Sorry for the long post, even by my standards; but I'm playing catch-up. If the mods move the other posts, as suggested, feel free to include this one. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeper
(Post 1214515)
I think he doesn't want to read the headline saying HE accused RS of being a drunk. He's tip toeing around it.
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I don't blame him; I wouldn't either. But I don't think that's it, because, in reality, they could run that headline without a direct quote, just based on the comments he
has made.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Joysey
(Post 1214523)
In the Spanish itw in London iirc, Jon said he no longer owned his recording studio in NJ, does anybody know about this? ... Did he sell the equipment to get more cash to buy the Buffalo Bills or what?
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That would make sense, but I don't know if it was ever discussed in the press. This was the first I had heard that Jon no longer had Sanctuary II.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Joysey
(Post 1214539)
Just for fun! Since we're doing it for Richie, there's no reason to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to current BJ boys. ;)
...
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And as we have been informed by the resident authority on alcoholic behavior: "Rehab is a known fact. You don't get to keep drinking when you've hit the point of turning up for work drunk and have been in rehab"
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjcrazycpa
(Post 1214544)
non alcoholic perhaps??
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Perhaps.
But isn't it funny how no one seems to offer that possibility when the pictures (or reports of pictures) are of Richie? Or even those of Ori where Richie is found guilty by association - or assumption...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eveline
(Post 1214574)
If it's true then I find Jon a hypocrite accusing Richie of being drunk and junkie while he himself is regularly damaging his voice with smoking ...
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Like most ppl, Jon is hypocritical about a lot of things. Like defending his "integrity" by throwing his 'friend' under a marketing bus to promote his new album.
It would appear that the only dirty laundry Jon is concerned about being aired is his own underoos. He clearly has no compunction whatsoever about discussing Richie's addictions or his sex life or failure to show up for a rehearsal - and even joked about how it would piss Richie off. He's talked about Tico's drinking, David's less than enthusiastic participation in the band's efforts, David's and Richie's marriages going bust, Alec's lifestyle or competency, and anything else he wants to air out.
Somebody needs to tell him that integrity involves practicing what you preach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bonjovi90
(Post 1214588)
... [Jon's] no saint either, no doubt about that. But what others have already mentioned and where I agree with them is that he's always showed up for his obligations. Richie's guitar playing has deteriorated as much as Jon's singing, yet he's the one who became the constant insecurity factor for the band.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeeper
(Post 1214591)
... it would bother me if I payed to see a show and he's clearly a mess because of it. Several people on this board have witnessed that. I don't need video evidence to tell me the strain a drunk puts on people...
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Please tell me when Richie became "the constant insecurity factor for the band" or a "strain on people"? Ever since Calgary I've heard references to ALL the shows he messed up and ALL the rehearsals he missed and ALL the times he let the band down by not showing up, but no one's has been able to break that down for me.
From references I could find, it seems that he was clearly off his game in the MTV Unplugged taping and he missed 1 show in Puerto Rico, immediately after that when he went into detox following a band intervention. Then, with the band's blessing, he went into rehab in 2011 and missed 13 shows, iirc. I categorically refuse to include the (fictitious) "leg he missed in 2010" since aparently Seb is the only one who knows about that one.
If I'm counting correctly, that would make
two separate instances when Richie's alcohol or substance abuse created a problem for the band. Twice in 30 years.
Except for what Jon is saying in these interviews - all of which seem revolve around those
past experiences - there's no evidence that alcohol had anything at all to do with Richie leaving the tour. He was in excellent shape during the first half of the NA leg and, according to most reports, outperformed Jon during those shows.
Furthermore, I don't know if many ppl recall it, but if I'm not mistaken, the first time after Calgary that Richie said anything in the press beyond "band biz stays in the band" was immediately after Jon's
first attempt to connect Phil-X with Richie's previous rehab stint to imply that alcohol was the reason Richie left. Richie was quoted, then, as saying, "Jon needs to stop talking trash about me in public!" Strangely enough, Jon stopped making those veiled accusations after that, and seemed to be content with "he just didn't show up for work..." until the promotion for this album began. Coincidence? I doubt it.
Because these implications have been hashed and rehashed, the easy explanation for the recent sloppy shows is "He's drunk again!" But it's been pointed out several times that while alcohol
could be the reason, there are other possibilities that could be just as viable. With Jon beating that horse to death, alcohol is, of course, the first - and sometimes the only - reason that comes to mind. When you couple that with a few people's insistence that their own experiences with alcoholic friends or family is true of everyone who ever had an addiction, it becomes a done deal. A fact.
Well, here's a real bona fide fact for you: History may
inform the present - especially with a li'l nudge from the one with the mic in his hand - but it doesn't necessarily
dictate the present, as many people here assume.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xavi
(Post 1214592)
I have never attended a BJ concert where Jon was,Im not saying equal,but at a similar way like Richie in both Milton Keynes shows in 2006.
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That's quite possible. But you may want to keep in mind that there were also some mitigating circumstances around that time, too. Like his dad's diagnosis of cancer and his wife filing for divorce, either of which might have had something to do with a less than stellar performance.
And correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it around that same time that Jon turned in a half-assed performance at Hull, simply because he didn't want to be there? Seems like I remember something bout that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rdkopper
(Post 1214594)
...
IMO there are multiple things going on with Jon's voice...
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I agree. I'm afraid that there's a respiratory or pulmonary condition that's affecting his breathing, which may also explain the lack of energy and movement from behind the mic stand. He may be having to choose between moving around and having breath enough to sing.
That's just a guess but it has concerned me for some time, especially since I saw the video of the Target show not too long ago.
If that's the case, smoking wouldn't help, of course; but it may not be the cause either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleeding Purist
(Post 1212967)
We tend to assume it was his smoking that did it... except you have people pointing to smokers the same age or older than Jon that haven't suffered similar decline. We don't actually know why his voice is in the condition it is in. We can speculate all day long, but the fact is we don't really know the root cause...
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I absolutely agree with this statement.
By the same token, it's just as irresponsible, IMO, to assume that every negative action on Richie's part is caused by substance abuse.
