Bon Jovi to tour without Richie Sambora!

[RocknRoll]

This was posted on Bon Jovi's Facebook Page:

In response to questions about Richie Sambora & Bon Jovi's upcoming performance schedule, the band released this statement:

"Our support for Richie is absolute. He is, and will remain, a member of Bon Jovi. Although he will be absent from upcoming shows for the time being, we very much look forward to his healthy return. In the meantime, we will keep our commitment to our fans and continue our tour

Sounds like Richie is going back into rehab

[ebake02]

I watched a portion of the Penn State show and you could tell he was hammered.

[Melissa]

Wow, we're seeing them in a couple weeks, had no idea he was again having problems though. Hope for the best.

[S2M]

Why anyone would pay hard earned money in this economy to see Jon Anchovi, and Ritchie SamSnore-a - is beyond me....

[Melissa]

Why anyone would pay hard earned money in this economy to see Jon Anchovi, and Ritchie SamSnore-a - is beyond me....

For the same reason you would go see padded men push a chunk of rubber around a big ice cube with crooked sticks

[portland]

So who is going to fill in?

[kgdjpubs]

Why anyone would pay hard earned money in this economy to see Jon Anchovi, and Ritchie SamSnore-a - is beyond me....

if I had to make a guess, it's because they still put on a very good live show. I'll be the first to say they need a break because a lot of the new material is just going through the motions, but live is another ballgame. Put on a nice little concert a month or two back in Raleigh, with a fair amount of digging into the back catalog.

IF I was going to see Bon Jovi, ....which I wouldn't be....if Ritchie wasn't on the bill I'd want my money back.

Yea, I agree with you on this. The smarter thing to do is to cancel the shows and reschedule when Richie is healthy, butI guess they don't see it that way. Too bad.

[Ratgirl]

Wow, we're seeing them in a couple weeks, had no idea he was again having problems though. Hope for the best.

Glad I didnt end up going.. would've been bummed about him not being there. Hope he gets the help he needs.

[Melissa]

I don't think it's too easy to get your money back on tickets unless the show is actually cancelled. And I would guess one reason they don't cancel them all is because of fines? Seems I've read before about fines..

[Pelata]

I'm surprised they'd do shows without him...but if tickets are sold, schedules are set and fans are waiting, then I can see them having to move on. It's not like they had dates scheduled 6 months from now and are making this decision...they are in the midst of a tour. JBJ is too much of a business man to simply cancel shows mid-stream...

[Saint John]

I can see why this dude and Nostrildamus are friends. They feel sorry for themselves and wouldn't allow a tour without them, but when it's another member that needs the process to stop, it's "Hey, see ya later, man!" Personally, I thinks it's obvious that the singer is far more commercially vital, but these guys simply don't practice what they preach. Besides, without Richie, who's gonna sing?

[NoMoreTails]

I wouldn't see them without Richie...although I wouldn't mind seeing them without Jon.

[Deb]

Not sure I'd want to see them without Richie either? Some duos (vocal/guitar) just go together.........would be like seeing Aerosmith without Perry or Journey without Schon?

[SilvioRodrigues]

So who is going to fill in?

Bobby Bandiera

[marco17]

I haven't read anywhere if there were issues with Ritchie's performance, but I know the last go around JBJ was pretty pissed, because Ritchie was messing up quite a bit live. Not things that the cheering fam would notice outright, but the band noticed. JBJ may have just told him to go get his sh*t together ASAP because it was impacting their live performances or something. They seem like a pretty tight unit, so I wouldn't foresee Sambora being booted. And, I'd have a real hard time seeing anyone other than Ritchie rip into the Wanted Dead of Alive solo. But to St John's comment... agreed, it seems like when "brothers" need some time to get healthy, regardless to what it is, it seems that the machines aren't willing to stop....

[Pelata]

As someone alluded to with fines and such, it would probably cost them a boatload of money if they were to re-schedule or cancel...

[Saint John]

For the record, I fully support Jon going on without Sambora. My point was, that if the roles were reversed, Jon would be crying up a storm. Kind of like another douche that that held his band back and then trumped up some bullshit when they disbanded a viable lineup to accommodate him. Sambora fucked up and deserved to be left behind. He failed the band and fans, not Jon. But I still wish him well.

