Whatever happened to Richie's solo album?
 

Hi there, haven't posted for a long time so I suppose this has already been discussed but whatever happened to the solo blues album that Richie was planning to bring out at the end of this year? :evil:

Did he ever say it would be out at "the end of this year"? I don't remember anything other than he was working on it. Maybe it's the law of supply and demand. There's not a huge market for Richie Sambora, solo artist. Or maybe it's the way the creative winds are blowing... if Jon and Richie were writing together and hit upon something good that would tell them it was time to keep the band going for now and put solo albums and movies and hotels and football teams and musicals aside for a while.

Becky

It's funny how predictable Beckys posts about Richie are. Always giving away little stabs in the back.

Anyway, the real reason probably is that the band wanted to make another album and the box set. With all the recording and overdubs Richie hasn't had the time to finish his solo album.

Ice

As long as some of us have been around, we're all a little predictable. But it's still the truth. If Richie were a true solo artist, with his sales, he would have lost his contract. Maybe he did since he switched to that European label a few years ago with that other speculated album that never materialized. He keeps talking, but he's not releasing a product and he's had more than enough time.

Becky

i'm with you iceman :wink:
I like Richie with Bon Jovi but also his solo albums and for my opinions Richie is an underrated guitarist because of Bon Jovi 'pop or cheesy image, for others guitarists ;for that reason he cannot be compared as
Satriani or malmsteen or mark knopfler ..I'm sure Richie can play shred or bluesy or whatever ,but like he is always playing for Bon jovi , he is still underrated..if he had only a solo career ,may be he will lost some BJ fans , but he will gain much more popularity among musicians..that's the fact..may be as becky said he will lost his contract in USA ,if it will be the case ,I think it's a shame ,but you have others solutions: find independent label ,sell directly your songs on your site..some great guitarists use this solution and that's the future for not being oblige to be the servant of a major company

Richie co-writes the majority of Bon Jovi's songs. He's been co-producing the songs for ages. He's one of the main driving forces of creating that "cheesey image." It isn't logical to say the "band" limits him because he's half the driving force of the band's creativity. It isn't logical assume Jon limits him becasue some of the longest and best solos Richie's done are on songs Jon wrote alone (Dry County, RSOW, Bed of Roses), so it's not Jon who's envisioning super-short solos a la "Everyday."

Maybe his heart just isn't in it for the solo CDs. 2001, 2003, and 2004 all would have been good years for him to release something, but he hasn't done it. Remember the talked about best of with some new tracks? Never happened. That would have taken such a minimal time to put together that there's no reason for it not to have come out if that's what Richie wanted to do. The "the band is holding him back" theory/excuse has worn thin.

Becky

bla bla 'amen' :lol: you're sure a true loyal fan..for me if Richie was not in this group..with his fantastic playing (on stage) i will not buy the albums
that's the fact :wink:
by the way becky..it seems you know everything about the group ,your life looks like depending on the band ,you are thinking for the band..the reasons for writing some tracks etc.are you musician ? are you guitarist ?
we are talking about a guitarist and trying to explain why ,these days talented guitarist are oblige to make concessions to survive ,I'am not saying that richie is an angel ,bu I am sure if he was alone with a solo carreer ,may be he will have less money but for his ego of musician and guitarist that will be the best

Fact is that the cooperation of Jon and Richie is what makes Bon Jovi so special.Jon never would have become such successfull as a solo artist.

But that's not topic here.

Richie is working on another solo-album that's right but nowhere was said how far this work is already. He was and is very busy with other stuff, like Shark Frenzy where he worked together with Bruce Foster on and also the new Bon Jovi album. We all know that he is a perfectionist and needed very long for Stranger and US also. The band but also the work on Shark Frenzy No. 2 holded him back from his solo album.

I had to laugh when I read this. Becky, who wrote these cheesy songs like she's a mystery, Always, Bed of Roses and Save the world?

People's perception of "cheese" differs. Most people who call Bon Jovi "cheesey" have never even heard She's a Mystery (which I personally think is well written) or Save the World (and that one I agree is cheesey. LOL) What about Velveeta singles like Something for the Pain, Thank You for Loving Me, and All About Loving You? It's all opinions. Funny thread though--if it's bad, Richie had nothing to do with it. They collaborate. Jon and Richie both write and produce, so if you're going to credit them, you have to take the good with the bad. They've created some great stuff together and some stuff that is not so good.


Becky

Becky, you know very well that my least fav song is TAALS which is written by both. So Richie has very well something to do with my least fav song that is the cheesiest beside Stay. Even though it's a pity that I missed Richie's soundcheck in Nürnberg in 1998 where he sung TAALS. I would have found it interesting to hear if it is really the song I don't like or just how Jon sings it. He has sometimes a suffering in his voice that I don't like (esp.in Stay).

That the people say BJ are cheesy has more to do with the choice of singles through the record company that are choosen very often against the wish of the band.