Just checked his twitter. "Just arriving in Tokyo with the Family! With Chuck Loeb, Steve Gadd, Giulio Carmassi and Oli Rockberger" We're safe.

Firstly singing with Stevie wonder must have been cool, I don't no, I get how he must get sick of talking bout the band on his "break" but he comes across cold and snappy... With regards to staying at home with his daughter, maybe that's where this all started, maybe Richie said something bout Jons kid and the whole drug thing... But alas we will never prop no :)

Early on Richie mentioned loving his fans/missing them. By summer he was mentioning coming back on tour. When he realized that it wasn't going to happen--for whatever unknown reason--he settled into his life and found it to be good. On red carpets, reporters are firing questions right and left. If the question had been, "do you miss your fans," I think he would have said yes and sent some love our way.

I get that he must get sick of reporters asking him the questions and the constant harrasment of some fans that they give him on twitter and the like but, he either needs a new publicist or his current one needs to step up and do some damage control. He's coming across as really conceited and a bit of a dick, and I don't think he's doing it intentionally, he seems oblivious to it....

He sound so drunk.

He was about to go on stage with Stevie ****ing Wonder and you are being critical of how he talks to members of the press?! Who cares? It's the press!

I don't even understand what you and others are hearing... at what point is he being a dick?

He doesn't have to bother stopping to talk to these people you know. He answers the questions.

What is it you want?

Oh shut up.

That stopped being funny... actually it was never funny.

I applaud those who have the energy to still comment on this whole sorry mess.

This thread has more views and posts in 6 months than the official youtube topic sticky has gotten in 10 years.

No, but he did that lip licking thing again that stimulant drugs tend to make people do. He's been doing it since the red carpet fashion interview with Nikki a few months back. I don't recall him ever doing that before this year. Maybe it's prescribed, maybe it's illegal, but he's on something.

Or maybe he has dry ****ing lips? Ever consider that before you rushed to the conclusion he was stoned?

People lick their lips all the time - they're not all high.

That would actually be pretty funny. What would be his excuse?

Or it could just be a nervous mannerism. He knows when he gets interviewed that he's going to be asked about Bon Jovi. Maybe he is wary of talking to the press.

He was doing that as far back as the March 2010 Philadelphia show. A friend of mine said that Richie was drinking again - I said no - but then he was out for rehab again later in that tour.

There are hundreds of interviews on youtube. Show me one from 1996-2005 that's he's doing it. just one.

You do? I pity most...

Dry lips?! If I was him, I'd get a bloody big tub of Vaseline because he's had 'dry lips' since September!

Those are from 8/26/2011

Here is the very first one I bothered to watch;


Licks his lips at 1:30, 2:41, 3:55, 4:48, 6:38, 7:07 & 8:35.

Poor example since he's not even doing it in 3/4 of the times you noted but whatever. You can believe his lips are dry. I believe he's on drugs. Just like this guy who constantly licks his lips too. http://youtu.be/TGA6tnx4yCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kur5r...%3Dkur5rHZZ5L4

New Richie album

"And I think that this band needs it, actually"

You're damn right it does.

That has been the general consensus on here for 10 years. Every album after Crush has felt rushed and the quality kept going downhill. If Richie says no more studio work for the foreseeable then hopefully Jon will decide the time is right for a solo album - maybe a mini tour at smaller venues than normal and then in a few years the band can get together and write a proper rock album.

He missed his daughter and he's grown tired of the bands music. That's why he left the tour. Bad timing definitely - but something like this had to happen.

Yep, he's a hero and has been held back by Jon this whole time. No doubt about it. Fortunately, Richie knew to stay drunk and abdicate his duties mid-tour to JAM WITH THE GOD DAMN FABRIC, because this would save Bon Jovi. What. A. Hero.

I don't get the whole 'show me a video between this year and this year' stuff, personally...

Richie has been a heavy drinker and reported drug user his entire adult life from what I've read online... I cannot count the amount of f**k's I don't give about his sobriety other than the fact it's a waste of time and talent putting that sh*t into your body.

