The enigma that is Bobby Bandiera.

Phil can do a pretty good replica of Richie's style live, but the thing is, it's always a replica. Richie's style *was* the sound of the band - of course he also had to find that particular voice (his playing during the 90s is not the same as on 7800°), but he is the one who came up with it. So the solution is to either get someone who brings their own stuff to the table and let them slightly adjust the BJ sound, or try to have them fit the mold previously established.

The weird thing is that I assume Jon thinks that the later approach proves that Richie can be replaced, but since it boils down to someone else copying Richie's style (instead of doing their own thing), it's... quite the opposite?

Of course, the solos are closer to each guitar players own style, but the guitar work in general hasn't changed all that much. What Richie has been doing as recently as "Forever All The Way" is pretty much what post Richie BJ songs try to do as well. As a result, there is often a slight disconnect between the budget store version of soulful licks in the verses (when they're trying to do the BJ style) and the more shred happy solos.

See above, I don't think the goal ever was to have the new guys put their own stamp on the band's sound.

Richie in his day was 10 times the shredder that Phil x is!! Played faster and more aggressive also, but he also had that melodic blues hand that was so Clapton that very very few guys from their era had. He will always be underrated for that reason, there is that occasional spark of what he was that shows up here and there but for the most part he's as much of a shadow of his former self as Jon is.

As far as Bobby is concerned, I initially found him to be the epitome of uncool and thought he just didn't belong there. But by the circle tour I was on board with having him there! What he brought to the shows, you barely noticed him half the time but when he was gone his absence has surely been felt. Vocally and setlist wise. He just had a certain trust with Jon. The setlist would still be more varied and Jon would be a lot more relaxed up on that stage.