't been posted yet.

There's a part that I think really deserves our attention. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Richie says: "I think I was a bit burnt and all that kinda stuff so that's really what happened".

As someone pointed out, if you put together all of his interviews and tweets (from the very same day!), they sound off, like they don't really add up. But it could all come down to the usual matter of us not having the full picture.


She says they're going to the hall to pick up Richie 'cause he went to get his sunglasses, or something along those lines.

If he was so burnt, why do a solo tour during the bands time off?
Maybe it was the timing as the band album was announced before Richie's solo tour was over, but if this was the case then he shouldn't have started the tour.

The deception is the most disappointing part of it all- to save face and not hurt ticket sales the fans have been left in the dark. The situation wouldn't have been as bad if he just announced he was burnt out and would be skipping the tour instead of the circus this has become.

JBJ and John Shanks, yesterday in West London.

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3043/t4eg.jpg

WTF???

Good lord you're dense about this. I'm going to out this as straightforward as possible:
IF RICHIE WAS SO BURNT OUT HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER STARTED THE ALBUM TOUR/CYCLE IN THE FIRST PLACE. PEOPLE AREN'T MAD THAT HE MAY BE BURNT OUT, THEY'RE MAD THAT HE SKIPPED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS COMMITMENTS. IT WAS COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL, AND IF THERE WAS TRULY SOME GIANT "STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMELL'S BACK" RIGHT BEFORE CALGARY, HE SHOULD JUST COME OUT AND SAY "I'm burnt out, and at this time feel that I can't tour." UNTIL THEN, HE COMES OFF LIKE AN ASS WHO TOOK HIS BALL AND WENT HOME.

He's met up with a friend for drinks/a meal/chat? With no context, I don't see why it's a WTF moment.

What's the matter? You don't fancy blue spotted shirts?

The guy kept silent all this time but starts speaking again as the Tour is doing so great without him. I was one of those saying Bon Jovi couldn't keep going without Richie, how wrong the band proved me during this European Leg!

Oh thanks only needed in english but thanks anyway!

Planning new songs or new album without Richie?

I think Richie's credibility for a long time has been a bit of a crutch for the a lot of fans and possibly the rest of the band- his absence has made them go out there and show they've still got it, and I for one have re-discovered an appreciation for those guys and their talent.

Maybe because otherwise he would never have the time to do his solo stuff?

Richie said in that video he's working on some new songs on his own, I don't see you getting your panties in a twist over it.

While John Shanks is notoriously a friend of Jon's, and those pictures were taken outside an Italian restaurant in London.

Even if there was the slightest bit of evidence for that...so what? Most albums have had some songs with little if any input from Richie.

The most likely scenario though, is that Shanks is working in London, Jon has a few days off in London- lets meet up for dinner!!! It shouldn't be worthy of comment!

Oooh, more caps. This is getting tense.

No credit for him feeling burnt out, but trying not to let the fans down by going along anyway....maybe at JBJ's arm-twisting....then finding it all too much?
Hell, we don't even know that feeling burnt out is why he's not there. I doubt it.
But hey ho. It seems you know more than everyone else here about the facts behind why he left mid tour. Only then could you be so convinced he deserves such a negative reaction.
It seems Richie is unprofessional and a very naughty boy. Tut tut.

It's definitely not just tour scheduling, as in the other interview you could tell he was thinking of a specific issue and stopped himself from revealing what it was before saying "it's a family matter, we're like a family".

People would probably be sympathetic if that turns out to be true- he went along with it for the fans but really couldn't manage. Where the anger and negativity comes from is his piss-poor handling of the situation, especially where the fans are concerned. He's left people in the dark with no trace of an apology. You can't treat him with kid-gloves forever- whatever reasons, HE is the one that walked away, so HE should realise his responsibility to those he let down. He's been well enough to live a normal life, so he's well enough to come out and say sorry.

http://i.imgur.com/Ghg5WH8.png

He found his glasses then!

So the band are touring Europe and Richie is holidaying/vacationing in er er Europe........ hmmmmmmmmmmm kind of annoying :(

I hope they take something from this visit- I have Catholic friends who say visiting Vatican City was a huge thing for them. Perhaps a little spiritual guidance can help Richie deal with whatever issues he's having.

The key here is the word IF.
You've just admitted it's a possibility that none of this could be true.
So why assume it's anyone's fault.
The piss-poor handling (FACT!) could be nothing to do with Richie. Maybe it is. Maybe it is.
My only point all along is we shouldn't just blame anyone right now.

From Classic Rock Mag

How can you have a row and know it will end in September?

I'd love to visit your world of eternal tolerance and understanding sometime. You're correct that we don't know all the facts, but there is enough there for us to reasonably have leanings one way or another. The fact remains that Richie has handled it poorly- no amount of excuses absolve him of that. The lack of statement, the ill-judged tweeting- thats all stuff within his power. Yes, the band (as in Bon Jovi the entity as opposed to its physical members) could have handled things better too, but there is no denying Richie's part in it all. Even if his reasons for leaving are the most noble in the world, he has to shoulder his share of blame for treating the fans the way they have been.

LOL The blue polka dot shirt is the star of that picture. ;) Guess all the black tees were in the laundry.

I just hope that we get a good rocking album to come out of this turmoil sometime in the future.

Looks to me like Jon has his hand up David's ass and is practicing his ventriloquism skills.

I don't know where they got the quote from David, but the rest just seems the usual revamped and inaccurate recap of old stuff.

So many mistakes... They mention the current leg kicked off in April (June 6th is more accurate, thank you), the Hyde Park gig will take place on July 12th (or could it be July 5th?), that Richie "truly wants to be there" (he said it's untrue), that Richie said it's a family drama (he said "family issues")... Hell, there are even a few grammar mistakes! LOL Whatever...

They've basically copied and pasted the first half complete with erroneous date- well done Classic Rock. But yeah, you don't have time limits on fights! He's either ready to resolve it or he isn't- if he is, do it now. Putting it on the back-burner like that would be another kick in the teeth.

The David part is awful too- he's just spouting the same old boring company rhetoric about relevancy. I hope away from the reporters he has a more interesting opinion.

I think I should become a Buddhist. That would suit me, except the bald head thing.

However...you jump straight to an assumption that it's within Richie's power to make a statement. Perhaps it is. Or maybe there's a legal restriction on him commenting on the situation.
Most likely? Something barring any member from saying anything that may affect ticket sales until after the tour is over.

Now, back to my meditation....

Is it wrong that the most interesting thing I found in that video was how hot Nikki actually looked in it??!! Holy shit, I would dip her in guacamole and nibble on all o' that like if it was a tostito!!! :)

Question so what happens come Sept when Phil wants to be home with his wife. Is she not expecting their first child in Oct? He's not going to want too be on the road with a new baby.

Being a mom, that was my first thought too.

As I said, I wish he spent his time off doing other things. He's always had a problem with matching colors and stuff, seeing him that passionate about fashion just unsettles me. But hey, it's his life, not mine. I'm a nobody, so whatever. I want him to be back and I'm not judging him. I do believe he could have handled things better. It's all in the delivery, and the delivery so far has been very poor. I'm gonna wait till we know the truth, even though I'm afraid we never will, at least not all of it. I just wish that Nikki Lund woman wasn't SO up his ass and he could be a little less "Hollywood". But again, his life, not mine. Just come back to Bon Jovi, and not because of money/contracts, and we will all be happy.

Another slap in the face for the fans..

Isn't he color blind or did I just dream that information? Seems like I read years ago he couldn't distinguish between certain colors.