God I'm so tired of Richie Sambora, this is already the 3rd time since 2007. Just replace that dude with Phil X.

You're undoing all your good work with this...

Mate; addiction is based around the brain altering to accomodate a substance. In Richie's case - what we know of it - the addiction to opioids, analgesic pain killers was in response to an injury. So even if you think a heroin addict isn't worth a job or your sympathy, addiction to pills that were meant to make him better (so he could continue to do his job) but adjusted his mental state to the point of dependancy, ought to be enough to garner a shred of empathy from you?

Re-read what I said. I said I DO have empathy for people with substance abuse problems. I'm just saying I think to begin taking them is a choice. My understanding is Richie's problem was with alcohol. That is a complete 180 from painkillers. If I was wrong and his problem is with painkillers, different story entirely.

Richie has been battling an addiction issue for years. The fact that he is functional, aware of it, and addresses it each time speaks volumes. He is not some druggie laying in some crack house.

This is what you call real Rock and Roll. This issues date back to Elvis and The Beatles. Do you think we'd have "Yellow Submarine" if it wasn't for drugs?

You take the drugs and alcohol out of R&R and you get GLEE. Look, I'm not condoning any of it but the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's rock and roll genuineness was built on drugs and alcohol. It’s just part of the business.

There are guys in this business that have it much worse than Richie. Richie has just been in the public eye for 30 plus years. And sadly, guys die.

But you are a fan of rock and roll...... That's like someone being a fan of the army but against the right to bear arms.

Nobody forced him to use anything? It's his own choice remember.

Im backing you up Dan. Substance abuse is NOT a disease. There is a group of people who are unable to use drugs or alcohol in a recreational way. We call them addicts or alcoholics. The fact is that the vast majority of people can socially consume alcohol or drugs without becoming dependent, but some of us cant.

A disease is an illness of some kind, alcoholism is an addiction.

You'd have no problems selling them, but with a 25% fee to pay to StubHub, you sure as hell won't get your money back!
I now understand why the StubHub ticket prices are so high - because of the money you lose in fees.
For example, if I were to sell our Diamond Circle tickets (with the early entry package) at face value, I would be selling for £385 for the pair and I'd lose almost £100 of that.

We've been here before with Richie and he's returned for the European leg. With major headline appearances at Slane and Hyde Park, not forgetting the Isle of Wight festival, I only see 2 options:
a) Richie returns for Europe
b) The big Europe dates get canned

I mean come on, if it's a festival (which is televised), you pretty much have to be at full strength - you can't go in there with Bobbie on lead!

So who played Richie's parts yesterday?

What Richie said to O Globo (newspapper in Brazil):

I don't know how's gonna be. I want to keep doing promo for my album. The only thing that I'm sure it's that I'll be in Brazil with Bon Jovi in 2013. If there's a break between shows I will try to make a solo show. I guess that's how's gonna be from now on.

This kind of statement opens up a lot of chance to speculation.

Bobby B and Jonny B.

... and addiction is classified as a disease... Fact. Your ignorance is a choice.

It's a scientific fact and not because 'everything's a disease nowadays' or 'we have to give everything a name' or 'there's an excuse for everything today, didn't happen in my day' etc etc... It's because we understand it more today than we did 20 years ago.

Do people make the choice to pick up a bottle or needle? Absolutely. Does life/depression/circumstance have a say in it? Undoubtedly. Am I glad I have never been in the situation where it's affected me? 100%. I am sure many people with the attitude that addiction is a choice firmly believe that it comes from a weakness, a weakness they don't possess. I would never presume that myself as one day, it might bite me squarely in the arse.

Just for your info: Richie controlled his drinking for many years, just like a number of people do. However, his alcoholism came about as a direct response to his pill addiction - prescription pills he took to stay on the road with the band. So why on earth would anyone want to fire him?!

That comment is way too text book and not very realastic.

Historically, Rock and Roll and Drugs & Alcohol go hand in hand. You being so anti D&A about this means you should be listening to other categories of music. You should burn all your Ozzy, Led Lepplin, Guns and Roses, Stone Temple Pilot, and Beatles records.

Who cares honestly, I like beer too. And occasionally I drink too much, which is my own choice. Richie does it every single time when he drinks or takes painkillers it's a definite own choice. Alas it is a mind**** too.

I could see, and understand, the band being a bit pissed if a relapse is the problem to be honest.

Yes, I'm sure they will feel bad for him but they are having to pick up the slack and it makes them look a bit stupid and unprofessional again.

His problems may be an illness but, given the type of illness it is and the history, I could see the guys being pissed off.

Go w*nk over pictures of Sambora.

