More clearly and more coherently in his train of thought. I am in the camp that thinks he has beeing drinking/drugging over these past few years, but it does seem like years of abuse beforehand have had some kind of lasting effect. Could this also explain his utter decline in guitar skills? I mean, we have to presume he played some amazing shows down the years while completely off his tits, so something has changed.

He didn't start making "mistakes" live until HAND-ish era which make sense given his life situations and how it was dealt with. I don't recall too many guitar slip ups on the Crush and Bounce tours but HAND forward I can think of more than a few. Is it a case of youtube being more prevalent? I don't know.

Suggesting that he has brain damage to explain his slurring rather than the most obvious cause of current alcoholism / drug use is nonsensical and not rooted in any evidence.

He's an addict. I don't know why people can't come to terms with that instead of finding excuses for him. You'd all be useless in AA.

You clearly have a complete misunderstanding of how years of abuse can effect you physically...brain functions yes, but other physical functions too. I've seen how it effects people...

I'm not saying that he is or isn't, but from my experience, he didn't seem drunk to high to me in that interview. For you he did, and that's fine, but that doesn't make you right, anymore than my beliefs make me right.

You have no more evidence that Richie was high in that vid then we do that it is because of lasting effects of years of abuse.

Truth is none of us know, it's all speculation so asking for proof is pointless..

Jesus, who the hell said brain damage?

Well, I did say the "brain damage" would probably have been caused by drink and drugs. Again, I am firmly in the camp Richie has been off the wagon for years and it has contributed to a lot of his problems. However, it is more than speculation to say thirty years of consistent boozing interspersed with periods of being hooked on some kind of drug or another can take its toll when you get to 55.

That said, something clearly changed with him from the Aftermath period to just after leaving Bon Jovi. Unfortunately for the naysayers, returing to booze and/or drugs is a damn good explanation for that change.

That's one of the reasons I asked in response to the post below (from the other thread) if anyone knew when it was made clear to Richie that returning to the band wasn't an option. I can see how that could have resulted in a relapse.

(And before anyone screams that I'm accusing Jon of making Richie drink again, that's not true. Even if there's a connection, Jon isn't responsible for Richie's reaction to changes in his life situation. And as has been pointed out, no matter what led to Richie's departure, if it was his decision not to show up - and I don't see how it would have been any other way, tbh - then ultimately the aftermath of that decision is also his responsibility.)

You and others inferred it. You said you don't think his slurring of words is from current misuse but from the effects of past abuse so that would have to be brain damage. Unless you have some other prognosis, Doctor?

Well, to be fair, it would be a form of brain damage, but you wouldn't really refer to it as that (only for shock value...). Brain Damage is seen as something much more severe. More accuratly it alters the brain....

By the way, slurring of the words is also common with someone who is in recovery/withdrawal, so saying he's high because he's slurring is far from an accurate assesment...

Also, some people just slur more when they get older....

Another amateur Doctor amongst us.

It would absolutely be referred to as brain damage by any medical professional.There are two types, traumatic, which is acquired through e.g. a blow to the head and acquired brain damage which comes as a result of the misuse of drugs or strokes, heart attacks etc.

You and several others suggested the latter.

I'm completely done with this topic as you're obviously in la la land and making bizarre excuses for an addict and then back tracking when you're made to look silly.

How about.... Maybe he loves hot sauce so much that his tongue has become enlarged and makes him sound drunk? Sounds plausable and no one can actually prove it's bullshit and it fits my fanboy ideal that Richie isn't on something.

Anyway as I said I'm done talking about it. You can have the last word if you please.