The bands alcohol/drug use
 

I've just realised that almost all of the original members had a drinking/drugs problem. It seems like Dave was the only one that didn't have any kind of a problem? Is that true?

Jesus, give it a rest.

They were a massive rock band in the 80's...nearly all of those bands were doing all sorts of drinks and drugs. It was a sign of the times, it's not secret.

Whether they had a "problem" or not varies from member to member I'd expect, but they all did everything under the sun I'm sure, Dave included....

Jon has never had a recreational drug problem as an adult, though he was dependent on steroids to be able to sing. He also said a couple of years ago that he had stopped drinking alcohol even though it wasn’t an issue for him.

I have heard discussion of David having some issues with cocaine, but who knows for sure. Every one of the original members have smoked at one time or another.

He drinks alcohol now and then like he did recently in South America, but not too much of course; but sometimes... like in Bahamas 2015 he was really drunk the night before the first concert, he was having a good time, not something to be worried...

I'm sure that he never had a problem, but surely you're not implying that Jon never did recreational drugs!?

He himself as said many times through the years that he had a bad reaction when he was around 12/13 years old and he has not wanted to use since. His statements have included that it scared the 💩 out of him and, separately, that he “didn’t have the mentality for it.” Plus, he had to contend with an addicted family member. It’s not something that appeals to him.

I see. I have heard very contradicting stories to that with regards to Jon from a member of a band that supported Bon Jovi on a US tour back in the day.

Jon has used all the drugs a rockstar usually does, he just was never a addicted.

This is an interview of 1993, for a brazilian tv, where he admits that he has used pot and cocaine in the minute 39:36.


Jon was never a saint, he has spoken several times, and he was the frontman of one the biggest RnR bands in the last 30 years. I don´t know how some people refuses to believe that he has used drugs or betrayed his wife.

Yeah, the person I was talking about said Jon was definitely a Cocaine user, and also really enjoyed going to Strip Clubs in every town.

I'm sure he never had a "problem" so to speak and I'm sure he hasn't used for a long time now...

I thought it was common knowledge that Jon cheated? He's talked about it very publicly.

Yeah, Jon talked about it publicy several times about cheating on his wife, even in Bed Of Roses...

Back to the topic...David was the one to introduce Sebastian Bach to meth and he said that nobody knows how to party like Bon Jovi (the band).

Bon Jovi just knows how to keep their business in the family.

Well, the stripclub thing is in the booklet of Slippery, so THAT's hardly a secret.

Didn't somebody on here claim the blonde in Bed Of Roses was a guitar? That always struck me as off.

But yeah, the band didn't have a drug heavy image or fanbase I guess. From what we know they also always were super disciplined in the studio; not like Mötley Crüe or Poison who were barely able to record or showed up to writing sessions way late.

My take is that the band did party, but JBJ was always way too focused to want it to get out of hand and is himself a very controlled person. But they were rockstars in the 80s - of course they had their share of vices.

About Bed Of Roses, in a interview, Jon stated that the whole first verse was true. He had went out the night before and it was a lot of fun, but he was felling guilty as he was leaving the hotel room, because he hadn´t touch the piano in his hotel room yet, so he sat down and wrote the lyrics up to ``...about movies that won´t make of me when i´m dead``.

The interview link you posted in no way conflicts with what I said. He said he experimented—which he did—and you seemed to have missed the part that he doesn’t anymore and hasn’t “in SO MANY years.” That was 1993.

BTW, thanks for that link. I have that on video tape somewhere and have not been able to find it for probably 20 years. It’s one of the best interviews with Jon and I look forward to watching it in full when I have time. I’m really excited to see it again!

I'm pretty sure that Rdkopper had claimed that and it never made sense to me either. But Jon's words in the recent Facebook interview clearly indicate it's about the woman from the night before.

It's his Guitar

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Search the word "blonde"... Someone else knows the story too

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1149

Gotta back RDK on this one. I had heard the "blonde" guitar too. I'll have to see if I can find the source.

That's the difference between rockstars and us common folk.

They can write hits while hungover and all I can do while hungover is accidentally mistake my shaving foam for deodorant. That was a mess.

If you want gossip (and stories about substance abuse) you should check the book "Star man" by Michael Francis:

https://www.amazon.com/Star-Man-Righ.../dp/0743462351

I read this many years ago and remember it being an entertaining read, but I can't remember details. I still have it, so I will have to give it a re-read

Songfacts is not overtly reliable, and really, turning the first verse of Bed of Roses into a metaphor for the music business just sounds like it's trying to protect the band's image more than anything. I'm sure you folks would find a way to interpret Damned in a manner so it's really about Jon resucing stray kittens from the rain.

