Why didn't Phil play on THINFS?
 

Anyone know why Shanks played in studio? I honestly didn't know that until today. Shame. I really like the album, but this takes away from that a bit.

No idea... It's possible that Phil's style is considered too "heavy", but he's a session guitarist so it's not like he couldn't play what's required or desired.

I love THINFS too, but I hate that Phil only plays on a few tracks and Shanks plays on everything.

I don't think it was a style thing, he played on Come On Up To Our House, one of the softer sounding songs. I don't think we'll ever know if it came down to scheduling or budgeting. Shanks was there any way the entire time and since some songs were recorded live off of the floor Phil would have needed to be there the whole time I guess.

I think Shanks is a better writer who is also a producer and Phil is just a live on tour maniac...

Just like the way they used Huge in the studio and Alec on tour... Let's face it, Huge is not the most exciting member in the band... He was just a session player until Jon had no choice but to fire Alec and bring on Huge... Huge wrote the bass line for KTF... Alec just played it... Same exact situation... Phil is more of a member and John is just helping out IMO...

It's not a secret that Jon and J. Shanks has been the two driven forces behind Bon Jovi in the studio during the latest albums. Even when Richie publicly was Jons right hand, Shanks has always been very close in the creative process.
I guess it comes down to the fact that Shanks knows what Jon wants, which makes Jon feel comfortable. I'd even go as far as saying that Shanks was the one who planted the seed regarding the Killers, U2 guitar sounds that has become more and more present since HAND. For every album it has become less Richie influenced and more Shanks.

So to repeat myself - Shanks delivers what Jon wants in the studio with ease while Phil X is the perfect guy on the road. Like Rdkopper stated, it's pretty much the same situation as Hugh and Alec, except the fact that Shanks actually tours with the band this time. I'm quite sure it will be like this on possible upcoming albums (unless Richie returns). Shanks will be the guitar player, the producer and the co-writer. Honestly, except for Jon himself Shanks is the one closest to Bon Jovi these days.

YES. 300 hundred percent I think this is it.

It's a bit of a bummer for me. As much as I enjoy THISFS, I really want Shanks to take more of a backseat on future albums and leave the guitar playing to Phil (and JBJ). Now that Jon's voice is going (gone?) in my minds eye he really should focus on having a more instrumental presence on the albums. But that's just me, I really don't think most people give a shit really....

I had assumed this was a timing thing - remember Phil didn't play on BB at all, and we know they'd already done a bit of work on THINFS by then. I don't think it was decided that Phil would be a 'proper' band member until a good chunk of the way through the process and then he came in and played on the remaining songs.

I may be talking out of my arse, that's just how I interpreted it from what Jon said about recording and then what Phil posted on social media. It wasn't until Jon said the record was nearly done that Phil started posting photos of recording and it was soon after than he was 'officially announced' as a band member.

This.

Music should be recorded and played live by people who wrote it; hence, Shanks is the guy to play the new songs - in studio and live. If he wasn't a capable guitar player, there may be case, but not here.

Plus, it's not like Phil's involvement in studio would change anything. He already played on a 4 songs on This House and I can't even tell which ones, because they sound the same. And that's exactly how it should be, because Phil is, first and foremost, a session player. He played on albums for pop artists like Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, etc. and did it in a way that matches the music being recorded. So if he was to play on more Bon Jovi songs, he would do the same - play into Jon's vision. So you might as well have Shanks instead, who actually contributed to the songwriting and production.

This is an interesting discussion. You guys know a lot more about this side than I do; but I tend to agree with Walleris that it makes sense and would be more authentic if the guy who co-writes the songs also records them and plays them live.

So I have some questions. Do you think Jon currently has Phil on the road, in addition to Shanks, because the fans reacted so positively to him and Jon knows that the response to Shanks would have been much more negative? And do you think this might be a transitional move to allow the fans to get used to seeing Shanks in the band (while Phil is still the "official" lead guitarist) and then after this tour, perhaps, he becomes the official lead guitarist, Phil goes back to the Drills, and Bon Jovi goes back to being a 5-piece band (well, plus Everett to cover backup vocals)? Or do you think both guitarists will stay and continue to trade off lead and rhythm responsibilities?