Yeah but it was a song released about 15 years or more before they done it.

Yea, I also think Jon would cover something current from an artist that has been around long enough to have gained some credibility within the industry.

U2 has been around longer than Bon Jovi and Jon has a lot of respect for them. Jon and Robbie were recently on an interview together and exchanged some kind words to each other. Robbie has been around for over 15 years now and earned huge recognition for multiple accomplishments, especially in the UK.

Jon is bitter when it comes to these bands that are here today, gone tomorrow or how he says, "here for a cup of coffee" Jon is not going to cover anyone unless he has real respect for the artist. Like Leonard Cohen

By the way, this is all Post 2K Jon. 80's and 90's Jon would be a little different. Esp 80's Jon who worked with his peers and wanted to play record executive for a while.

So Jon really was abducted and replaced by aliens somewhere in 98/99? ;-)

That's basically where I draw the line too. 1997-2000, it wasn't an overnight change but a progression (And it's still progressing).

Not to start another vocal discussion but I think the vocal change, changed the writing which in turn, changed the artist.... In combination with other small factors as well such as age etc. but the big one is vocal change.

If you listen back to Jon's performances from 1997, you'll think they are brilliant because you're comparing it to today. And in fact, they were brilliant but If you do a true comparison, from 1997 to anything prior, you could tell that there was something different going on there. The Eeeeeee's started to emerge more often. Even In Real Life, I've noticed it. It's subtle but it's there.

It wasn't an overnight change but I think something happened during the TDs tour that made Jon change vocally. I'm not sure if it was physical or maybe a vocal expert told him to cool down for a while but there was a reason for the sudden deeper tone. I not talking specifically about the DA album, although that could be a reason but I'm more so talking about live performances. Darker vocal on covers like Not Fade Away. Every Word is probably the closest to a Bon Jovi type song on the album and I feel that Jon just misses it live vocally.

I know this might be a bad comparison but when he provided the vocals for Bang A Drum on Chris Deluxe's album, I knew at that point something was gone for good. Yes, it was supposed to be sung deeper to match Chris' vocal and not be compared to the original but I still heard something in that voice that I never heard before.

It really became apparent to me a few years later on Thank You For Loving Me. If he sang that in the 80's or 90's he would have killed it. That song fell flat because Jon couldn't sing it with that passion his voice once carried. I partially blame the producer but Crush was supposed to be a back to roots type album and TYFLM could have been the next I'll Be There For You, Always, BOR, but Jon missed it because of his vocals and I don't think he's tried another one since. Some say AALY but that doesn't compare.

Now, Jon did have some moments live where that old school voice and style emerged but it was short lived and still not the same.

Once 2005 came about and Jon was able to pull off Who Says which was not only easy vocally but Shanks proved that you could make an album using short-cuts, that was the icing on the cake.

Probably all the fags he smoked during filming time in 96/97.

It also coincided which a much more business-like Jon too, Crush & Bounce had some glimmers of enjoyment from him but it seemed the wide eyed enjoyment of youth was slipping away to the point we are at now where its most definitely work rather than passion.

I agree with all you say. This does remind me of this performance from 2009 that blows all the 'Every Word's from the 90s out of the water.

Great version, never heard him sing the chorus in higher key/octave before :-)

Yeah, you're basically right with everything you said, though one of the things I personally really enjoy about, and find characteristic for, Jon's voice, is the Eeeee's that cut through everything in the mix. I think they're great, but acknowledge that people who knew the band way before KTF/TD probably would miss the old, rougher voice.

Also I think that besides the Blaze album, his performances from 97 at that Wembley concert (where he performed Sympathy For The Devil and Proud Mary) are among the best I've ever seen/heard by anyone :-) That was back in the day, where he/they could take every song you could possibly think of, and nail it/make it their own. Damn, I'm getting old ;-)

Sympathy:

Proud Mary:

Yes, I'm very familiar with these performances and the vocals are excellent but they don't move me like the Blaze vocals do.

Fair enough, Blaze is by far the highest peak Jon ever had as a singer, and probably as a songwriter on his own (don't know how much was co-written on Blaze and am too lazy to look it up right now ;-)) too.