I really enjoyed the Phil X shows that I saw in 2011 (2 of them I think). Phil fit in perfectly and Jon really went out of his way to engage the audience. There was no auto pilot at all.

They were the last 2 shows that I saw before flying to Europe and the first show I saw there with Richie again was Duesseldorf which was entirely forgettable.


Life will go on without Richie.

If my habits forced me to miss days off work they would sack me and my work dont involve 100,000s of people paying good hard earned money to watch me play.
He needs to either stop for good or quit the band.

Exactly my point, hell I even think Jon should fire him.

But do you have "Diamond Circle tickets" ?

And there are other avenues to explore as well besides Stub-Hub if you really want to dump your tickets at face value.

Dont get me wrong I want Jovi with Sambora in but if he cant quit his addictions (not easy i know) then he needs to walk from the band.
Every night he dont turn up he is letting 1000s of people down.

Your rudeness was as predictable as your ignorance.

I have been personally affected by what you call a disease and I can assure you it is no such thing. An addiction is not a disease. Now unless you are unilaterally commandeering the English language and redefining words you should think again.

You should consider an apology for being so ignorant and rude whilst you are at it.

Not true by law in the US! If you admit to your problem like Richie did, your employer cannot fire you and needs to provide help. Especially if its work related stress.

Too short of notice to get someone.

+1. Phil X kicked ass in the lastest tour, and as everyone said, Jon was on fire. With Phil X we had some of the best I'll Be There For You and Lay Your Hands On Me of that tour!

Which, for me, would mean life goes on without Bon Jovi. Phil X surely is a nice guy and lightyears ahead of Bobby with his playing, but BJ is the chemistry between Jon and Richie onstage for me.
If I want a guy who can play close to what Richie does I'll stick with Bounce.

a) Yes, I have Diamond Circle tickets.
b) As of May 1st Ebay switch ticket sales to StubHub..... But I know there are people who were interested in them, or were before this news broke.

No one knows if he misses due to alcohol problems again - so no real need for going on about firing him again. If it gets confirmed - then it's a different thing.

Phil is a patch uncomfortable.

You don't love the band, only the man.
sad but true.


.

I totally agree.

He's suffering from Uveitis and therefore can't perform currently.
I won't jump the gun and state this as the definite truth yet though :D

Matthew Bongiovi ‏@MatthewBongiovi 8m
Unless it comes direct from us don't listen. People saying according to someone close to the band is SHIT.

Matthew Bongiovi ‏@MatthewBongiovi 5m
All I can say is he is OK. There are personal reasons. I'm sure some can look up the meaning of "personal" reasons.

Wow, Matt is doing killer business for the band Bon Jovi again with these Twitter messages.

Yeah, Matt's Tweets are always so defensive and weirdly passive-aggressive...though I am glad to hear that Richie is 'ok'

Phil x was recently on tour in UK think it's.still going so he wobt.be in

Comes across as a bit of a ****wit alright.

Someone should respond to him and say " We'll you are close with the band, are you saying that everything you say doesn't mean SHIT either?"

In Matt’s defense, people are probably being stupid and annoying. Just based of the comments here, I could imagine what he is getting. Dry County is less than 1% of the Bon Jovi population. Poor Matt

To Matt's credit, though, he did go after that Tweet by 'NaughtybutNiceRob' that claimed 'Bon Jovi Dumps Sambora' by saying, "I think you need a better source."

I'm still not sensing that this is alcohol/drug/rehab - I can't help but think that this was always an album & tour that Jon wanted to do more than any of the others, and Richie has said enough is enough.

We've seen enough articles recently where Dave/Tico/Richie admitted that the album wasn't something they were ready to do so soon after the last tour.

You can argue black is blue all you want. Addiction is officially recognised as both a disease and a genetic predisposition - whether you think it is or you don't, is completely immaterial - I am not commandeering anything other than scientific fact. No need to 'think again', maybe you just need to catch up on some reading.

The fact that you've been personally affected by addiction is something you've decided to bring up, which is obviously meant to both shame me and make me/others think I don't know what I am talking about. It doesn't. Your comment was ignorant, plain and simple. Whether your personal circumstance is/has ever been affected by it doesn't distract from that in the slightest.

Also, I would like to know where on earth I've been rude to you or anyone else? It was pointed out that in 'the real world' Richie would be fired from his job... I argued the case that for the defence. I argued that addiction is seen as a disease and an employer would have a hard time not handing over a large payout in 'the real world' for sacking someone who became addicted to medication that was prescribed to enable them to work. Failing to see how I've been ignorant and rude.

Make some sense, or get back on topic. That was borderline rude, I'll give you that.