Aldo Nova and JBJ wrote Hey Ronnie however the Demo is Hey Johnny...

The song started off about them being best friends and then turned into a love song with a few changed lyrics...

Considering Jon was married at the time of BOR, it's a pretty risky lyric to put out... It's like 'Hey I cheated'

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I’m not commenting specifically about Bed of Roses, but not all songs are autobiographical. Always is about a movie. Kidnap an Angel is based on Billy Falcon’s wife’s death. Bullet is about something that happened in Jennifer Hudson’s life... Ypu can’t assume everything written is about truth or the singer’s life.

Jon introduced BOR as a confessional at An Evening With


And he has admitted to being unfaithful in many interviews.

if Jon has openly talked about cheating in interviews (which he has) how is it anymore risky to put it into a song?

Remember what Jon said in Behind the Music? "The band were drunk and high, and me too. We were a wreck."

Jon was never specific as to WHEN he cheated... I always interperated his admittedly cheating days were during the 7800 period of his life...

BOR was written during the grey summer period when Jon and Dorothea seemed to be at their closest...

Note: I'm not saying Jon doesn't cheat... I'm just being specific to that one lyric of the song.

I don't believe Bed of Roses was ever about infidelity. I always took it as being about his career. Damned, on the other hand, I do take as being about his infidelity.

By infidelity, I do mean post-marriage... not during their on-again/off-again years in the 80s.

Jon is definitely a drinker, but not to the point of it being an issue.

It seems like I remember a statement from him that he would polish off a bottle of wine before shows in the 80s to calm his nerves, which I can believe. We're talking about a natural introvert.

I know it was a 'dark' time but I've thought for a long time that the These Days album always had an extra meaning too it.

The lyrics/song titles are extremely deep and it's almost as if Jon is confessing a lot.



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Richie said that Jon was “working out his demons” on These Days when asked about it during the Crush era. I read it and immediately called another fan because we were floored that Richie had actually made the statement since it was so unguarded.

It did not change my view of These Days. The darkness was always there to see.

Yeah. I know the story and stuff but I just think that it's definitely got more to it.

Lie To Me, Damned, Something To Believe In, If That's What It Takes, Hearts Breaking Even etc.. all about hearts being broken or love or losing touch of something.



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Wasn't that because Dot actually filed for divorce but found out she was pregnant with Stephanie and decided against it? At least this is the rumour I heard. But then it was around 1992 so KTF era and TD was recorded two years later so dunno if that could be the problem. Besides Dot was pregnant with Jesse at that time so don't think they were fighting. Could it be about another person then? It sounds very personal for Jon himself so it had to be someone close to him.

Never heard of any of that

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Oh, can't remember the source now, sorry. But if not Dot, then who? Destination Anywhere sounds awfully personal, too.

None of that is true.

Jon and Dorothea became closer during 1990-92. He credits her with saving her life when he was in a deep depression.

David and his first wife were separated during that general time frame. Maybe someone is confused over who it was. I have a friend who went to Jon’s house in June 1994 and she met David there because he was staying with Jon at the time. He talked pretty freely too.

Jon and Dorothea had a big fight that inspired some songs on Destination Anywhere. It was not a marriage ending type fight though. They were pretty happy hopping around Europe in that era. There was illness and death on Dorothea’s side of the family that brought them closer together during that time period too.

Oh, interesting. Thank you Becky! So it means TD is inspired with Dave's heartbreak as much LH is with Richie's?

Hey God—news story. Dorothea should have a writing credit because she’s the one who said “two paychecks away from living on the street.”

Something for the Pain—blatantly trying to rewrite Bad Medicine

This Ain’t a Love Song—Jon was listening to a lot of soul at the time

These Days—world, band, fans

Lie to Me—continues the story of Tommy and Gina without their names

It’s Hard Letting You Go—Moonlight and Valentino

Hearts Breaking Even—Richie’s first date with Heather

Something to Believe In—idea started at end of NJ tour and Jon kept saying it was a positive song. I finally realized what he meant. It’s positive or negative depending on how you hear/interpre the same words. Very clever writing IMO

Diamond Ring—written same day as Wanted. Jon had decided to pop the question. Finally made a record, which was unusual given how old it was.

My Guitar—started the same way as Bed of Roses. Jon didn’t feel like writing, so he started writing anyway

What It Takes—meant to convey the basic idea as something like IBTFY, the positive, solidarity love song

Damned—Jon wanted something befitting a brass section

Those are ones I remember Jon talking about directly.

There is a lot of information in these past few posts that I don't believe

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Why? Becky explained things pretty clearly and it makes sense.