[danfan]

So, on another message board that has nothing to do with Bon Jovi, I got into this discussion about the band. There's a guy on there (nice enough), and he knows a good amount about the band, but his opinions are so backwards it's unbelievable. Couple of examples:

"I personally think their old stuff sounds like bubble-gum cheese pop and has held up like toilet paper and I used to like it in the 80's when I grew up. Their new stuff has better musical quality and will hold up better over time."

"There are a lot less people that listen to them now that say 1988 but most non die hard fans wouldn't know they have put out several good records since then. Just do me a favor and save the rhetoric that Slippery When Wet has held up over the years.....it has not. Crush, Have a Nice Day and Keep the Faith are much better."

When talking about the singles from Slippery and how people think of those first when you mention the band:

"Doesn't mean anything.....people's first thought of a groups song doesn't mean it's held up. Wanted has held up but their live version is better because it's arranged differently. That studio album is lame...."you give love..." and "living..." sounds cheesy nowadays. They re-arange them because they even know it hasn't help up well....."


Now, he brings up some points that are arguable. Many people do prefer Keep The Faith to Slippery, but Crush and HAND????? Give me a break.

And I like some of their new music, but saying it will hold up better with time than Prayer or Wanted???

Then to say Wanted's studio version is lame, and how it sounds live today is better? Good grief.

[Spidey5150]

Nothing the band has released, or will release, has held up as well as the big 3 of Bad Name, Prayer, and Wanted. Yes, they've had other hits, but those three songs are universal and generational. They will live on forever. The only other song i venture might come close is It's My Life.

[danfan]

Check out this asshat's response:

"Selling music doesn't mean they've broken into new audiences - their fan base is likely still buying. Just like they are buying concert tickets. They are successful products. I don't see how album sales means they are picking up new fans. Who buys full albums anymore?? Old foggies

And I know Bon Jovi is a band (not just JBV) but lets be real.. he's the face of the band and would live and die by his participation. The other guys would go onto other gigs.

They haven't really been much of a shaker in awhile. Successful? Sure.. but lets face it.. if they were put out on the stage at the Superbowl.. what would they play? Their old stuff. They have a great fan base. I can't honestly remember the last time I heard their name even uttered on TV or radio - let alone saw it in someone's playlist.

I doubt any kids in my daughters high school could name more than 3 tunes from either Bon Jovi or Springsteen... heck I'd extend that to college grads at my office. The world is big enough to sustain all kinds of acts."


This is the type of moron you just wanna reach through you screen and smack upside the head. They THINK they know what they're talking about, yet they have absolutely no F'N clue.

[RS8MB0R8]

Was his username Born_to_run by any chance?

[kleman]

Which forum? Is it maybe a U2 forum?

[Grzesiek]

The post 2000 BJ is deeper in that way that you can always hear something new in this songs just by putting on better earphones or playing with channel mixing/extracting. There are lot more things to get into, especially if you are a musician. There are many things to learn if you are guitarist. Much more than 80' ultra-distorted, power-chord guitar and some stupid keyboard parts. Same thing about Jon to me. Singing lower a few tones doesn't mean that he lost his ability to put emotions into this tracks.

So I'm with that guy I thing (call me crazy if you want)

[RS8MB0R8]

Originally Posted by Grzesiek

The post 2000 BJ is deeper in that way that you can always hear something new in this songs just by putting on better earphones or playing with channel mixing/extracting. There are lot more things to get into, especially if you are a musician. There are many things to learn if you are guitarist. Much more than 80' ultra-distorted, power-chord guitar and some stupid keyboard parts. Same thing about Jon to me. Singing lower a few tones doesn't mean that he lost his ability to put emotions into this tracks.

So I'm with that guy I thing (call me crazy if you want)

Bat-shit crazy.

[Butters]

Originally Posted by Grzesiek

The post 2000 BJ is deeper in that way that you can always hear something new in this songs just by putting on better earphones or playing with channel mixing/extracting. There are lot more things to get into, especially if you are a musician. There are many things to learn if you are guitarist. Much more than 80' ultra-distorted, power-chord guitar and some stupid keyboard parts. Same thing about Jon to me. Singing lower a few tones doesn't mean that he lost his ability to put emotions into this tracks.

So I'm with that guy I thing (call me crazy if you want)

I agree with you and to a point, I agree with the guy in the original post. I think the post-2000 music is better than the 1980's stuff. SWW and NJ are great albums with great songs, but a song like YGLBN, as recorded on the album, does not hold up today. It was very much of it's time and I think most people would think of it as a cheesy 80's pop-rock song. Obviously there's a lot of hardcore Bon Jovi fans who perception of the song will be influenced by their memories attached to it and their first impressions of it, but if you played that song today to an audience who never heard it, it is easily identifiable as a cheesy 80's pop song. That doesn't mean it's bad but it is what it is. I'd take a song like Bells of Freedom or Joey or Superman Tonight any day of the week over YGLBN or Let It Rock or Homebound Train, say. Those former songs have so much more depth and class, and quality songwriting.

I'm not a huge lover of 80's rock. I love Bon Jovi's 90's work and their 2000's work, but I can say for certain that their 80's albums are the one's I listen to the least. They contain epically good songs which I think work great in a live format but not on record. Case in point for me is Bad Medicine; I absolutely hate the album version but adore the song live.

[Spidey5150]

Bad Name has held up perfectly fine. The only knock against it is how weak it's become live. Kid Rock said, in reference to Bon Jovi, and LOAP in particular, that the song was bigger than the trend, and i feel that's held true for the big 3 on Slippery. All those songs have lived on. Hell, my local pop station still plays all 3 fairly regularly.

[Tictoc]

I did a search of these quotes.

They're from shavenscrotumloversforum.com