Feels a little like some are starting to revel in it and be a bit smug about it. 'Let's see if we can catch the twatty fabric jammer snorting a line.' It's all a bit tabloid for me.

Before anyone says 'but drink and drugs were the reason he split,' I don't agree. As I said, RS has been a long-time drinker and if you believe that lovely Ally Sheedy story everyone loves to bring up over and over, then he's a habitual drug user also. So Jon is surely used to it and if it had been based around a serious doubt that Sambora was so wasted, he wouldn't be able to continue, then surely Jon would have made it public to draw attention to his friend's health rather than go through all this, possibly pushing Richie further into depression, drink and drugs.

Not for me. This was about RS's new found love for himself and lack of enthusiasm for the band and it's direction. Somebody buy him some Lipsyl and let's move on.

I agree, why are we even talking about licking lips is beyond me. However, as you said he has been wasted his entire adult life, which would mean he is wasted now, which would in turn mean those saying he is wasted now are also right, no?

Oh completely... I wasn't arguing that point but it just strikes me that there's a touch of Schadenfreude involved with some and it's got little to do with whether he's back with Bon Jovi or not... Much like the people who are all over Jon for every little thing... who cares?

WOW
http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...42/944/8c5.gif

Is anyone ever going to seriously ask Richie the question, why didn't he come to this epiphany of leaving before the tour? That's what I keep coming back to.

Wow a bit of brutal honesty for a change, well I think he's right

This is the best snippet of an interview since April. No, I'm not - and I Don't know - how simple is that. No tripping up trying to give an answer you think people want, or open mouth and insert foot, poor PR advisor BS.

I only hope he is not influenced by his new "circle" for lack of a better word and his seeming gush for new talent if that's what you call it - he needs to remember what brought him to the dance. Bluesy, Rock, bend a note and have at it. If Richie could kick out a great album - that would be the best damage control he can do. But I know, IF is the biggest word in the dictionary. ;)

That part I actually understand, Have you ever came back from vacation and the thought of going back to work just breaks your heart? I have - but I don't have the cha ching to actually follow through. For me, it's been the PR around it all.

Agreed, with me and this whole situation I went away listened to a bunch of other shit and forgave the guy lol not necessarily for ditching me in Lisbon :( but I spose you have to respect his choice to "spend time with his daughter"(he should never have commited to the tour in the first place). I hope after this tour the dust settles, The hitman gets better;) and in a few years come back with a kick ass album and tour :).... Now lets see what Jon does next ;)

But how long is Ava gonna be part of his excuse? Until she's 21? ;)

Haha ;) I still find it surprising that even Richie himself thinks the band need a break, I think a casual fan doesn't care less if Richie is there or not (granted they actually no who Richie is) I did Hyde park as well this tour, and just as Bobby ripped in to his blazing rendition of the solo from bad name a woman standing next to me yelled "Yea go Richie"..... Needless to say I wasn't best pleased and removed myself far away from her lol ;)

For what it's worth I'm watching an interview Jon and Richie did on Howard Stern's tv show in 1992 and he's licking his lips quite a bit. It doesn't have to mean drugs.

LMAO, I would have had to say something. To mistake Bobby for Richie is not even casual - it's sad. Now, he is out there working but he's no Sambora. Wonder who she thought PhilX was?

"Wow I just LOOOOVE the new hairstyle Richie has!" :P

Still not buying it. Say he was just burned out from 30 years of touring (and/or wanted to spend time with his daughter) and say that was fine, why did that have to be a secret? Why say "I had to stay in LA to take care of a personal matter", and why say "I can't say anything because nothing is resolved"?

Anyway...

Having seen the last clips of the last shows in Japan for Bon Jovi and the ones posted a while back of Richie doing Wanted and performing with Stevie Wonder I can only say, both of them suck now! They both need a break and really not come back until Richie works on his issues and Jon on his voice....

Thank you.