http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertai...-1226771962259

It sounds like even now Jon doesn't really know why Richie left the tour. They haven't spoken in months either!

Nice read "I've never been one to shy away from a little fight" mmmm
Also again with the "business" ug... But then again the guy must no what he's doing, sounds positive regarding our missing Willy wonka! ;)

Jon, November 30, 2013 :

"You have responsibilities, I am in charge of my portion of what this is. It's a business."

"Richie was never fired from the band, he just didn't come to work any more. Some day when this is all over, the three of us would like to talk to him and say 'what happened'. If you didn't go to work tomorrow I think ultimately your editor or your publisher would say 'where are you?'. So there you go - he was never fired, we certainly have no animosity and when the tour is over he can come and see me and Tico and Dave and explain what happened."

So Richie was lying when he said they'd been texting. Interesting.

I don't know if that's the case. Aren't interviews like the one Jon does with the press written some weeks in advance? Maybe the interview was done before Richie's encounter with TMZ.

True, fair point.

They all lie.

Especially Jon, right?

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4863071232/h212BB7C1/

so Jon new he wasn't coming back on tour, yet did not bother to let the fans know. So the fans kept buying tix with the hope he would be back, while he knew it wouldn't happen.
I can't believe I was such a big supporter of Jon, but he has no respect for the fans at all. He just wants our money. I wonder how long ago this interview was? If it was after Richies text comment then Richie is a liar too.

Ah c'mon. Seriously? You think this all the way back in the Spring/Summer then? Its OBVIOUS this is recent and its OBVIOUS Richie wouldn't be back for the last few shows. Jon presuming this is not ripping off the fans. Get a grip

He knew that Richie wouldn't be back. Richie hoped to be back in July, yet Jon has not spoken to him since April, so yes they sold tix knowing he would not be there for the rest of the tour.

Or Richie SAID (and not too convincingly) that he hoped to be back in July. Who knows if that's the truth either.

Sorry, but once Richie left the tour, anyone that bought tickets did so with the knowledge that he wasn't currently with the band and with absolutely no guarantee from the BJ camp that he would be there at any time on this tour. The only one that said anything about him being there on any given leg after he left was Richie himself.

But Jon never said he would be back. Read all his comments on the subject and all he said was it's up to Richie. He never once said that Richie will be back. So they sold the tickets and it was up to the fans to buy them or not. Not up to Jon.

Well the article said he hasn't spoken to him.

Touche. I guess I figured that meant all modes of conversation but who knows...

The interview had to have been done after October 12. That's the date of the Las Vegas wedding and concert.

Good point. It can't be good if they really haven't spoken all this time.

It seemed like they made some digs at each other through the media. Whatever happened I think it was personal, which would explain why they haven't spoken for so long. We as fans will probably never know even half of the story.

Exactly. The tour must go on. I have no gripe about the shows being sold after Richie had left. because people had choice. And there was no pretense that he'd be back. My gripe is with Richie bailing mid way through way after people had bought tickets

Here´s something I never really understood:
When Jon got the news from his manager that Richie wouldn´t show up he wasn´t really suprised but all he did was accept it just like that?

Am I the only one who would have called Richie and asked him where the **** he is?

How do we know what goes on behind closed doors. We truly do not know what his reaction was. He's not going to exactly publically come out and say "Fuck Richie! He left! I demand to know where and why!"

You are right! But it is his band, he´s the boss and he still wants people to believe that after six month (if this interview was taken in October) he still doesn´t know what´s going on in his own business? Don´t tell me you believe that!
Of course they will never tell the public every little detail (and don´t have to) but Jon makes himself look like a poor CEO saying that he will wait til after the tour is over (8-9 month later) to find out what happened cause he still doesn´t know.

All Jon's interested in is taking care of business. He has a big tour to do and wants to focus 100% on the job in hand. He has the commitment from Phil to fulfill the void left by Richie until that moment Richie comes back. Of course he knows whats going on in his business. He knows he has shows to play and fans to please. Why draw away focus and waste time on investigating why Richie left when he has over 100 shows to organise, play and fulfill. Richie has been absent until Richie wants to go back. Phil is covering until that time. Its as black and white as that really.

Panicking and pleading with Richie not only panders to Richie's narcissistic ego, but also draws focus away from what is really important here. The shows. Its basic management handling of situations.

I don't remember reading that. Was it from an interview?

Last week at the airport: http://www.tmz.com/videos/0_qlki6tnh/

I blame that dodgy woman, she's in his head. Filling him full of shit most likely

I don't believe Jon when he says that there is no animosity. Of course there is or he would have occasionally called Richie if nothing else as a friend and brother to wish him happy birthday, ask how things were going, inquire about his family--all things a person does with a friend and brother. Regardless of him walking out on a tour. Previously on this never-ending thread, there were reports that Jon wasn't taking Richie's calls and had refused to meet with him when Richie flew back to New Jersey while the band was there.

Even if Jon wasn't surprised at him not showing up, it wasn't a good thing to happen. Of course he was angry and he has a right to be. Early on when reporters kept asking him questions about the situation, he said that it was harder and harder not to say anything

Did anyone else think it odd, or am I overanalyzing that Jon said no "animosity" - using the exact term Richie used on Australian TV? The evil Jon reports were mostly started by RS minions so take that with a major grain of salt IMO. But, aside from that - I don't think there is any animosity, I feel because of things as you mention, no Birthday shout out, no or limited contact at all leads me to feel it is worse. I think it has reached Apathy. That is more dangerous than anger.

Apathy is an interesting way of looking at it. I follow Richie on Twitter, and do any of you remember a few months ago that he asked fans to post links of their favorite songs? I sent him some Bon Jovi songs I like and he never re-Tweeted those or any other Bon Jovi song. It was only solo music. It was like he didn't want to acknowledge having a hand in writing and performing some of the best music of the last 30 years.

Also, did anyone else think it was strange that, when Slippery had its 25th anniversary, Richie was excited because Aftermath was one year old? Not that he can't be proud of his solo work but isn't 25 years a bigger deal than just one year?

Maybe Jon was apathetic, too, or is now. But Richie seemed to be uninterested in anything to do with the band a few months ago, to me. The fact he left out re-Tweeting Bon Jovi songs was very obvious. It was like he was saying the chapter is closed and he's starting over.

The 25th anniversary of Slippery was in 2011.

I'll bet she probably meant the 25th of New Jersey in Sept. - had quite a bit of press, at least on the BJ side.

I find it highly doubtful that Jon is apathetic about the Richie situation. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that one day Richie could sit down and explain it to him, Tico, and Dave. I don't think any of them are apathetic at all.

Richie prefers his solo stuff over Bon Jovi stuff. I think that much we know. I would suggest part of the reason he bailed was because he isn't as into the music as he used to be.

I am sure they are all not happy about it and I think they would love for Richie to tell them to their face but Richie does not like to own up to anything.

Yesterday, Hollywood Christmas Parade.

http://www.crushmagazine.es/wp-conte...28901404_n.jpg


with Steve Wonder.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bac_oAiCAAA7og6.jpg

with Daughtry.
http://oi43.tinypic.com/zl4vap.jpg

...and Santa Claus!
http://oi40.tinypic.com/2gtqj5s.jpg


;)

Richie will show up to meet with the guys and bring Nikki along too. :lol:

...wait...

Yeah, its nice to know it wasn't hard "at all" for him to walk away. Dick.

Was looking at pictures of Jon arriving at Japan, there was a picture of him and Will Lee (bassist, right?) I'm thinking it was just an airport meetup, but first thought was "oh no, don't tell me Hugh's bailed!" :D