The discord is obvious. Someone should post a link to this topic to Shanks, though I'm sure he'd be totally dismissive and snide.

the chord progression was indeed found earlier , originaly intented by u2 as a bridge for acrobat but the guitar intro, a variation of the theme was found by brian eno or daniel lanois, i strongly remember eno though.
the edge;s stereo delay effect, his trademark sound...or his double delay, 2 different time signatures on one sound was introduced by brian Eno as well...
i use these examples because a producer should help the artist express himself, reach his potential, enchanch a song idea without trying to show himself..Shanks is too much on the whole gear and equipment and he loses the big picture. . the song

I think that Richie left. Why would Jon kick him out? Richie was finally sober, playing well and looking healthy. He seemed like he was enjoyed playing again. I just don't get why Jon would kick him out? They're grown people, surely he wouldn't have kicked him out over a stupid argument?

For me, the quality of the albums have been decreasing steadily since HAND.

I don't get how Richie was kicked out of the band. That sounds a little out there. Left of his own volition and denied entry back in is plausible but even that doesn't equal "He got kicked out".

Yes, he was. But we have to remind that the last Richie's gig was Lubbock, on march 17. And the first without him was Calgary, on april 2. A gap of 16 days.

A lot of things may have happened on those days. For me, they discussed for something, did not reach an agreement until calgary and then Richie just did not show up, as retaliation. I think that he did it thinking in come back after. But this was fatal for their relationship and then Jon left him in the freezer and then kicked him out, after seeing that he could still do the same $$$ without Richie. (just to remember that we only had the official confirmation that he was out after the end of the tour).

We say that this situation affected Jon's psychological so much, including his healthy (and voice). For me, it affected Richie strongly in the same way (I did not buy that idea of "I needed to spend more time with my family"). It could explain why he changed from water to wine in so few days. In the end, his departure from the band was totally unexpected and painful, for both sides.

(that's my point of view)

Sure but to imply he was kicked out...If he was kicked out in that break there would have been enough preparation to have another guitarist ready to go. Phil or whoever would have been there that night.

When I say kicked out I mean denied entry back into the band. From what I’ve heard he had no intention of leaving. Indeed if you look at the first few interviews he gave after the ‘no-show’ he’s almost issuing a come and get me plea.

Anyway, back on topic ... I think a reconciliation would have been far more likely had Shanks not been in the picture. There was a time when Jon would never have considered carrying on under the ‘Bon Jovi’ umbrella without his partner. Somewhere along the line that changed. You can’t tell me Shanks had nothing to do with that.

I agree. I think he found a partnership in Shanks that rivaled Sambora's role in the band. To my earlier point (at the risk of steering this boat off topic) when you call someone's bluff and leave mid tour you have to accept the risk that it might backfire. I'm still years later on the fence about whether or not he should have been allowed in the same tour and I can't be mad at Shanks at what the end of the day was Richie's choice to leave.

I wish I knew when they're partnership changed. Both Jon and Richie seemed so happy and proud of The Circle. Richie loved his guitar tones and co-wrote every track etc.

I've read an interview with Jon once, where he said he didn't want to continue with the band but Shanks encouraged him to do so. It's not Phil who's "filling Richie's shoes" but Shanks, who conveniently became Jon's right hand-man on and off stage. Phil is just a happy guy playing some well-known tunes as accurately as possible, while it's Shanks' guitar on the actual tracks, on the actual stage and with him having a finger in every pie.