I can't help think its unlikely- I could have seen it this last leg, in a "hey, I've sorted shit out and I'm back, sorry I missed a few shows" kinda way, but the added time since coupled with the greater distance from home makes me think he'll be out the whole leg.

no dates for Australia had been announced, just December and they are due to go on sale this month.

Why would you want to boo Jon? Everything seems to point to this being a Richie issue. There is a lot to the story we are not privy to, but it at least seems that Jon has been a consummate professional thoughout this debacle. He is giving 110% on stage. Based on what we know right now, I would not fault Jon and definitely would not boo him.

Dramtic. Much???

The ice cream tub is empty so now I must look for something positive to get me through (she says having access to neither cocaine nor male hookers). Just think of the brilliant songwriting this drama may lead to! Many have complained about the endless optimism of recent Bon Jovi tunes. Jon may be inspired to pen some of his best material yet!! Another These Days, anyone??

By Jovi
4 ώρες πριν ·
Richie Sambora will not be performing on the South African or European legs of the Bon Jovi tour, due to personal reasons. No date has been given for Richie's return, nor any more specific reason given. All shows will go on as scheduled..this is an official tweet from by jovi...I guess this is the end,Richie is out of the whole tour..probably out of the band...

So Richie won't be in Europe. Hands up who didn't know that was gonna happen after it being quiet for so long?
I'm still going as there's 3 other (original) members of the band whom I have been fans of for 25 years who I know will put on a show.
Plus which ever guitarist replaces Richie will be 100% committed which is better than what Richie can offer us at the moment.

Just watched the San Jose stream in the hope of being given a lifeline for the IOW festival... and now I'm struggling to reconcile how I can get on the ferry.

People say 'there's still Jon, Dave, Tico and Phil X is a great guitar player... '

1. Jon is already struggling to sing songs like WGIGO that were written for his voice five years ago. Look at RYH from the San Jose gig, then watch this from just three years ago and tell me his tone, his ability to actually move whilst singing and his agonising facial expressions haven't gotten ten times worse.
2. Dave and Tico. Great... except watching streams and videos and clips from this tour... it might as well be called 'Because I Can.' There are a whole host of subtle differences in Jon's performance that really do make this a solo show. The level of interaction just isn't there for me.

3. Phil X... from everything I've seen of him, what a great guy. Superb musician too. It doesn't matter, it's just a giant game of Guitar Hero for him... he's a session player, his heart and soul can never be in it like Sambora's is. Anyone who plays will know, that translates into how you deliver each note.

This isn't panic stations, I just think the band has changed too much for me now. Jon's voice is woeful and I might have been able to have stood that for one last greatest hits show if Richie had been there. But I think I am done.

You're doing a great job of looking for that silver lining. I salute you.

Have another tub of ice cream on me:-)

From what I hear it's going to be a big rock record...:D

Back to their roots and the best thing they've done since Slippery?

Jeez Ron, how did you guess, brother?

I doubt that now. I think it's going to be a wait and see from the promoters and the band. They might want to see how the reaction is in Europe and wait to see the outcome for Richie. The Australian dates could be in crisis.

I don't get this either. Why go and boo Jon? At the end of the day, it's Richie that is not there and he is the one who should be getting booed. I see fans making videos of support and that they will be there for him.

This is the most dramatic thread in the history of Jovitalk! Pass the popcorn steel_horse lol

Jon can be a douche but at the moment we have no reason to think he's causing this issue.

Just listened to "Make A Memory", if you take Sambora out of that song, you'd lose everything.

I get what you're saying here. I actually thought this before Richie went- even things like how Hugh has gone from the front to the back, meaning less limelight to share.

Maybe wouldn't be a bad idea to re-shuffle for a bit, bring Dave & Tico forward a bit, closer to the fans. Dave's always good for eye contact, but bring him closer, give Jon more opportunity to interact with him too, even just a bit more eye contact with each other. Or going back to Hugh, bring him forward again. Anything to make that stage seem a little less lonely!