[NoMoreTails]

For the record, I fully support Jon going on without Sambora. My point was, that if the roles were reversed, Jon would be crying up a storm. Kind of like another douche that that held his band back and then trumped up some bullshit when they disbanded a viable lineup to accommodate him. Sambora fucked up and deserved to be left behind. He failed the band and fans, not Jon. But I still wish him well.

But I believe Jon is actually the boss and the other guys have been hired side men all along, though I always thought Bon Jovi was a band up until a few years ago. So whereas this is an employer/employee type situation that acted like a band and talked the "brothers' talk, etc., Perry was a band member who tried to be the boss and run the band, and never felt like a part of it, choosing to be an only child.

I guess its Jon's perrogative to temporarily or even premanently replace Richie, but I have no interest in them without RS...actually very little interest even with him since Crush...maybe part of Bounce.

[Rocker Chic]

First and foremost, can everyone please learn how to spell his name correctly???

It's RICHIE... There is no 'T'!

I have no interest in the band Bon Jovi, unless Richie is there. I consider him Jon's primary writing partner and his backing vocals are important to the band's sound... He's always been a far better singer than Jon anyway.

Debbie

[maverick218]

I wouldn't go see them again anyway- went a few years ago and was shocked and disappointed to see them using an extra keyboard player and an extra guitarist- something just didn't sit right with me about that.

[Maui Tom]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

[KDOUBLEU]

[ebake02]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

Or ZZ Top without Dusty Hill.

[scarygirl]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

Jon's one solo effort, Destination Anywhere..... Enough said.

[scarab]

Be like Journey without Neal Schon.
U2 without Th Edge


Come On Jon,

be a man and delay the tour, your fans will agree and understand.

[Deb]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

Jon's one solo effort, Destination Anywhere..... Enough said.

Disagree with ya on this one. He wrote the whole soundtrack to Young Guns II. Great album! One of my solo JBJ favorites...... Miracle ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnM9WEha5E0 (great little solo by Jeff Beck on that one too)

[Rip Rokken]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

Jon's one solo effort, Destination Anywhere..... Enough said.

Disagree with ya on this one. He wrote the whole soundtrack to Young Guns II. Great album! One of my solo JBJ favorites...... Miracle ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnM9WEha5E0 (great little solo by Jeff Beck on that one too)

I got the Bon Jovi live in Madison Square Garden DVD at Wal Mart for $10 recently, and they played "Blaze of Glory" -- I noted that Richie drops some of the notes in the slide guitar melody and it weakens it.

I was not impressed in the least by Jon's stage presence... it was the most non-masculine performance from a guy I've seen in some time, and looks like he took lessons from Backstreet Boys and N-Sync.

[Michigan Girl]

Everyone is replaceable, e.g. if Journey can tour w/out, AD,GR, SP, SM, RV, SA, JSS, they can tour w/out Neal!!
Would they do that?!? Hmmmm ...

I love Richie (LOVE) and I hate it for the people who will be seeing them for the first time
w/out him, I believe they've done this before w/Bobby!!
I bet there'd be a huge battle for refunds if Jon~boy were being replaced, though!!

[hrams]

Bon-Jovi have signed on Phil X ( formally of Triumph, Tommy Lee sessions etc)

Phil is a awesome player and will do a great job.

http://www.bravewords.com/news/161122

[Deb]

be like seeing Steely without Dan.....

Jon's one solo effort, Destination Anywhere..... Enough said.

Disagree with ya on this one. He wrote the whole soundtrack to Young Guns II. Great album! One of my solo JBJ favorites...... Miracle ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnM9WEha5E0 (great little solo by Jeff Beck on that one too)

I got the Bon Jovi live in Madison Square Garden DVD at Wal Mart for $10 recently, and they played "Blaze of Glory" -- I noted that Richie drops some of the notes in the slide guitar melody and it weakens it.

I was not impressed in the least by Jon's stage presence... it was the most non-masculine performance from a guy I've seen in some time, and looks like he took lessons from Backstreet Boys and N-Sync.

Funny you should mention that. I am a long time Bon Jovi fan, but a few years ago I saw a JSSB show and Bon Jovi show within months of each other and commented to a friend pretty much the same comment. JSS has ten times the stage presence JBJ has, truth be told. I've seen dvds of both also, and Jon comes across like he's teaching aerobics with his bouncing and arm/leg stage movements, where as Jeff's come across as more of a natural groove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTS9htxpc_E