FYI This thread is a moderator's nightmare. It takes me an hour to catch up when I get home from work. I wish Richie would release a damn statement. If he's still in the band, he's being a total douchebag by not giving the fans at least an, "I'll be back as soon as I can" tweet. He doesn't have to say what his personal problems are. He just needs to tell people he'll be back someday. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

im making a point that the fans are treated like sh*t but have no ways of making it hurt the band and to show them the disrespect they, as a band, have shown us, whether it be Richie, Jon, Dave, Tico or that twat Matt on twitter. If he is seriously ill, just say he is seriously ill and we can all sympathise. If he has quite, then tell us that. If it is a fall out, then feck it, tell us they have fallen out. The fact is Jon is the CEO, it would hurt him most if the fans turn as he is quite an introverted, family guy who puts his guts into working for his company. Bonjovi wouldn't exist the size it is today, if at all, if the fans hadn't supported them through 30 years. The point has to be made to Jon that we are not happy. If sports fans are not happy with the manager or chairman, they let them know about it and vote by their voices and their feet. The same could, and likely will, happen here too. Feel free to suggest other way!

Probably. But who cares.
I kept hoping he'd be back and then the hope was gone. Poof. http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/...psc157c834.gif
I know how freaking emotional I get over everything. Richie not being there is something that makes me sad right now, don't want any reminders. That's why I'd rather not listen to their music for a couple of days and just forget about the whole thing until Munich. I've had enough of crying. :p

Everyone Can Say Whatever He/she Wants...one Thing Is For Sure...no Richie For South African/european Leg..i Think This Sums Up Just About Everything...maybe Richie Is Done With The Band.the Rest Is Small Talk...

I would really love to know Jons reasonings behind moving Hugh to the back of the stage.
I'd love to just see the band playing like on the ''An evening with...'' VHS/DVD, playing 'in the round', interacting with eachother. In other words, playing like a true BAND and not JBJ and friends.


Andi

JLS split this week.

I think Richie is trying to make his own JLS up and that's why he isn't appearing on this tour.

Right now, somewhere in the world, Richie Sambora is practising his backflips.

I know I shouldn't be, but I'm truly shocked. I honestly thought Richie's reemergence the last week of this past leg (tweets, driving Ava to school) was a signal his "personal issues" we're sorted and he'd be joining the band for leg 3.

There are close to 300 pages of speculation, but seriously, what could the reason be???

Matt wants fans to "support with love," but how can we when we don't know what we're supporting?! How can we when he tweets bullshit about his Every Road cover contest, but nothing about letting the fans down by not being at the shows? How can we when we know he's not in rehab or at his mother's bedside because he allowed his daughter to video him and publicly post it? He can we when we know Ava and Heather are both fine? WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE SUPPORTING???

I can't think of one logical explanation of a "personal issue" that we haven't ruled out that would be acceptable. So if there is one, it should be revealed. As someone posted earlier, fans would be more sympathetic and understanding if Richie would just come clean. How he or Jon thinks they can get away with "it's personal" and have him come back at some point as if this never happened is insulting.

I'll forgive him everything if this is true.

It really puzzles me. There's just this big empty space on one side of the stage!

I think along the lines of, as "unofficial" band members, he doesn't want to give more prominence to Hugh over Bobby. That's my best guess!

On a serious note, I don't know how I feel about this.

1) I am gutted. I feel this is the end of Bon Jovi and it's the first chance I have got to see the band live abroad only to find out that it won't be the band. My girlfriend has really gotten into Bon Jovi over the past year or so and even though she fancies the pants off Jon, she is a Richie fan. She is gutted because she can only make it to the Manchester show with me and was really excited.

2) I'm fuming with how this has happened. Richie can tweet about his contest and what not but can't let us know himself why he won't be joining the band for the rest of the tour. What is that all about?

3) I can't believe that 'statement' we got. What a load of crap. It's almost like they don't care anymore and money is the only thing they want now. That's how this band is coming across.

4) I don't think Jon should be to blame like a lot of people are saying on Twitter. Yeah, he may be carrying on the shows without his right hand man but he's obviously torn between letting the fans down by not playing or letting them down by carrying on without Richie.


It makes me think, have Jon and Richie sat down after the American leg was over and Richie told Jon that it isn't for him anymore?
How can we believe Matt when he says he will be back when he said he would be back for Europe.

I'm still going to go to the shows and make a good time out of them. Jon has gone out of his comfort zone since Phil X has come in so hopefully this gives him another kick up the arse and makes him go that extra step and play rarities for us.

The band need to have a break. If Richie has quit, then the band should. If he hasn't quit, theynneed a long break after this tour and let everyone do their own things for a while.

I don't remember Matt ever saying Richie would be back for Europe. Did he really say that?

He said Richie would be back, that I remember, but I don't think he ever said when.

I don't know. I thought he did but looking through his tweets, maybe not.

When the first rumours about Germany came up and the promotors said Richie wasn't going to be there. Someone asked Matt and he said not true Richie would be in Germany.

They have been deleted. He said it. Yesterday, Matt didn't know if Richie would be in Europe but today he knows its not illness, not ego and his still in the band. The man knows shit.

For me, I truly don't care the reason any more. Fighting, illness, boredom. I don't care. I am looking towards the future now. Is he still in the band. Mr Sambora needs to put out a statement about that in capital letters. I am still in the band 100% but just can't take part in the tour but I'm with the band.

Wonder what the Slane and IOW promoters think?!

Jon should now play a lot more from the album, no point a greatest hits your without Richie!!

This is the part that gets me the most. It's unprofessional, disrespectful and dishonest to the fans.

Just read he's now pulled out of the entire tour.

Not sure what to think, but if there's been a falling out, Jon and Richie should focus of solo careers for a few years. Time may heal and they have been needing a break for 12 years now.

I believe Jon when he describes how he found out 5 hours before show time in Calgary, because he went onto perform without a lead guitarist. So it seems like something happened late in the 2 weeks off that they had out from the tour.

I'm already starting to imagine an official statement on Richie's website saying he's going to concentrate on being a solo artist and session musician for the foreseeable.

Because of their 'to the grave' mentality, I don't know if we'll ever really find out what has happened or not happened. In the VH1 Behind the Music documentary, Richie makes a point of stressing how he disliked how Alec John Such sold a story to that magazine and 'we don't air our dirty laundry in public' kind of thing.

I don't think that mentality has changed.

Kinda off topic, but was there issues between Richie and the band during this acoustic set ?? I remember reading something about it away back but I can't find it.

all this talk about needing a break is bullcrap. this ain't the 80s anymore people. it's not like they're putting out a record every year and touring relentlessly. last tour ended in Lisbon on July 2011. This tour began a year and a half (!!!) after that. a year and a half IS A LOT OF TIME for a musician to rest his/her bones and take pleeeeeeeeenty of time off. what would they do with a 5 year break ? I don't see Jon going back to acting. It took em almost 4 years between the circle and WAN. 'twas enough time for Jon to write a few songs for a movie, TAKE PART in a movie which I don't want to see and finally, play a few one off gigs both a solo artist and with the band. Richie wrote and recorded a solo album and played a few shows. that's it ! they had plenty of time to rest and plenty of time to stay the hell away from each other. they're not in their 20s anymore. a whole year means one step closer to the grave. so, again, saying they 'need a break' is pure bullshit.

Not that particular stripped though it was the same period of time. It was the acoustic Unplugged from June 24, 2006 that Richie was smashed at. He couldn't even play Wanted after several takes and it's not on the broadcast. The next morning he went into rehab.

richie seems kinda bored on this one and Jon looks like he's upset. don't know. but I remember reading they had to plenty of versions of Wanted during the (horrible) MTV unplugged back in 2007. yeah, the one with the all american rejects. what a pile of shit.

Ahhh I see, thanks for the info guys.

I remember the performance with All American Rejects, talk about a strange/random pairing.